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

Syrjälä, 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 Syrjälä surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Syrjälä in America

Syrjälä is the 120187th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Syrjälä surname appeared 144 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 Syrjälä.

We can also compare 2010 data for Syrjälä 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 Syrjälä

The surname Syrjala has its origins in Finland, where it first appeared in the 16th century. It is derived from the Finnish word "syrjä," meaning "edge" or "border," and likely referred to someone living on the outskirts or borders of a town or village.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Syrjala can be found in the Finnish church records from the late 16th century. These records often provide valuable insights into the origins and early history of many Finnish surnames.

In the 17th century, the name Syrjala appears in various historical documents, including land records and tax rolls. This suggests that individuals with this surname were landowners or farmers during this time period.

The earliest known individual with the surname Syrjala was Matti Syrjala, born in the small village of Kuusamo in northern Finland in the late 16th century. Another notable bearer of the name was Mikko Syrjala, a farmer and landowner from the village of Kittilä in Lapland, who lived in the mid-17th century.

In the 18th century, the name Syrjala became more widespread throughout Finland. During this time, variations in spelling also emerged, including Syrjälä, Syrjäla, and Syrjäläinen.

One of the most prominent figures with the surname Syrjala was Juho Syrjala (1797-1872), a Finnish poet and author known for his works in the Karelian dialect. Syrjala's poetry played a significant role in preserving and promoting the Karelian language and culture.

Another notable individual was Eero Syrjala (1846-1923), a Finnish farmer and politician who served as a member of the Finnish Parliament in the late 19th century. He was known for his advocacy for the rights of small farmers and rural communities.

In the early 20th century, the name Syrjala continued to be found throughout Finland, particularly in the northern regions. One of the most famous bearers of the name during this time was Toivo Syrjala (1892-1968), a Finnish long-distance runner who won multiple Olympic medals, including a gold medal in the 10,000 meters at the 1924 Paris Olympics.

While the surname Syrjala is primarily associated with Finland, it has also been found in other Nordic countries, likely due to migration patterns and historical connections between these regions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Syrjälä

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

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 Syrjälä 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 Syrjälä 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 Syrjälä was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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