Surname Sorsa - Meaning and Origin
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Sorsa: What does the surname Sorsa mean?
The last name Sorsa is a common Finnish surname. It originated in the Uusimaa region of Finland, and is believed to date back to the medieval period. The surname is believed to have come from the old Finnish word ‘sore’, which means ‘rapid’, indicating that the original bearer of the surname may have been a swift runner.
The surname is most commonly found in the areas of Helsinki, Pirkanmaa and Southern Savonia, and is also commonly found in Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) participating states. Today, the surname is still quite common in Finland, and there are many people who bear the last name.
The surname is also sometimes used as a given name, often for girls. The most notable bearer of the given name is Erna Sorsa, a Finnish politician who served as the Prime Minister of Finland from 1982-1987.
The name Sorsa is also relatively common in Swedish, where it is pronounced as ZOR-sa, and is used as both a surname and a given name. While the surname is still most commonly found in Finland, it has now spread to countries outside the region, as many Finns have emigrated to areas such as the United States and Canada.
Order DNA origin analysisSorsa: Where does the name Sorsa come from?
The last name Sorsa can be found in countries including Finland, Estonia, Lithuania, and the United States.
In Finland, the name Sorsa is one of the most common surnames in the country today, making up almost 0.2% of the population. It is a very old Finnish surname derived from the Finnish word "sorsa", meaning "duck". The Sorsa family first appeared in Finland during the 14th century and has since become one of the most recognizable surnames in the country.
In Estonia, the Sorsa surname can be found in the eastern region of the country, where it is quite common. It is believed to have originated from an Estonian Viking name.
In Lithuania, the surname is also quite common. It was first found in southern Lithuania, where Sorsa is a popular name.
Lastly, the United States is home to many Sorsa families who mostly originated from Finland. Most of these families can be traced to the mid-1800s, when a wave of Finnish immigrants came to the United States and changed their name to Sorsa. Today, the Sorsa name is mostly found in Michigan, Minnesota, and New York.
Overall, the last name Sorsa is still very common in Finland, Estonia, Lithuania, and the United States, with Sorsa families having origins in all four countries.
Variations of the surname Sorsa
The surname SORSA is of Finnish origin and refers to a person from Sorsa, a village in the Southern Savonia region of Finland. It is also possible to find SORSA spelled as SORSI, with its various variants SORPPA, SORVAA, SORVIO,SORSO, SORVALI, and SORINA.
SORSA is also closely related to numerous variants and surnames of the same origin, some of which are very similar in spelling and pronunciation.
Variants such as SORENEN, SORENSEN, SORINEN, SORKIO, and SORVAINEN may all be considered variants of the same surname.
A number of other surnames such as SORLEN, SORPER, SORVIK, SORVIST, SORSAMAA, SORSHIP, SÖRVÄ, and SORVANTO also have the same origin and are closely related to SORSA.
In addition, alternate spellings such as SORSANEN, SORSAN, SORSAINEN, SORSAINE, SORSAME, SORSAMO, and SORSAMAA are commonly found, particularly in Finland.
All of these variants have in common a broad origin sequence from the village of Sorsa in Southern Savonia. They can be traced back to families living in the same general area in and around Southern Savonia, and would have been used interchangeably.
These variations may have been eventually changed when families immigrated to other parts of the world. Over time, the spelling of the surname changed due to variations in dialects and pronunciation, leading to its many alternate spellings and variants.
Famous people with the name Sorsa
- Matti Sorsa: Former Prime Minister of Finland (1982–1987), adopted the Finnish markka as the national currency.
- Inka Sorsa: Finnish singer, songwriter, and radio host. She rose to fame in the 1990s as the lead singer of the band Ultra Bra.
- Anni Sorsa: Finnish actress, best known for her roles in television series like The King’s Face and Hupparit.
- Eeva Sorsa: Former head of the Finnish Ministry of Education, as well as a long-term Member of the Municipal Council of Helsinki.
- Tomi Sorsa: Recognized Finnish football player, competed in the 1983 FIFA World Youth Championship.
- Antti Sorsa: Finnish ice hockey player, competed in the 2003–04 NHL season.
- Jukka Sorsa: Former band leader, arranger, composer, and conductor, who rose to fame in the 1950s playing jazz music with his band Luonnonvoimat.
- Jack Sorsa: Canadian basketball player, competed in the 1967 Pan American Games for the Canadian national basketball team.
- Ahti Sorsa: Finnish composer, best known for his operas, film scores, and ballets.
- Tiina Sorsa: Finnish singer and songwriter, has released several successful albums and singles.