The Linguistic History of Finnmark: How the “Finn” Became the Sámi and the Finns Became the Kvens

The linguistic history of Finnmark: how the Finn became the Sámi and the Finn became the Kvens_cover sami

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Hello, I’m Zukki.

While looking at a map of Norway, the name “Finnmark” (Norway’s northernmost administrative region, bordering Russia and Finland) caught my eye. My initial thought was: “Did Finnish people live here?”

However, upon investigation, I found that the “Finn” in “Finnmark” historically referred not to the Finns, but to the Sámi people, the indigenous inhabitants of the region.

This discovery reveals a fascinating history of how names shift, how borders were drawn, and how different groups were categorized in Northern Europe. This article explains the linguistic origins of Finnmark and the history of ethnic distinctions in the North.

The Etymology of Finnmark: A Land of the Sámi

Location of Finnmark（map）
Location of Finnmark（map）

The Norwegian name “Finnmark” is composed of two Old Norse elements: Finn and mark.

Finn

In modern language, “Finn” refers to Finnish people. However, in Old Norse, particularly in 13th-century Norwegian sagas like the Heimskringla, the term “Finns” was used to refer to the Sámi people.

Mark

The element “mark” simply means “land” or “wilderness.”

The Conclusion

The place name “Finnmark” literally translates to “Land of the Sámi.”

It is historically synonymous with “Lapland“ and signifies that this vast northern territory was the traditional home of the Sámi people long before the current national borders were established. This name is a relic of an older time that has been preserved in official Norwegian documentation up to the present day.

Historical Context: Why the Confusion Between Names?

The ancient distinction between the people we now call Sámi and Finns was often ambiguous in early European documents. To the ancient civilizations around the Mediterranean, the Nordic North was a distant and unexplored frontier.

『CARTA MARINA』拡大図。Olaus Magnus 1539より（Obtained from Old Maps of The Arctic Region）
『CARTA MARINA』Olaus Magnus 1539（Obtained from Old Maps of The Arctic Region）
Name UsedTime PeriodReferring to…Notes on Ambiguity
Phinnoi4th Century BCSámiUsed by the Greek geographer Pytheas, possibly a blanket term for people of the far North.
Finnar / Finns13th Century (Norway)SámiPreserved in the Heimskringla saga, showing the name was still used to describe the Sámi.
Lapps / LappishBegan 12th CenturySámiThis term became prevalent, but is now considered a derogatory term (a slur) and should be avoided in favor of Sámi.
Finlandia1229 AD (Papal Bull)FinnsReferenced in connection with Sweden’s expansion into Finnish territory.
『ACCURATISSIMA REGNORUM SUECIAE, DANIAE ET NORVEGIAE, TABULA』拡大図。Dutchman Justus Danckerts 1700より（Obtained from Old Maps of The Arctic Region）
『ACCURATISSIMA REGNORUM SUECIAE, DANIAE ET NORVEGIAE, TABULA』拡大図。Dutchman Justus Danckerts 1700より（Obtained from Old Maps of The Arctic Region）

The consistent use of “Finnmark” on the Norwegian side (while other maps used “Lappia” or “Laponia) suggests that this name became locally fixed to mean “Sámi territory” relatively early, even as the international terminology remained confusing.

『SUECIA, DANIA, ET NORVEGIA, REGNA EUROPAE SEPTENTRIONALIA』Anders Bure 1635（Obtained from Old Maps of The Arctic Region）
『SUECIA, DANIA, ET NORVEGIA, REGNA EUROPAE SEPTENTRIONALIA』Anders Bure 1635（Obtained from Old Maps of The Arctic Region）

　

　

The Modern Twist: Who Are the Kvens?

The history of Finnmark takes an even more curious turn with the presence of a third group: the Kvens.

Today, Finnmark is a multi-ethnic region encompassing Norwegian, Sámi, and Kven cultures.

The Kven People

The Kvens are an ethnic minority in Norway who are of Finnish descent.

  • They are primarily descendants of Finnish settlers who emigrated from Finland (mostly Northern Finland and Sweden) to Northern Norway during the 18th and 19th centuries.
  • The name “Kven” itself is derived from an Old Norse word referring to the people or land of Northern Finland/Sweden.

The Significance of the Distinction

The fact that the Norwegian government traditionally distinguished between the original inhabitants (the Sámi, called “Finns” in the old name) and the later Finnish-speaking immigrants (the Kvens) is highly significant.

This demonstrates that Norway made a clear historical and administrative distinction between:

  1. The indigenous Sámi (who were historically referred to by the territorial name “Finn”).
  2. The later Finnish migrants (who were called “Kven”).

Today, this rich history is reflected in the official language status of the region: Finnmark County recognizes Norwegian, Sámi, and Kven/Finnish as official administrative languages, showcasing the deep cultural intersection hidden within this single place name.

　

　

In Summary

The name Finnmark is a living piece of history.

  • The “Finn” in Finnmark refers to the Sámi (the traditional people).
  • The Finns (the later immigrants) are classified as Kvens in Norway.

This little geographical puzzle shows how history, language, and politics intersect to shape the identity of a region, making Finnmark a truly unique and diverse place in the Arctic.

　

References

  • Elenius, L. (2019). The dissolution of ancient Kvenland and the transformation of the Kvens as an ethnic group of people. On changing ethnic categorizations in communicative and collective memories. Acta Borealia, 36(2), 117-148.
  • “THE SÁMI PEOPLE TRADITIONS IN TRANSITION” Veli-Pekka Lehtola 2004 translated by Linna Weber Müller-Wille UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA PRESS
  • 水野知昭. (2000). 北欧教会建立伝説の成立背景. 人文科学論集』< 文化コミュニケーション学科編, (34), 89.
  • 『ラップ語入門』小泉保 著　1993　大学書林
  • 『ウラル語統語論』小泉保 著　1994　大学書林
  • 『ノルウェーのサーメ学校に見る先住民族の文化伝承　ハットフェルダル・サーメ学校のユニークな教育』長谷川紀子著　2019　新評論
  • 『物語　フィンランドの歴史』 石野裕子　2017　中公新書
  • Cambridge Dictionary “Mark” （https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/norwegian-english/mark）2025.10.15アクセス
  • “Old Maps of The Arctic Region” （https://lapinkavijat.rovaniemi.fi/vanhatkartat/eng/index.html）2025.10.16アクセス

　

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