Estonianization
Estonianisation is the changing of one's personal names from other languages into Estonian. Less often, the term has also been applied in the context of the development of Estonian language, culture and identity within educational and other state institutions through various programmes.
Family names
Before 1918, when Estonia became an independent country, around half of the country's ethnic Estonian population carried foreign language or "foreign-sounding", i.e. non-Estonian surnames. In the 1920s, and especially in the 1930s, the government promoted a nationwide voluntary. During the campaign about 200.000 of Estonian citizens chose a new surname to replace their original family name. A smaller part of the people also Estonianized their first name at the same time. A similar process took place in Finland in the early 20th century.The Estonianization of names stopped almost completely after the Soviet occupation and annexation of Estonia in 1940.
Notable Estonianized surnames
- Paul Berg → Paul Ariste
- Eduard Brunberg → Eduard Bornhöhe
- Karl August Einbund → Kaarel Eenpalu
- Erhard-Voldemar Esperk → Ants Eskola
- Miina Hermann → Miina Härma
- Hans Laipman → Ants Laikmaa
- Friedebert Mihkelson → Friedebert Tuglas
- Kristjan Trossmann → Kristjan Palusalu
- Konstantin Türnbaum → Konstantin Türnpu
- Alexey Dolgoshev → Alexis Rannit
- Georgi Kuznetsov → Jüri Järvet
- Vassili Krassikov → Vello Kaaristo
Integration