Finns proper

Finns proper (Finnish: varsinaissuomalaiset; Swedish: Egentliga Finnar) are a historic people and a modern subgroup (heimo) of the Finnish people. They live in the areas of the historical province of Finland Proper (Finnish: Varsinais-Suomi) and Satakunta, and they speak Southwestern dialects of Finnish. The Finns proper have had strong connections to Scandinavia throughout their history.^[1]

Finns proper

Coat of arms of the historical province of Finland Proper
Regions with significant populations
Southwest Finland and Satakunta
Languages
Finnish (Southwest Finnish dialects)
Religion
Lutheranism
Related ethnic groups
Other regional subgroups

The area where the Southwest Finnish dialects are spoken

Originally, the exonym Finland and the endonym Suomi referred only to the Southwestern region inhabited by Finns proper. Later, the meaning of these names expanded to refer to the whole area of modern Finland. Earlier, the name Finn meant Sami people, especially in older Norse sagas.^[2]

The Russian name sum (сумь), which is derived from Suomi and appears in Novgorodian chronicles, is believed to refer to Finns proper.^[3] The sum are mentioned as allies of Swedes at the Battle of Neva at 1240. Like the word yem, which refers to the Tavastians, it disappeared from the Russian language after Finland was incorporated into the Swedish realm.^[3]

See also

• Tavastians
• Baltic Finns
• Ostrobothnians