Savonians are descendants of Tavastian and Karelian peasants who, during the Middle Ages, had settled in the areas that would later become known as Savonia in order to find new lands suitable for slash-and-burn agriculture.

[1] During 16th and 17th centuries, many Savonians emigrated to Eastern Norway and Central Sweden were they became known as the Forest Finns.

In the 17th century, there was also a migration to Swedish Ingria (now part of Russia), where they became known as Savakot and collectively known as the Ingrian Finns together with the Äyrämöiset (Finnish Karelians).

The stereotypical Savonian is talkative, easy-going,[2] jolly and humorous, occasionally even to an offensive degree.

However, recent research has shown that this infamy is largely due to misunderstandings caused by the traditional Savonian social indirectness.