Armenian surnames, or family names, are closely intertwined with the rich cultural and historical heritage of the Armenian people. The development of surnames in Armenia can be traced back to ancient times, reflecting various influences and periods of Armenian history. Traditionally, an Armenian name is made up of a given name (first name) and a surname. The order of the person's name falls in line with the conventional order of other Western cultures, given name followed by surname. In addition, Armenian surnames traditionally come from the father or another ancestor's name followed by a patronymic suffix.
While there are a number of patronymic suffixes used by the Armenian people, the most common are -yan and -ian which translate to “issued from”.[1] For example, the surname Petrosyan means “issued from Petros”. This is similar to the surnames found in English like Johnson (or “son of John”). While patronymic suffixes often point to a male ancestor or patriarch, other suffixes such as -lian and -jian reference a place or profession. For example, the surname Kahvejian could be translated as “issued from a coffee merchant.”
The use of patronymic suffixes isn’t unique to Armenian culture. This naming convention can be found in cultures across Europe, Asia, and Africa.
History of Armenian surnames
Yerevan, capital of Armenia in front of Mt. Ararat
The Kingdom of Greater Armenia was first established in the second century BCE. During this period, surnames were most commonly derived from using a combination of their father’s name and a patronymic suffix.
Throughout its history, the Armenian territory was conquered and ruled by numerous ancient civilizations including the Assyrians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, and Ottomans.[2] The Armenian language, as a result, developed with the influence of languages from these cultures. Many words in modern Armenian are borrowed from other languages such as Greek, Arabic, Persian, and Turkish.[3] While Armenian is categorically Indo European, it has been influenced by both Semitic and Turkic language families due to its geographic location.
In 301 CE, Armenia became the world's first official Christian nation. This had a significant impact on the culture, language and customs of the Armenian people.[4] Surnames during this time began to evolve to include prefixes other than an ancestral name including places and characteristics. For example, a family from Van Provence may have adopted the surname Vanlian or a family with a tall ancestor may have taken the surname Medzian meaning “issued from the tall (man)”.
Today, most Armenian people carry the same surname as their parents which is passed along from generation to generation. However, patronymic middle names based on their fathers first name are still common. This occurs most frequently in the Republic of Armenia and is only used for official documents.
Most popular Armenian surnames and their meanings
Senior Armenian Women. Noratus Cemetery, Armenia
Globally, there are hundreds of Armenian surnames. The most common surnames include Grigoryan, Sargsyan, Harutyunyan, Hovhannisyan, and Khachatryan.[5] Combined, these surnames only account for approximately 400,000 Armenian people, or 2% to 5% of the global population.
Grigoryan – Translated as “son of Grigor”, this Armenian surname is the most common being used by over 83,000 people.
Sargsyan – This patronymic name used by nearly 82,000 people is based on the given name Sargis.
Harutyunyan – This surname has roots in the Christian faith and loosely references the word “resurrection (of Jesus Christ)”.
Hovhannisyan – This surname means “son of Hovhannes” which is the Armenian equivalent of John.
Khachatryan – Khachatryan comes from a combination of two words – khach, meaning “cross”, and “tur”, meaning “something given”. This refers to being a follower of the Christian faith.
Impact of the Armenian genocide on Armenian surnames
Armenian woman and her children from Geghi, 1899
During World War I, the Ottoman Empire sought to eliminate the Armenian people through genocide. Between the years 1915 and 1923, it’s estimated that up to a million Armenian people were killed.[6] This resulted in a dispersion of the Armenian people across the globe seeking to escape the atrocities happening in their homeland. Today, large populations of Armenians can be found in Russia, the United States, France, Georgia, Lebanon, Germany, and Ukraine. Currently, there are more people of Armenian descent living outside of Armenia than there are living within the Republic of Armenia.[7]
As the Armenian population spread across the globe, they formed what is known as the Armenian diaspora. In total, the Armenian diaspora numbers between eight million to fifteen million people. Assimilation into new cultures was often difficult, forcing Armenians to adjust their surnames by dropping the suffix or altering the spelling to be more aligned with local names to hide their original cultural identity.[8] For example, the French actor Charles Aznavour, born Shahnour Vaghinag Aznavourian, adopted a common French first name and dropped the -ian suffix from his surname.
Celebrities with Armenian surnames
Publicity photo of Cher, circa 1970sRobert Kardashian – Famous Los Angeles attorney and father to reality television stars Kim, Khloe, Kourtney and Rob Kardashian
Charles Aznavour – French-born singer, songwriter, and actor of Armenian descent.
Aram Khachaturian – Considered one of the leading composers and conductors in the former Soviet Union.
Harutyun Sayatyun – Also, known as Sayat-Nova, Harutyun Sayatyun was an Armenian poet and musician from the 18th century.
Andre Agassi – Retired professional tennis player considered to be one of the greatest of all time.
Cher – Born Cherilyn Sarkisian, Cher is a legendary singer, actress, and cultural icon in the entertainment industry.
Dita Von Tesse – Internationally renowned burlesque performer, model, and fashion icon.
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