Saara Aalto

Saara Aalto – Inaugural DIVA 250 Awards – Arrivals – Cafe de Paris, Coventry Street – London, UK, 2017 – Photo Credit: Landmark / PR Photos

Birth Name: Saara Sofia Aalto

Place of Birth: Oulunsalo (now part of Oulu), Finland

Date of Birth: 2 May, 1987

Ethnicity: Finnish, some Karelian

Saara Aalto is a Finnish singer, songwriter, and actress. She represented Finland in the Eurovision Song Contest 2018. She also garnered runner-up in the thirteenth series of The X Factor UK.

She is the daughter of Taina Katri (Marttila) and Markus Aalto. She is married to Meri Sopanen.

Saara’s patrilineal ancestry can be traced back to her fifth great-grandfather, Stepan Klementjev.

Saara’s paternal grandfather is Eeli Alvar Aalto (the son of Pekka Mihailinpoika Klementjev, later Aalto, and of Hilda Matintytär Kaartinen). Eeli was born in Vyborg (now part of Leningrad Oblast, Russia). Pekka was the son of Mihail Iljanpoika Klementjeff and Anna Juhontytär Kaski. Hilda was the daughter of Matti Paavonpoika Kaartinen and Anna Vilhelmiina Matintytär Ristolainen.

Saara’s paternal grandmother is Airi Alina Rautiainen (the daughter of Kalle Pekka Rautiainen and Alina Augusta Virkkunen). Airi was born in Oulu. Kalle was the son of Matti Heikki Jaakonpoika Rautiainen and Elsa Maria Pekantytär Karppinen. Saara’s great-grandmother Alina was the daughter of Paavo Antinpoika Virkkunen and Maria Tapanintytär Wimpari.

Saara’s maternal grandfather is Kalle Eenokki Marttila (the son of Matti Emil Matinpoika Marttila and Kaisa Sofia Kallentytär Marttila). Kalle was born in Ylikiiminki (now part of Oulu). Matti was the son of Matti Heikinpoika Marttila (or Matts Henriksson Marttila in Swedish) and Valpuri Antintytär Harju. Kaisa was the daughter of Kalle Heikinpoika Marttila and Anna Aapelintytär Kokko. Saara’s great-great-grandfathers Matti and Kalle were half-brothers.

Saara’s maternal grandmother is Aili Jurkko (the daughter of Jaakko Jurkko and Saimi Kähkönen). Aili was born in Juorkuna, Utajärvi. Jaakko was the son of Olli Ollinpoika Juurikka (later Jurkko) and Greta Erikintytär Torvinen. Saimi was the daughter of Aapeli Heikinpoika Kähkönen and Tiina Hermantytär Jokelainen.

Saara’s matrilineal ancestry can be traced back to her fifth great-grandmother, Maalin Väisänen.

Source: Genealogy of Saara Aalto – https://www.geni.com