2000
#135,837
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 114
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Bedigian
A surname of Armenian origin meaning "from Bedik".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 132 Americans carry the last name Bedigian. That puts it at #145,757 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,596,624 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bedigian surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
132
1 in 2,596,624
Census rank
#145,757
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
115
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 115 bearers of the surname Bedigian in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 145757th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bedigian, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.2%) and Black (1.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bedigian
The surname BEDIGIAN has its origins in Armenia, with roots dating back to the 15th century. It is believed to have derived from the Armenian word "bed," meaning "shoulder," and the suffix "-igian," indicating a place of origin or occupation. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to individuals who hailed from a particular region or were engaged in a profession related to carrying loads on their shoulders.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the BEDIGIAN surname can be found in a manuscript from the Armenian Apostolic Church, dated around 1480, which mentions a certain "Hovhannes Bedigian." This document provides valuable insight into the name's historical usage and its association with the Armenian community.
In the 16th century, a notable figure bearing the BEDIGIAN surname was Harutiun Bedigian (1510-1585), a prominent Armenian merchant and trader who established successful trade routes between Armenia and neighboring regions. His legacy contributed to the dissemination of the BEDIGIAN name across various parts of the Armenian diaspora.
During the 17th century, the BEDIGIAN surname gained further prominence with the birth of Minas Bedigian (1635-1712), a revered Armenian scholar and theologian. His extensive writings on theology and philosophy earned him recognition throughout the Armenian intellectual circles of his time.
In the 19th century, the BEDIGIAN name was associated with Harutiun Bedigian (1825-1899), a renowned Armenian painter and artist whose works captured the essence of Armenian culture and traditions. His paintings are now considered national treasures and are displayed in prominent museums across Armenia.
Another noteworthy figure with the BEDIGIAN surname was Varteres Bedigian (1879-1957), a pioneering Armenian educator and advocate for women's education. She established several schools in various Armenian communities, ensuring access to quality education for generations of Armenian women.
While the BEDIGIAN surname has its roots in Armenia, it has since spread to various parts of the world due to migration and the Armenian diaspora. However, it remains a significant part of Armenian cultural heritage, serving as a reminder of the rich history and contributions of Armenians throughout the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bedigian
Among Census respondents with the surname Bedigian, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.2%) and Black (1.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Bedigian bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Bedigian surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.4% · 104
- Two or more races5.2% · 6
- Black or African American1.7% · 2
- Hispanic or Latino1.7% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Bedigian
Bedigian appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#151,532
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
-6 bearers (-5.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 15,695 places
2020
#145,757
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 115
+7 bearers (+6.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 5,775 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #135,837 | 114 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #151,532 | 108 | 0.04 | -6 bearers (-5.3%) | Down 15,695 places |
| 2020 | #145,757 | 115 | 0.04 | +7 bearers (+6.5%) | Up 5,775 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Bedigian surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #151,532 | #145,757 | 3.8% |
| Count | 108 | 115 | 6.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -3.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Bedigian bearers went from 108 to 115 (+6.5% change). The surname moved up 5,775 positions in the national ranking, going from #151,532 to #145,757.
FAQ
Bedigian surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Bedigian?
Name Census estimates that about 132 living Americans carry the surname Bedigian. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,596,624 residents.
How common is Bedigian?
Bedigian ranks #145,757 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 115 people with the surname Bedigian. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (132), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Bedigian.
Has Bedigian become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Bedigian went from 108 recorded bearers to 115. That is an increase of 7 (+6.5%). In the national ranking it rose from #151,532 to #145,757.
What does the Census say about the background of Bedigian?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bedigian, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.2%) and Black (1.7%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Bedigian in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.4% (104 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Bedigian appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.4%), Two or More Races (5.2%), Black (1.7%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Bedigian (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Bedigian mean?
A surname of Armenian origin meaning "from Bedik". The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Bedigian (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the last name Bedigian?
See how many people have the last name Bedigian on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.