Surname KekÄlÄinen - Meaning and Origin
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KekÄlÄinen: What does the surname KekÄlÄinen mean?
The last name Kekäläinen is a common Finnish surname. In Finland, it is derived from the old Karelian meaning “a small, rolling hill in the countryside”. The literal translation is “Kekäläinen” (small hill). The Kekäläinen name originates from the old Finnish Kekkonen name, which was a prominent family name in the region in the 19th century.
Historically, Finnish surnames often describe the family’s place or origin, as well as distinguishing a family from others of a similar surname. Most Finnish surnames are derived from the ordinary Finnish words for things like nature, animals, plants, and topographical features. Additional surnames signify things like profession, occupation, or patronymic (father’s name). As such, the Kekäläinen name reinforces the ties between the family and the place from which it originated.
The surnames of Finland also often tell us about the culture and history of the people. For example, Kekäläinen reflects the close connection between the family and its past. It stands out as a reminder of those who came before us and their livelihoods and culture. While the name is considered rare today, it remains a reminder of days gone by and a testament to the strong Finnish tradition of keeping in touch with the past and carrying it forward for future generations.
Order DNA origin analysisKekÄlÄinen: Where does the name KekÄlÄinen come from?
The last name KEKÄLÄINEN is most commonly found in Finland today. It is a Finnish surname derived from the word “kekäläinen,” which literally means “someone from the area of Kekälä,” which is an old district located in the Pirkanmaa region in Finland. As of 2019, the last name is the 88th most common surname in Finland, with 1,995 people registered with it in the country.
The term “kekäläinen” was used since at least the 16th century, and the last name is believed to have originated from this term. People with the surname are known to have lived in Kekälä since the 18th century, and the surname has since spread to other regions of Finland.
The last name can also be found outside of Finland, mostly as a result of Finnish immigration to other countries. For instance, in the United States, the last name is found in the states of Michigan, Virginia, and Minnesota. Canadians with the surname hail from the province of Ontario.
In addition to being a last name, the word “kekäläinen” can also be used to refer to someone who resides in Kekälä, regardless of their surname. As such, people with the last name KEKÄLÄINEN can be considered to be native to Kekälä, and many of them still live in the region today.
Variations of the surname KekÄlÄinen
Kekäläinen is a common Finnish surname. It is also spelled as Kykkyläinen or Kikkulaisten. It is derived from the Finnish word ‘Kekäla’ which means ‘hilly area’ or ‘high ground’. Kekäläinen is most likely an occupational surname meaning that the person was from a family of hill farmers. The endings ‘-nen’ and ‘-läinen’ are usually added to family names in Finland which make them possessive.
The variants of this surname include Kikkula, Kykkylä, and Kikkulainen, Kikkuläinen. The variants are archaic spellings of Kekäläinen and were used by the same group of people during the period of when the surname was created.
The variants of the surname are not as common anymore. The modern spellings are mostly accepted and used by families in Finland. Variants of the surname such as Kekäpyö, Kekolahti, Kekonen, Kekälä, etc. are also used but these are relatively rare.
Surnames that are related to Kekäläinen include Kekkonen, Kekki, Kykkä, Kikkula, Kykkäläinen, and Kikelä. These surnames are variants of Kekäläinen and were mainly created by families in Finland who changed the surname in an effort to differentiate themselves from others.
All of these variants are related to the Kekäläinen surname as the base root word is ‘Kekä’ so they are all derived from this word. It is believed that the Kekäläinen surname originated in Finland or Finland-Swedish speaking region centuries ago.
Famous people with the name KekÄlÄinen
- Ville Kekäläinen: Finnish three-time Olympic biathlete
- Auli Kekäläinen: Finnish former competitive figure skater
- Lilli Kekäläinen: Finnish former competitive figure skater
- Jaakko Kekäläinen: Finnish former competitive figure skater
- Tuomas Kekäläinen: Finnish former competitive figure skater
- Hannele Kekäläinen: Finnish former competitive figure skater
- Janne Kekäläinen: Finnish ice hockey player
- Jaakko Kekäläinen: Finnish ice hockey player
- Sakari Kekäläinen: Finnish ice hockey player
- Matti Kekäläinen: Finnish Social Democrat politician and former Member of Parliament
- Kaarlo Kekäläinen: Finnish painter
- Mika Kekäläinen: Finnish curler
- Ville-Valtteri Kekäläinen: Finnish politician
- Heikki Kekäläinen: Finnish actor and theater director
- Tomas Kekäläinen: Finnish television producer
- Petri Kekäläinen: Finnish billionaire and Chairman of Children’s Investment Fund Foundation