Let’s get this out of the way first: There is so much more to Armenia than simply being the ancestral home of the Kardashians. For starters, besides the Kardashians, other popular celebs like Cher, Andre Agassi, and Serj are also from the mountainous Caucasus region. But more notably, Armenia is known for its open-heartedness and hospitality to foreigners and strangers. Their culture is rooted in kindness, respect, family values, and patience toward children. Did you know that it is also home to one of the world’s oldest wineries and capitals, and that chess is a part of their school curriculum? They were also the first nation to adopt Christianity.
Armenia is a country with a long, sometimes tragic history and rich culture, including a unique structure for Armenian last names. If — like Kim, Khloe, and the rest of the krew (sorry) — you can trace your lineage back to Armenia, there’s a lot you can learn about your own family history from your last name.
For example, nearly all Armenian last names consist of a root and at least one suffix that offer clues about your past. Roots typically include identifying information like titles, personal characteristics, jobs, or place-names. Suffixes can have a variety of meanings as well, but the most frequently used suffix (by far) is -ian and its variations, such as -yan, -jan, -ians, which means “issued from” or “family of.” Other suffixes include -ji or -chi (which refers to being a merchant), and -uni (which indicates a family connection to Armenian nobility).
Want more examples? Here are some popular Armenian last names, along with their meanings and origins.
- Abajian
Meaning: Maker or seller of coarse woolen cloth or garments
Origin: Turkish - Abelyan
Meaning: Son of Abel
Origin: Georgian, Armenian - Abrahamyan
Meaning: Son of Abraham
Origin: Armenian - Adamyan
Meaning: Son of Adam
Origin: Armenian - Agassi
Meaning: Someone who resembles a magpie
Origin: Armenian, Persian - Ajemian
Meaning: Persian or foreigner; one who speaks Arabic incorrectly
Origin: Armenian, Arabic - Aleksanyan
Meaning: Son of Aleksan
Origin: Armenian - Avagyan
Meaning: Son of Avag
Origin: Armenian - Azarian
Meaning: March
Origin: Turkish - Babayan
Meaning: Father
Origin: Armenian, Turkish - Barseghyan
Meaning: Son of Barsegh
Origin: Armenian - Boyajyan
Meaning: Son of the painter
Origin: Armenian - Danielyan
Meaning: Son of Daniel
Origin: Armenian - Derian
Meaning: Lord
Origin: Armenian - Davtyan
Meaning: Son of Davit
Origin: Armenian - Donabedian
Meaning: Head of a festival
Origin: Armenian - Galstyan
Meaning: Son of Galust
Origin: Armenian - Garabedian
Meaning: Leader, precursor
Origin: Armenian - Gasparyan
Meaning: Son of Gaspar
Origin: Armenian - Gevorgian/Gevorgyan
Meaning: Son of Gevorg
Origin: Armenian - Ghasabyan
Meaning: Butcher
Origin: Arabic - Ghazaryan
Meaning: Son of Lazar
Origin: Armenian - Grigoryan
Meaning: Son of Grigor
Origin: Armenian - Gulian
Meaning: Son of Rose, or laughter
Origin: Armenian - Hagopian
Meaning: Son of Hakob
Origin: Armenian - Hakobyan
Meaning: Son of Hakob
Origin: Armenian - Hayrapetyan
Meaning: Son of Hayrapet
Origin: Armenian - Hovhannisyan
Meaning: Son of Hovhannes
Origin: Armenian - Hovsepyan
Meaning: Son of Hovsep
Origin: Armenian - Karapetyan
Meaning: Son of Karapet
Origin: Armenian - Kartashyan
Meaning: Son of the stonemason
Origin: Armenian - Khachatryan
Meaning: Son of Khachatur
Origin: Armenian - Kassabian
Meaning: Son of the butcher
Origin: Turkish - Manoukian
Meaning: Child
Origin: Classical Armenian - Manukyan
Meaning: Son of Manuk
Origin: Armenian - Margaryan
Meaning: Prophet
Origin: Old Armenian - Markosyan
Meaning: Son of Markos
Origin: Armenian - Martirosyan
Meaning: Son of Martiros
Origin: Armenian - Melikyan
Meaning: Son of Melik
Origin: Armenian - Misakian
Meaning: Son of Misak
Origin: Hebrew - Mushyan
Meaning: Someone from the Armenian town of Mushi
Origin: Armenian - Najaryan/Najarian
Meaning: Son of a carpenter
Origin: Arabic - Nalbandyan/Nalbandian
Meaning: Son of a farrier
Origin: Persian - Nazaretyan
Meaning: Son of Nazaret
Origin: Armenian - Pahlevanyan
Meaning: Son of the wrestler or champion
Origin: Armenian - Panosyan
Meaning: Son of Panos
Origin: Armenian - Papazian
Meaning: Priest, father
Origin: Armenian - Parsamyan
Meaning: Son of Parsam; fasting
Origin: Armenian, Assyrian - Petrosian
Meaning: Petros
Origin: Armenian, Greek - Petrossian/Petrosyan
Meaning: Peter
Origin: Armenian, Greek - Sahagian
Meaning: Isaacson, Son of Isaac, or descendant of Isaac
Origin: Armenian - Sahakyan
Meaning: Son of Sahak
Origin: Armenian - Salti
Meaning: Salty
Origin: Greek, Armenia - Sarafyan/Sarafian
Meaning: Son of a banker
Origin: Arabic - Sargis
Meaning: Servant, slave
Origin: Eastern Armenian - Sarkis
Meaning: Protector, shepherd
Origin: Arabic, Armenian - Saroukhanian
Meaning: The mountain prince
Origin: Armenian - Sevian
Meaning: Son of Black or raven-haired
Origin: Armenian - Shahbazyan
Meaning: Descendant of
Origin: Armenian - Simonian
Meaning: A follower of Simon Magus
Origin: Armenian - Simonyan
Meaning: Son of Simon
Origin: Armenian - Stepanian
Meaning: Foreigner
Origin: Armenian - Stepanyan
Meaning: son of Stepan
Origin: Armenian - Tadevosyan
Meaning: Son of Tadevos
Origin: Armenian - Tanielian
Meaning: Daniel
Origin: Armenian - Tashjian
Meaning: Stonemason
Origin: Armenian - Tavitian
Meaning: Son of David
Origin: Armenian - Terzian
Meaning: Tailor
Origin: Persian - Topalian
Meaning: Lame and crippled
Origin: Armenian - Torosyan
Meaning: Son of Toros
Origin: Armenian - Tumasyan
Meaning: Son of Thomas; Thompson
Origin: Armenian - Vardanyan
Meaning: Son of Vardan
Origin: Armenian - Vartanian
Meaning: Shield
Origin: Persian - Zakarian
Meaning: God has remembered
Origin: Armenian
Are you interested in expanding your last name list even further? Want to explore popular surnames in other cultures? We’ve done the heavy lifting for you! Check out our pages on Irish last names, French last names, and Scottish last names, to start.
