# Happakangas



## Thor2

I am doing family research and ancestors were from Viitasaeri and Pihtipuda Vihtiputa Finland (forgive me if I have misspelled anything) and they recorded (Briefly    their surname as: Haapakangas .... what does this mean?  How can I research family from the area of Finland recorded?  Thank you for any assistance you may give me and forgive me for not knowing how to speak the language.
Thor2


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## Spongiformi

_Haapa_ means aspen in English. The tree.

_Kangas_, in this context, refers to a soil type of a forest. It's a broad concept, but simplified _kangas_ is a forest soil type that doesn't support a super lush forest, it's a bit dry and nutrients aren't too plentiful. Think of an ordinary forest in the north, not any fancy rainforest. Thus, _Haapakangas_ means something like an aspen forest. More than likely, it was a name of a specific place with lots of aspen trees. People settled there, and adopted the name of the place as their surname. If you google or use some dictionary for _"kangas"_, you'll primarily get references for cloth/fabric, which is the other meaning of the word, but in your context, it obviously refers to the forest.

Viitasaari and Pihtipudas are small towns in the Central Finland region.


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## Thor2

Thank you for your time and assistance.  Do you live in Finland?


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## Spongiformi

I do, but unfortunately I can't help you with your family origin research. Also, this is a pure language forum, so pursuing that route here will just get your thread deleted.


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## Thor2

Thor2 said:


> I am doing family research and ancestors were from Viitasaeri and Pihtipuda Vihtiputa Finland (forgive me if I have misspelled anything) and they recorded (Briefly    their surname as: Haapakangas .... what does this mean?  How can I research family from the area of Finland recorded?  Thank you for any assistance you may give me and forgive me for not knowing how to speak the language.
> Thor2



Oh I would never ask such a thing - was a simple question!  Besides, they left Finland sometime after 1740!!
Just a general question!


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## Thor2

Thor2 said:


> Oh I would never ask such a thing - was a simple question!  Besides, they left Finland sometime after 1740!!
> Just a general question!


I was wondering if persons from (your?) country stayed with specific religion and/or social societies to establish in America.  My family was of Quaker Persuasion and if someone asked me how to research them once they left Europe I would be able to tell them the societies they established among their own.  Certainly, it was not intended nor should have been taken for anything other than asking if you lived in Finland and I should have asked question much more legalistic to cover all concerns for misunderstanding.
  Thanks again.


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