Find out how popular the last name Saarinen is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Saarinen.

Saarinen, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Saarinen surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Saarinen in America

Saarinen is the 65964th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Saarinen surname appeared 300 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Saarinen.

We can also compare 2010 data for Saarinen to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Saarinen

The surname Saarinen originated in Finland, tracing its roots back to the late 16th century. It is derived from the Finnish word "saari," meaning "island," and the suffix "-nen," denoting origin or place. This suggests that the name may have been associated with individuals or families residing on an island or in an area with numerous islands.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Saarinen name can be found in the parish records of Lohja, a town located in southern Finland, where it appears in the late 1600s. The name was initially spelled in various ways, such as "Sarinen" or "Saarinen," reflecting regional dialects and scribal variations.

In the 18th century, the Saarinen family gained prominence in the town of Huittinen, located in western Finland. This area was known for its rich agricultural traditions, and the Saarinen name was associated with landowners and farmers. Records from this period mention several individuals bearing the surname, including Juho Saarinen (1735-1812), a prominent landowner and community leader.

As the surname spread across Finland, it became connected with notable figures in various fields. One of the most renowned individuals with the Saarinen name was Eliel Saarinen (1873-1950), a pioneering Finnish-American architect who designed numerous iconic buildings, including the Helsinki Central Railway Station and the Cranbrook Educational Community in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.

Another significant figure was Eero Saarinen (1910-1961), the son of Eliel Saarinen. Eero was an influential architect known for his innovative designs, including the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri, and the TWA Flight Center at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York.

The Saarinen name has also been associated with other accomplished individuals, such as Aino Marsio-Saarinen (1873-1949), a textile artist and interior designer, and Lilli Saarinen (1912-1995), a playwright and novelist who wrote extensively about Finnish-American experiences.

In addition to these notable figures, the Saarinen surname has been widely distributed throughout Finland and among Finnish communities around the world, reflecting the country's rich cultural heritage and the enduring legacy of this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Saarinen

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Saarinen.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Saarinen was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Saarinen has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Saarinen was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Saarinen, please contact us.

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