The method of using place names to trace Finnish settlers is widely in use in Sweden and Norway, where Finns settled mainly in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The settlers soon lost their specific Finnish surnames and today the names can only be found in place names. One difficulty is the transformation of the names by the influence of the local language. The same influence can be seen in North America where many of the Finnish names are difficult to be identified as Finnish. The method of tracing Finns by using place names can make it easier to find Finns in North America where suitable genealogical sources often are rare.
Finnish names are evidence of Finnish culture spreading outside Finland.
For that reason street names are also collected and listed. Street names may be from a later time period as a result of cooperation between towns and cities, or they may be marks of honor to Finnish artists and scientists. Despite the manner and reason for naming, they are a sign of Finnish culture in foreign countries. All visitors to the site are encouraged to submit Finnish place names as well as Finnish street names. Explanations and sources should be included if possible.