Koski
A Finnish surname usually linked to a rapid, rapids, or waterfall feature in the landscape.
The #6,424 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 58,386 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Koski is a Finnish surname built on the common word koski, meaning a rapid, cataract, or waterfall in a river. As a surname, it likely began as a name for someone who lived near such a place or came from a settlement distinguished by a rapid. It can also be understood more broadly as a topographic name from a notable natural feature.
History
This is a well-established Finnish surname pattern, and names from landscape features are especially common in Finland. Outside Finland, Koski spread through emigration to North America and other Finnish-diaspora communities. In the United States it is found most often among families of Finnish ancestry, particularly in the Upper Midwest.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
In Finnish place names, koski is such a common element that it often signals a river rapid even when used far from the surname itself.