Finnicization

Finnicization (also finnicisation, fennicization, fennicisation) is the changing of one's personal names from other languages (usually Swedish) into Finnish. During the era of National Romanticism in Finland, many people, especially Fennomans, finnicized their previously Swedish family names.

Some of these people were descended from Finnish-speaking farmers, who had previously changed their Finnish names to Swedish ones after climbing society's ladder. This was an understandable stratagem, as official positions (and even many trades) were only open to those speaking Swedish, and a Finnish name would have been an impediment to success.

A notable event in finnicization was the centenary, in 1906, 100 years after the birth of the philosopher and statesman Johan Vilhelm Snellman. Author Johannes Linnankoski encouraged Finns to give up their Swedish names on 12 May, Snellman's birthday. During 1906 and 1907 about 70,000 Finns changed their names.^[1]

In 1935 also 74,064 persons changed their family name and in the in the following year 24,000 more. A law to facilitate changing one's family name was passed in 1934.^[2]

The 1906-1907 name change process in Finland was an example for Estonianizing family names in Estonia. Although the law enabled that since 1919, the mass changes took place at the same time than the second wave in Finland, in 1935-1940, and a similar law to facilitate changing one's family name was passed just two weeks earlier than in Finland. During that time 195,000 persons or 17% of the Estonian population changed their family name.^[3]