The Kardashians may be the most famous Armenians in the world but Armenia is so much more than the their ancestral home.
The country has a long history and rich culture. The unique structure of Armenian last names is a part of it.
All Armenian last names have a root and at least one suffix that gives clues about their past. That is why most Armenian surnames have -ian in the end that signifies belonging or possession.
It is similar to Ukrainian surnames like Kolisnyk or Oliynyk that end with a suffix as well. In this article, we have provided a list of Armenian last names with meanings and history. If you like this list, you can check out other articles from Kidadl like Korean last names or Greek last names.
Popular Armenian last names
If you have an Armenian heritage, understanding the Armenian surnames will allow you to connect with your family. Check out this list of popular surnames in Armenia.
1. Abajian (Turkish origin), means "seller or maker of coarse woolen garments or cloth".
2. Abelyan (Armenian origin), meaning "son of Abel'' is among the most popular Armenian names.
3. Abrahamyan (Armenian origin), meaning "son of Abraham" is one of the common Armenian last names.
4. Adamyan (Armenian origin), meaning "son of Adam" is a surname quite common among the Armenians.
5. Agassi (Armenian or Persian origin), a patronymic for someone who resembles a magpie.
6. Ajemian (Armenian or Arabic origin), one of the most popular Armenian last names that mean "foreigner" or "Persian".
7. Aleksanyan (Armenian origin), meaning "son of Aleksan" is among the old Armenian names.
8. Avagyan (Armenian origin), meaning "son of Avag" is a common Armenian surname.
9. Azarian (Turkish origin), meaning "march" is among the most popular Armenian last names.
10. Babayan (Armenian or Turkish origin), meaning "father" is a beautiful surname in Armenia.
11. Barseghyan (Armenian origin), meaning "son of Barsegh" is one of the most popular Armenian last names.
12. Boyajyan (Armenian origin), meaning "son of the painter" is an interesting Armenian name.
13. Danielyan (Armenian origin), meaning "son of Daniel" is another example of an old Armenian surname.
14. Derian (Armenian origin) refers to the patronymic from ter that means "lord".
15. Davtyan (Armenian origin), meaning "son of Davit" is among the most common surnames in Armenia.
16. Donabedian (Classical Armenian origin), meaning "head of a festival" is another example of an old Armenian surname.
17. Galstyan (Armenian origin), meaning "son of Galust" is a surname quite common among the Armenians.
18. Garabedian (Armenian origin), meaning "leader or precursor" is an example of strong and powerful Armenian surnames.
19. Gasparyan (Armenian origin), meaning "son of Gaspar" is a common Armenian last name.
20. Ghasabyan (Arabic origin), meaning "butcher" is an unusually interesting last name.
21. Ghazaryan (Armenian origin), meaning "son of Lazar" is another one of the old Armenian surnames.
22. Grigoryan, (Armenian origin), meaning "son of Grigor" is the most popular Armenian last name.
23. Gulian (Armenian origin), meaning "son of laughter or rose" is another common Armenian last name.
24. Hakobyan (Armenian origin), meaning "son of Hakob" is among the popular Armenian last names.
25. Hayrapetyan (Armenian origin), meaning "son of Hayrapet" is an example of Armenians' last name.
26. Hovhannisyan (Armenian origin), meaning "son of Hovhannes" is a beautiful Armenian surname.
27. Hovsepyan (Armenian origin), meaning "son of Hovsep" is a common Armenian surname.
28. Karapetyan (Armenian origin), meaning "son of Karapet" is one of the most used Armenian surnames.
29. Kartashyan (Armenian origin), meaning "son of the stonemason" is a prominent surname in Armenia.
30. Khachatryan (Armenian origin), meaning "son of Khachatur" is a common Armenian surname.
31. Kassabian (Turkish origin), meaning "son of butcher" is another one of the popular Armenian surnames.
32. Manoukian (Classical Armenian origin), meaning "child" is one of the Armenian names that end in 'ian'.
