Finnveden or Finnheden is one of the ancient small lands of Småland. It corresponded to the hundreds of Sunnerbo Hundred, Östbo Hundred and Västbo Hundred. The latter is presently part of Jönköpings län.
It was first mentioned by Jordanes when he referred to its population as the Finnaithae (derived from an old form of Finnheden, Finn(h)aith-) when describing the nations of Scandza in Getica.
Etymology
The Scandinavian placenames Finland, Finnmark, Finnveden and Finnskogen are all thought to be derived from finn, an ancient Germanic word for nomadic "hunter-gatherers" (as opposed to sedentary farmers). This would explain the connection between these names and the modern nation called Finns, few of whom were nomadic or semi-nomadic until the Middle Ages beside the farming majority.
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