Surname Ollikainen - Meaning and Origin
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Ollikainen: What does the surname Ollikainen mean?
The last name OLLIKAINEN is an old Finnish last name. It originated in the province of Northern Savonia in central Finland, and has a long history in the country. The name likely comes from the Finnish word "olli", which means "arm".
In Finland, the surname OLLIKAINEN can be divided into three distinct subgroups, based on geographic location. The first is from Joutsa, the second from Karstula and the third from Kiuruvesi. A commonality between them is that a majority of its bearers are from the same or related farming villages.
Traditionally, OLLIKAINEN was a patronymic surname where the first bearer was known by his first name, and later generations were known by his father's first name followed by "kainen". Alternatively, the name could have been adopted from a house or farm by the same name.
Family members who bear this surname can be traced back to the mid-1800s, when records show Johan Olofsson Ollikainen, a blacksmith, who settled in Joutsa. Over the centuries, family members of this name migrated out of Finland and have settled in various countries around the world.
The meaning of the name OLLIKAINEN is not completely certain today, although it likely has to do with an arm or strength, referencing either a strong family member from the early origins of the name, or perhaps the arm of a blacksmith. Whatever the case, his descendants of this surname can take pride in its long and storied history in Finland.
Order DNA origin analysisOllikainen: Where does the name Ollikainen come from?
The last name OLLIKAINEN is most commonly found in Finland. The name itself is Finnish in origin, and is thought to have derived from a personal name, which was likely a reduced form of the name Olavi or Olaus. It is also possible that it was derived from ollikainen, meaning “little rock” in Finnish.
In Finland today, OLLIKAINEN is found most in the southern region of the country, around the cities of Helsinki and Turku. It is also common in the south-eastern region of Finland, near the city of Joensuu, and in the Kainuu region of Northern Finland.
In addition to Finland, the last name OLLIKAINEN can also be found scattered throughout the United States and Canada. It is most commonly found in the northern states and provinces, and is especially common among families that descended from Finnish immigrants. In Canada, the last name is most common in provinces such as Ontario and British Columbia. In the United States, it is most common in the states of Michigan, Minnesota, New York and Washington.
Overall, OLLIKAINEN is a fairly uncommon last name, but can still be found throughout the United States and Canada, as well as in Finland.
Variations of the surname Ollikainen
The surname Ollikainen is a common Finnish last name, originating from several different provinces in Finland such as Pirkanmaa and Uusimaa.
Variants
The variant spellings of the name Ollikainen usually appear in English as Ollikane, Ollikaine, Olkainen and Ollikainne.
Surnames of the Same Origin
Surnames of the same origin as Ollikainen typically include Olkonen, Olen, Olica and Olki.
Origin
The name Ollikainen is derived from the original Finnish word 'Olki', which means 'wood', and refers to the origin of the first Ollikainen in Finnish history as a woodcutter. The name is also closely associated with Pirkanmaa, Uusimaa, Vaasa and Häme provinces, where the surname is most predominant.
The use of the surname Ollikainen is usually connected to rural areas of Finland and often denotes farming families or those with artisan trades, such as blacksmiths or carpenters. For this reason, the name is strongly associated with the agricultural lifestyle common in certain parts of Finland in the past.
It is possible that the surname Ollikainen, in its various forms, also has at least one foreign origin. An older Finnish form of the name, used in the region of Uusimaa, is Elomäki. This name implies a close historical relationship with Swedish, and there is some evidence to suggest it has been adopted from a variation of the Christian name Alvar, a very common name in Scandinavia.
Overall, the surname Ollikainen is found in many different forms and is strongly associated with a rural lifestyle and history common to the Finnish provinces where it remains most prevalent.
Famous people with the name Ollikainen
- Nina Ollikainen: Finnish journalist and television presenter
- Veikko Ollikainen: Finnish artist
- Lari Ollikainen: Finnish musician and producer
- Kalle Ollikainen: Finnish ice hockey player
- Olli Ollikainen: Finnish actor and stand-up comedian
- Eino Ollikainen: Finnish cinematographer
- Seppo Ollikainen: Finnish Nordic skier
- Sami Ollikainen: Finnish footballer
- Juha Ollikainen: Finnish motorcycle enduro rider
- Sakari Ollikainen: Finnish ceramic artist