33. Manukyan (Armenian origin), meaning "son of Manuk" is a beautiful Armenian last name.
34. Margaryan (Old Armenian origin), meaning "Prophet" is a beautiful Armenian surname.
35. Markosyan (Armenian origin), meaning "son of Markos" is another example of Armenian last names.
36. Martirosyan (Armenian origin), meaning "son of Martiros" is a prominent last name.
37. Melikyan (Armenian origin), meaning "son of Melik" is a common surname among Armenians.
38. Misakian (Hebrew origin), meaning "son of Misak" is among the oldest Armenian surnames.
39. Mushyan (Armenian origin), refers to someone from Mushi, an Armenian town.
40. Najaryan/Najarian (Arabic origin), meaning "son of a carpenter" is a popular Armenian last name.
41. Nalbandyan/Nalbandian (Persian origin), meaning "son of a farrier" is a common Armenian surname.
42. Nazaretvan (Armenian origin), meaning "son of Nazaret" is among the well-known Armenian surnames.
43. Pahlevanyan (Armenian origin), meaning "son of the champion or wrestler" is a strong and powerful last name.
44. Panosyan (Armenian origin), meaning "son of Panos" is a prominent Armenian last name.
45. Parsamyan (Armenian or Assyrian origin), meaning "son of Parsam" possibly comes from Barsauma, an Assyrian word for "fasting".
46. Sahakyan (Armenian origin), meaning "son of Sahak" is a popular Armenian surname.
47. Sarafyan/Sarafian (Arabic origin), meaning "son of a banker" is a beautiful Armenian surname.
48. Saroukhanian (Armenian origin), meaning "the mountain prince" is an Armenian surname that exudes royalty.
49. Simonyan (Armenian origin), meaning "son of Simon" is another popular Armenian surname.
50. Tadevosyan (Armenian origin), meaning "son of Tadevos" is a common Armenian surname.
51. Torosyan (Armenian origin), meaning "son of Toros" is another one of the prominent Armenian last names.
52. Tumasyan (Armenian origin), meaning "son of Thomas" is the Armenian equivalent of the English surname "Thompson".
53. Vardanyan (Armenian origin), meaning "son of Vardan" is a beautiful last name used in Armenia.
Unique Armenian last name
Armenian surnames have a lot of history behind them. Here is a list of Armenian names.
54. Akopyan (Armenian origin), a surname that is a transliteration of another Armenian surname, Hakobyan.
55. Apkarian (Armenian origin), is a patronymic from a Syriac personal name, Abgar. It was borne by the kind of Edessa.
56. Artinian (Armenian origin), meaning “resurrection” is a variant of another Armenian surname, Harutyan.
57. Aslanian (Turkish origin), meaning “lion” comes from the personal name Aslan.
58. Avedisian (Armenian origin), meaning “good news” is a patronymic form of ‘Awetik’, a personal name.
59. Bagdasarian (Armenian origin), meaning “son of Baghdasar (Balthazar) is a unique Armenian surname.
60. Basmajian (Turkish origin), meaning “seller or maker of textiles” is an occupational name that is patronymic from Turkish basmaci.
61. Bedrossian (Armenian origin), meaning “son of Bedros (rockhard)” is a surname mostly used in Eastern Armenia.
62. Boghossian (Armenian origin) is the variant of Bogosian.
63. Boyadijan (Turkish origin), meaning “a painter” is an occupational name that comes from the Turkish word for a painter, Boyaci.
64. Davidian (Armenian origin), meaning “son of David” is an Armenian surname that is equivalent to the English surname ‘Davidson’.
65. Demirjian (Turkish origin), meaning “ironmonger or ironsmith” is a patronymic from ‘demirci’, an occupational name.
66. Derderian (Armenian origin), meaning “priest” is a patronymic from classical Armenian ‘derder’.
67. Dorian (Greek origin), meaning “of Doris (a district in Ancient Greece)” or “of Dorus (a Greek hero)” is a masculine family name.
68. Gharibian (Turkish origin), meaning “stranger or wanderer” is a patronymic from a Turkish dialect.
69. Haroutunian (Armenian origin), meaning “resurrection” is a patronymic from Haroutun.
70. Jamgochian (Armenian and Iranian origin), meaning “muezzin” is a patronymic from the Armenian word ‘žamkoc’. The prefix žam means “church or mosque” while the suffix koc means “call”.
