Altounian last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Altounian

An Armenian surname indicating an Armenian or Armenian ethnic origin.

Altounian, 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 Altounian surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Altounian in America

Altounian is the 116201st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Altounian surname appeared 150 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 Altounian.

We can also compare 2010 data for Altounian 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.

20102000Change (%)
Rank1162011154890.61%
Count1501406.90%
Proportion per 100k0.050.050.00%

The history of the last name Altounian

The surname ALTOUNIAN originated in Armenia, with roots that can be traced back to the late Middle Ages or early Renaissance period. It is believed to have derived from the Armenian word "ալտուն" (altoǔn), which means "gold," suggesting a possible connection to mining or metalworking professions.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in Armenian historical manuscripts and church records from the 15th and 16th centuries, primarily in regions around Lake Van and the Armenian Highland. During this time, the name was often spelled with slight variations, such as "ALTOǓNIAN," "ALTOUNYAN," or "ALTOǓNTZIAN."

One notable figure bearing the ALTOUNIAN surname was Grigor Altounian, a prominent Armenian merchant and philanthropist who lived in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. He was known for his contributions to the Armenian community in New Julfa, a suburb of Isfahan, Iran, where he helped establish schools and churches.

In the 19th century, the ALTOUNIAN name gained further recognition with the birth of Mikhail Altounian (1839-1904), an influential Armenian writer and educator. He authored several books on Armenian literature and history and played a significant role in promoting Armenian cultural identity during the Ottoman era.

Another prominent figure was Grigor Altounian (1851-1932), a renowned Armenian architect and civil engineer. He designed numerous notable buildings in Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul), including the Armenian Patriarchate and the Gulbenkian Library. His works were instrumental in preserving Armenian architectural heritage in the face of turbulent times.

Vahan Altounian (1885-1965) was a distinguished Armenian painter and art critic who made significant contributions to the development of modern Armenian art. His works often depicted traditional Armenian life and landscapes, and he was influential in establishing an Armenian national style of painting.

Lastly, Hrair Altounian (1919-2007) was a renowned Armenian-American writer and educator. He authored several books on Armenian history and literature and served as a professor at various universities in the United States, including the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

These are just a few examples of notable individuals who have carried the ALTOUNIAN surname throughout history, reflecting the cultural and intellectual contributions of Armenians across various fields.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Altounian

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

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 Altounian was:

Race/EthnicityPercentageTotal Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only96.00%144
Non-Hispanic Black Only(S)%(S)
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only0.00%0
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native0.00%0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races(S)%(S)
Hispanic Origin3.33%5

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 Altounian has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

20102000Change (%)
White96.00%92.86%3.33%
Black(S)%(S)%(S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander0.00%0.00%0.00%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0.00%0.00%0.00%
Two or More Races(S)%5.00%(S)%
Hispanic3.33%(S)%(S)%

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 Altounian was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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