Surname Taskinen - Meaning and Origin

Taskinen: What does the surname Taskinen mean?

The last name Taskinen is derived from an old Finnish root word meaning ‘hammer’ or ‘smith’. This suggests that the original bearers of this surname were either professional metalworkers or craftsmen of some kind. Those people who carry the Taskinen name today are likely to have ancestors in the Finnish tradition who were proficient at metalworking.

In Finland, families often derive surnames from physical appearances. For example, a person with unusually light hair may have gotten the surname Vaalikko, which means “light hair”. Alternatively, a Pohjanen surname may be derived from the Finnish word pohja meaning “north”, reflecting someone who came from a northern area. In the same way, those with the Taskinen surname likely have metal-smith or hammer-smith in their background.

The traditional art of metalworking was a respected and skilled craft in Finland. During a time when Finland was more rural and agricultural, people needed experts to create tools and metal implements for daily activities. Professional blacksmiths were particularly valued, as these experts could create items necessary for construction and industry. With the technological advances of the 19th and 20th centuries, this craft has become less common. Yet, those who carry the Taskinen surname can look to the past and see where their ancestors’ expertise lies.

Taskinen: Where does the name Taskinen come from?

The last name Taskinen is a surname of Finnish origin, where it is still very common. It is often believed to be an occupational surname, derived from the Finnish word "tasku," which means pocket, and is generally thought to refer to tailors or textile workers who made pockets or other small clothing items.

Taskinen is most commonly found in the southern and southwestern regions of Finland, particularly areas such as Ahvenanmaa, Pirkanmaa, and Satakunta. It is also found in the countryside, with the highest concentration in the towns of Sotkamo and Kuusamo.

As of the 2000 census, Taskinen is the second most common surname in Finland, after "Johansson," with over thirty thousand people bearing the name. In terms of international distribution, the most significant population of individuals with this name is located in Sweden, particularly in the cities of Stockholm and Gothenburg. Additionally, there are large populations of individuals with the surname in Australia, Canada, the United States, and elsewhere throughout Europe.

Whilst the surname Taskinen has been found in various other countries across the globe, it continues to be most prevalent in Finland today, particularly in the southern and southwestern regions.

Variations of the surname Taskinen

Variations on the surname TASKINEN include Taskeinen, Taskina, Taschka, Taschke, Tasmaan, Tasmu, and Toskeinen.

Taskinen is a Finnish patronymic surname formed from the first name Taasko, derived from the Scandinavian 'Taas', a pet form of the Old Norse 'Þórólfr', meaning 'Thor Wolf'. Variations of this surname may have arisen as a consequence of dialectal regional differences in Finland, which for centuries adopted a policy of written standardisation during the 1800s.

In some parts of Finland, the surname may be spelt Taschmann or Toskonen, pronounced to-SKO-nehn. It may also be found spelt Tascarain or Tabletko in some regions. In other parts of Finland, spellings such as Taskanen, Tastainen, Tapka, Tarkonen, and Taskno may be seen.

By establishing localised surnames from regional dialects, other spellings such as Taskevain, Toshina, Tayskanen, Tasikainen, Tarvainen, Torkina, and Tashkanin may have arisen.

English variants of the surname include Taskin and Taschen. The Scandinavian form may appear as Tasgen, Taghin, or Taucken. The German-Scandinavian form of the surname is Tasche.

Finally, alternative forms of the surname include Taso, Taisko, Tousino, and Taskainen, and the derivative bookseller’s surnames Taskainen-Lindemann, Taskainen-Ehrnrooth and Taskainen-Hulkkonen are also known.

Famous people with the name Taskinen

• Anssi Taskinen: a Finnish hockey player who was drafted in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft by the Anaheim Mighty Ducks, but never played in the NHL.
• Mette Taskinen: a Finnish Eurovision Song Contest winner from 2007, who won with the song "Our Great Homeland".
• Raija Taskinen: a Finnish swimmer who has competed in numerous international competitions, winning multiple medals.
• Elina Taskinen: a Finnish middle-distance runner who participated in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
• Marjukka Taskinen: a Finnish television presenter and vocal coach, who was also a voice actress in The Simpsons.
• Tiia Taskinen: a Finnish singer and actress who has released numerous albums and been featured in numerous TV shows.
• Juha Taskinen: a Finnish ice hockey defenceman who played in the SM-liiga for multiple teams throughout his career.
• Otto Taskinen: a Finnish athlete who competed in the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm.
• Minna Taskinen: a Finnish photographer and cinematographer who has shot multiple award-winning films.
• Iiris Taskinen: a Finnish fashion designer and visual artist who specializes in high-end women's apparel.

Other surnames

Taskin