71. Kalajian (Turkish origin), meaning “merchant” comes from the Turkish occupational name kâlâci. The word begins with kâlâ, which can mean silk, cloth, furniture, or goods while the occupational suffix is -ci.
72. Kaprelian (Armenian origin), is the patronymic from Kapriel, the Armenian equivalent of ‘Gabriel’.
73. Kazarian (Armenian origin), is a patronymic from the name Kazar, which is a variant of Ghazar. In some cases, it can come from the ethnic name for a Kazar, someone living in the southern Caucasus during the Middle Ages.
74. Keshishyan (Turkish origin), meaning “priest or monk” comes from the Turkish word ‘kesis’. This surname was used for distinguishing a Christian.
75. Kurkjian (Turkish origin), meaning “furrier” is a patronymic from the Turkish word ‘kürkçü’. The surname is made up of kürk and the occupational suffix -ci.
76. Magarian (Greek origin), meaning “blessed” comes from the Greek word ‘Makarios’.
77. Mardirosian (Armenian origin), meaning “son of Martiros” is an Armenian surname with Mardirossian and Mardirosian as variants.
78. Markarian (Armenian origin), meaning “prophet” is one of the classical Armenian surnames.
79. Mesrobian (Armenian origin), a patronymic from the name Mesrop, a scholar who devised the Armenian alphabet.
80. Mooradian (Arabic origin), meaning “desire or wish” is a patronymic from the word Murad.
81. Nahabedian (Armenian origin), meaning “leader” is a patronymic from the Armenian word ‘nahapet’.
82. Nersesian (Armenian origin), a patronymic from a personal Armenian name, ‘Nerses’. The name was borne by the Armenian Church’s patriarchs since the 4th century.
83. Oganesyan (Armenian origin), a surname derived from a given name ‘Ohannes’.
84. Ohanesian (Armenian origin), a patronymic from the name ‘Yovhannes’. It can be considered as the Armenian form of ‘John’.
85. Ohanian (Turkish origin), a patronymic from the name ‘Ohan’, a variant of Yovhannes.
86. Papazian (Armenian origin), meaning “priest or father” is a patronymic from the Turkis word ‘papaz’.
87. Petrosian (Armenian origin), meaning “son of Petros” is one of the most unique Armenian last names. Its variants include Petrossian or Petrosyan.
88. Samuelian (Armenian origin), is a patronymic from the personal name ‘Samuel’.
89. Sarkissian (Armenian origin), one of the most beautiful Armenian surnames with Sarkisian, Sarkissian, and Sarkisyan as its variant.
90. Shahinian (Persian origin), is a unique Armenian surname that is a patronymic from the personal name ‘Shahin’.
91. Stepanian (Armenian origin), an Armenian surname that is derived from ‘Stepan’, the Armenian equivalent of ‘Stephen’.
92. Tanielian (Armenian origin), an Armenian surname that is the western Armenian form of ‘Danielian’.
93. Tarpinian (Armenian origin), an Armenian surname that is a patronymic from ‘Tarpin’, a personal name.
94. Tashijian (Turkish origin), meaning “stonemason” is a patronymic from the word tasçi, from tas that means “stone” and the occupational suffix -ci.
95. Tavitian (Armenian origin), meaning “son of David” is an Armenian surname. This is equivalent to the English surname ‘Davidson’.
96. Terzian (Persian origin), meaning “tailor” is a patronymic from the word ‘terzi’.
97. Topalian (Turkish origin), a patronymic from the word ‘topal’ that means “lame or crippled”.
98. Tumasyan (Armenian origin), a patronymic from the word ‘Thomas’. This makes the surname equivalent to ‘Thompson’.
99. Vardanyan (Armenian origin), an Armenian surname that is also spelled as Vardanian or Vardanean. It comes from the given name ‘Vardan’ along with the suffix -ian.
100. Zakarian (Armenian origin), meaning “God has remembered” originated from Zakar, the Armenian equivalent of Zechariah.
Kidadi has many names articles that can inspire your next character. If you love these ideas for Armenian last names, take a look at something different like Arabic last names or Norwegian last names.