Agajanian last name popularity, history, and meaning

Find out how popular the last name Agajanian is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Agajanian.

Meaning of Agajanian

Of Armenian origin, derived from the word "agha" meaning "lord" or "master," combined with the suffix "-jan" meaning "soul."

Agajanian, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Agajanian surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Agajanian in America

Agajanian is the 74826th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Agajanian surname appeared 258 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Agajanian.

We can also compare 2010 data for Agajanian to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 74826 77472 -3.47%
Count 258 230 11.48%
Proportion per 100k 0.09 0.09 0.00%

The history of the last name Agajanian

The surname Agajanian has its origins in Armenia, dating back to the early 19th century. It is believed to be derived from the Armenian words "agha" meaning "master" or "noble" and "jan" meaning "dear" or "beloved." This combination suggests that the name may have been initially bestowed upon individuals who held respected positions or were considered esteemed members of their community.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Agajanian can be found in Armenian church records from the 1820s, where it appears as "Աղաջանյան" (Aghajanian). This indicates that the name was already established and in use among Armenian families during that period.

In the late 19th century, a significant number of Armenians fled the Ottoman Empire due to persecution, seeking refuge in various parts of the world. This diaspora played a crucial role in the global spread of Armenian surnames, including Agajanian. Historical records show that some of the earliest Agajanian emigrants settled in regions like Russia, France, and the United States.

One notable bearer of the Agajanian surname was Arshak Agajanian, an Armenian writer and playwright born in 1866 in the Ottoman Empire (now Turkey). His works, which often explored themes of Armenian culture and identity, were influential in preserving and promoting Armenian literature during a time of significant upheaval for the Armenian people.

Another prominent figure was Grigor Agajanian, an Armenian-American prelate who served as the Exarch of the Armenian Catholic Exarchate of the United States and Canada from 1935 to 1962. Born in 1895 in Marash, Ottoman Empire (now Turkey), Agajanian played a pivotal role in establishing and strengthening the Armenian Catholic community in North America.

In the field of sports, Armen Agajanian, an American football player and coach, made a notable impact. Born in 1919 in Los Angeles, California, Agajanian played as a kicker and quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) and later became a successful coach, leading teams like the Los Angeles Rams and Dallas Texans (now Kansas City Chiefs).

The Agajanian surname also appears in historical records related to the Armenian Genocide of 1915-1923. Several accounts document the experiences of Agajanian families who were forced to flee their homes and endure immense hardships during this tragic period of Armenian history.

Throughout the 20th century, individuals bearing the Agajanian surname have contributed to various fields, including academia, business, and the arts, further solidifying the name's presence in different parts of the world.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Agajanian

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Agajanian.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

  1. White only
  2. Black only
  3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
  4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
  5. Hispanic
  6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Agajanian was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 88.76% 229
Non-Hispanic Black Only 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races (S)% (S)
Hispanic Origin 8.53% 22

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Agajanian has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 88.76% 90.43% -1.86%
Black 0.00% (S)% (S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander (S)% (S)% (S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% 0.00% (S)%
Two or More Races (S)% 2.17% (S)%
Hispanic 8.53% 6.96% 20.27%

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Agajanian was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Agajanian, please contact us.

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"Agajanian last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on July 27, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/agajanian-surname-popularity/.

"Agajanian last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/agajanian-surname-popularity/. Accessed 27 July, 2024

Agajanian last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/agajanian-surname-popularity/.

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