Virtanen (also written as Wirtanen)[1] is a surname originating in Finland (in Finnish, virta, meaning "river", and -nen is a surname-generating suffix), where it is the second most common surname.
[2] The surname is the namesake of the "Virtanen type" of Finnish surnames.
The name quickly became popular in 19th century, in the era of Finnish national awakening, however rare occasions of it were documented in 1684 at the latest.
[3] Notable people with the surname include: