genealogy
18 articles
Uusimaa Cavalry Regiment 1641–1809
A collection of 27 transcribed general muster rolls from the Uusimaa Cavalry Regiment, spanning 1641 to 1809 — essential genealogical sources for families from the regiment's recruitment area in southern Finland.
Viipuri County Accounts 1635–1724
A collection of 22 transcribed Viipuri county account records listing people paid from crown funds — essential genealogical sources for Karelian families across nine decades.
DNA and Genealogy Research
Lecture given on 17 January 2013 at the Virrat library: an introduction to DNA testing for genealogists, covering Y-DNA paternal lines and mtDNA maternal lines with Finnish examples.
Ancestors and Descendants — Two Sides of a Coin
A reflection on the distinction between researching one's ancestry (backwards) and tracing one's descendants (forwards), and what each direction reveals.
Genealogy: Theory and Practice
An article on the significance and methodology of Finnish genealogy research, distinguishing applied research from basic research, discussing the role of the Finnish Genealogical Society, and arguing for a university post in genealogical theory. Published in Sukutieto 2/1995.
Does Genealogy Have Its Own Methodology?
A methodological study on genealogical research methods: the basic method, multi-source research, the criterion of proximity, and a worked example tracing Jaakko Markunpoika in Ilmajoki. Published in Eteläpohjalaiset Juuret 3/2005.
Who Was That Soini? The Origin of the Name of Soini Parish
An article on the origin of the name of Soini municipality — tracing it to a Savonian settler, Suni (Sven) Leppäinen, who founded a farm in Ähtäri village in 1567. Published in Genos 2/2002.
Karl Frosterus's Daughter Vappu
A research note published in Genos 1/2003 proving that Vappu (Walborg), daughter of Chaplain Karl Frosterus of Ähtäri, married into the Sipilä farm in Virrat.
Vilhunen, Vilhuinen: On the Origin of a Karelian Surname
An academic article disputing the derivation of the surname Vilhunen from Wilhelm, arguing instead for a native Finnish origin ("vilha" = agile/quick) and tracing the family from Jääski district through Pieksämäki to Multia. Published in Genos 2/2013.
The Definition of Genealogy
A theoretical article proposing an atomic model of genealogical data: each fact answers who–what–where–when. From single data "atoms" (birth, marriage, death) the discipline builds up to biography, family, lineage and genealogy as a historical science. Published in Genos 1999.
Karelian Cavalry Regiment — General Muster Rolls 1643–1809
A collection of transcribed general muster rolls from the Karelian Cavalry Regiment, spanning from its formation in 1643 to the dissolution of the Swedish-era Finnish military in 1809.
Poll Tax Register of Viipuri and Savonlinna Counties, 1701
An e-book in two parts presenting the poll tax register (henkikirja) of Viipuri and Savonlinna counties from 1701 — an important source for East Finnish genealogy, capturing the region just before the Great Northern War.
The Oldest Parish Registers of Tyrvää 1693–1722
The book Tyrvään vanhimmat rippikirjat 1693–1722 has long been sold out and is now available as an e-book — an unusually rich early source for genealogists researching families from Tyrvää, Kiikka and Kiikoinen.
The Oldest Parish Registers of Greater Ruovesi
A transcription of the oldest surviving parish registers from Kuru (1745–56), Ruovesi (1725–58), Virrat (1749–55) and Ähtäri (1752–58) — with farm maps, abbreviation guide and index.
Karjalainen — Karilainen: Name and Family Through Five Centuries
A book about the Karilainen family and its five-hundred-year entanglement with the tribal name Karjalainen — and a new perspective on the origin of the name Karjala itself.
The Genealogist's Problem: Was the Common Ancestor Mauri or Mäyrä?
A personal research puzzle: tracing the paternal line back to Juho Laurinpoika Mäyränen (1606) and investigating whether the name Meuronen of Lapee and Mäyränen of Ruovesi are the same — and what the ancestor's first name really was.
IsoKakkonen I Wins Book of the Year 2014
The genealogical book IsoKakkonen I — about the descendants of Yrjö Kakkonen of Hammaslahti, Pyhäselkä — has been awarded the Finnish Genealogical Society's Book of the Year prize.
Pori County Infantry Regiment — General Muster Roll 1728
A transcription of the general muster roll of the Pori County Infantry Regiment from 1728 — an essential genealogical source for soldiers from the allotment system in Satakunta and surrounding areas.