Origin

Pitkä clan

The Pitkä clan has lapp origin. The clan has lived for centuries, possibly millenniums in Kuusamo (North East Finland). The family lived originally in Kitka lapp village in Northern Kuusamo around lakes Alakitka and Kallunki.

The first known person of the Pitkä clan is lapp jury man Antti Marttin's son. His son Marttin was a village elderman. First time Antti appears in tax records in 1641:

The oldest sons Marttin, Hanno and Heikka died during the hunger years. Tax record proposal in 1689 and the following official tax record in 1695 shows first time family name Pitkä and the places where they lived:

• • Mårten Andersson Pitkä Patosalmj

  • Hindrich Andersson Pitkä för Somanpära skiutzrättare

  • Hans Andersson Pitkä för Kallungiierfwi

  • Anders Andersson Pitkä för Manihajärfwi

The clan descends from younger brothers Antti and Oula, and from Tuomas whose father is not known.

The clan consists of four bigger family groups: Kallunki, Korva, Patosalmi and Pitkänen.

The structure of the clan can be seen from the family trees.

Most of the clan have been ordinary farmers and they have lived on farming, fishing and reindeer herding.

Kuusamo has a diverse family name tradition. Kuusamo has both eastern (Finnish) tradition with inheritable names and western tradition, where names changed when people changed places. That is why one name Pitkä has changed to at least 28 current names. There are also at least 79 other names that have been used in the past. The original name is not used anymore.

The following farms have been longest time in the possession of family members:

Kallunki (since Lapp times), Korva farm at Virranniemi (since 1741), Leskelä at lake Kallunki (since 1759), Ronttivaara (since 1774), Sossonniemi (since 1781), Lehto (since 1798), Kajava (since 1814), Mattila farm at lake Onkamo (since 1833).

Emigrant families 

Roughly half of the clan still lives in Kuusamo. 20%-30% of the clan has emigrated to other countries. Known emigrant families are:

• • Kallunki (USA Michigan Houghton Calumet and Detroit, Oregon Mayger and Clatsop Astoria) from 1873 onwards

  • Kallungi (USA Michigan Chassell Tapiola) 1900 onwards

  • Pernula, Anderson and Johnson (USA Oregon Clatsop Astoria, Washington Wahkiakum Deep River) from 1888 onwards

  • Andersson (USA Montana)

  • Korhonen (USA Wisconsin Douglas Brule) from 1900 onwards

  • Rontti (USA Minnesota Becker Snellman, Minnesota Carlton Esko) from 1888 onwards

  • Ronthi (Norway Vardø) around 1868, USA Michigan (1940s)

  • Lehto (USA Washington Klickitat Centerville) from 1880 onwards

  • Pitkanen (USA Oregon Clatsop Astoria) from 1900 onwards

  • Pitkanen (Russia Zapadnaja Lica) 1881