Preserving Our Cultural Heritage

To Alaska and beyond

Our story begins in the 1830s when Swedish Finns began their journey to Alaska, then part of Russia. The next wave of emigration occurred in 1848 with the discovery of gold in California. Between 1860 and 1940, known as the Great Emigration, approximately 390,000 people left Finland for new lands, 70,000 of whom were Swedish-speaking. These pioneers formed close-knit communities, known affectionately as Little Terjärv and Little Kokkola in more than 90 locations across North America.

Our history extends beyond North America. While many Swedish Finns set sail for England, others ventured to Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa in search of gold, diamonds, or farmland. The utopian movement drew Swedish Finns to Argentina and Brazil, but the largest migration was to Sweden itself.

Swedish speaking Finland

Today, around 5.2% of Finland’s population are native Swedish speakers, known as Finlandssvenskar. This community maintains a vibrant culture through Swedish-language schools, healthcare services, and media. Swedish has been spoken in Finland for centuries, a legacy of the time when Finland was under Swedish rule and trade flourished along the Baltic coast. The Swedish spoken in Finland is unique and there are many distinct dialects are still spoken.

Being a Swedish Finn is exceedingly rare. Between 1860–1920 less than .oo25% of immigrants to the United States were Swedish Finns. For comparison, .8% of immigrants were from Japan and 13.7% were from German lands.

They left the familiar

Driven by economic hardship, overpopulation, threats of conscription into the Russian army, and the promise of better opportunities abroad, Swedish Finns left their homeland. Many emigrated from Ostrobothnia and the Åland Islands, areas that lost over ten percent of their populations. Chain migration played a vital role, as individuals who found work or land abroad sent for family and friends, often purchasing tickets for them. While some returned to Finland after achieving their goals, the majority stayed, raising families and building new lives.

Present day

Today, the descendants of Swedish Finn emigrants can be found in communities like Rochester, Washington; Worcester, Massachusetts; Crystal Falls, Michigan; and Mendocino County, California. Some grew up knowing their heritage, while others discovered it later through old letters, or DNA tests. Both the descendants of those who left and those who stayed are curious about what became of the lost branches of their family trees. The most rewarding part of our mission is connecting these families.