The first Finnish families to start the modern immigration to America were Kven ("Finnish-Norwegians") who set out from northern Norway in April 1864 and arrived in Red Wing MN about July 1864, having come through Quebec Canada and Chicago IL.

Finnish settlement communities — Fin pesäpaikka, Eng nesting place — were established by the earliest settlers in Calumet MI and Franklin area (Renville Co) MN in 1865, Cokato Township (Wright Co) MN in 1865 and 1866, and Moe Township (Douglas Co) MN in 1866.