Kulmala

Kulmala is a Finnish surname and place name.

As a surname, Kulmala is relatively common in Finland. Its origins are likely topographic, relating to a place with hilly or undulating terrain. The kulma part of the name means "corner," "angle," or "hill corner" in Finnish. The suffix -la is a common locative suffix, indicating a place associated with the root word. Thus, Kulmala could denote someone who lived near a corner, angle, or at the foot of a hill.

As a place name, Kulmala refers to various locations in Finland, typically villages or smaller settlements. These places often feature the geographical characteristic implied by the name's etymology - namely hilly or angled terrain. Several different municipalities across Finland may contain areas or features named Kulmala. It is important to note that these places are not necessarily connected historically, beyond sharing a common descriptive name origin.