Kärkkäinen is a Finnish surname. Notable people with the surname include:
Pertti Kärkkäinen (1933–2017), Finnish diplomat Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen (born 1958), Finnish theologian Katariina Souri (born 1968), Finnish author, original surname Kärkkäinen Pyry Kärkkäinen (born 1986), Finnish footballer