Armenia is a country that resides on the border of Asia and Europe. It borders Turkey, which explains some of the Turkish influence in many popular Armenian names. If you have Armenian heritage, there is a high probability you will find your last name below, especially if is a common Armenian last name.
The History of Armenian Surnames
Before Armenia grew into the large country full of culture it is today, it was full of very few and very small settlements. During this time, the Armenian people didn’t use last names. Instead, they would use a nickname to identify an individual and it was typically based on their occupation.
As the country grew into larger settlements and villages, surnames were developed to distinguish families. The root of Armenian surnames was that of a patriarch or ancestor, or really any prominent male figure of that family. A suffix would then be added to signify “son of” which is known as a patronymic suffix. The most commonly used suffixes are -yan and -ian. Sometimes -jan is used but it is much less common.
Popular Armenian Last Names and Meanings
- Abajian - This surname is derived from the Turkish word “abaci” which is patronymic for “son of a maker or seller of coarse woolen cloth.”
- Avagyan - This name is of Armenian and Georgian origin. It is derived from the Armenian word “avag” which means “old.” This means that “Avagyan” is patronymic for “son of Avag” or “son of the patriarch.”
- Azarian - This surname is derived from the Turkish word “Azar” which means “March” and can also be seen as a patronymic name for “son of Azaria.”
- Barseghyan - This patronymic surname means “son of Barsegh” in Armenian and Turkish.
- Davtyan - This is a very common surname in Armenia and it is of Georgian and Russian origin. It is patronymic for “son of Davit.”
- Donabedian - This name is patronymic for Armenian tonapet “head of a festival.”
- Galstyan - Another very popular Armenian last name and patronymic for “son of Galust.”
- Garabedian - This is a patronymic Armenian surname for “son of Galabed” or “leader.”
- Gevorgyan - The meaning of this last name in Armenian is “son of Gevork” making it another patronymic name.
- Ghasabyan - This is patronymic for “son of Ghasab” or “son of a butcher” in the Armenian language.
- Grigoryan - This last name is patronymic for “son of Grigor.” “Grigor” is the Armenian form of “Gregory.”
- Hakobyan - This Armenian surname is patronymic for “son of Hakob.”
- Hovhannisyan - This is the most common surname in Armenia. It is patronymic for “son of Hovhannes.”
- Hovsepian - This Armenian last name is patronymic for “son of Hovsep” which is the Armenian form of “Joseph.”
- Karapetyan - This name is patronymic for “son of Karaped” which is a classic Armenian personal name.
- Melikyan - This last name is patronymic for “son of Melik.” “Melik” is Turkish for “ruler” and the common variant “Malik” is Arabic for “king.”
- Nalbandian - This surname is patronymic for “son of nalband” which is an occupational name for someone who makes horseshoes.
- Panosyan - The meaning of this patronymic Armenian surname is “son of Panos.”
- Simonyan - This is a common Georgian and Russian surname in Armenia. It is patronymic for “son of Simon.” It is also a derivative of the Hebrew personal name “Shimeon” which means “one who harkens.
- Torosyan - This Georgian and Russian surname is patronymic for “son of Toros.”
- Unique Armenian Last Names
- Avedisian - This Armenian surname is patronymic for “son of Awetik” which means “good news.”
- Bagdasarian - This name is patronymic for an Armenian given name and it means “son of Bagdasar.”
- Derderian - This is a patronymic last name for “son of derder” in Armenian and it translates to “son of a priest.”
- Gharibian - The meaning of this Armenian patronymic name is “son of Gharib.” “Gharib” is a Turkish word that means “stranger” or “impoverished person.”
- Ohanisian - This name is patronymic for the Armenian form of “John.” It means “son of Yovhannes.”
- Petrosyan/Petrosian - The meaning of this Armenian patronymic surname is “son of Petos.” There are two of the most typical used spelling variations of this last name.
- Sargsyan - This last name can be spelled in a variety of different ways. It is patronymic for “son of Sargis/Sarkis.”
- Stepanian - This is patronymic for “son of Step’an” which is the Armenian form of the Greek given name “Stephanos.”
- Vardanyan - This Armenian surname is patronymic and translates to “son of Rose.”
- Zakarian - This Western Armenian surname means “God has remembered.” It is derived from the personal name “Zakar” which is the Armenian form of “Zechariah.”
Popular Armenian Last Names on FamilyEducation: Abajian, Dorian, Vartanian
