2000
#133,114
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Boranian
Of Middle Eastern origin, possibly referring to one from the city of Borana.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 122 Americans carry the last name Boranian. That puts it at #152,339 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,809,462 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Boranian 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
122
1 in 2,809,462
Census rank
#152,339
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
106
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 106 bearers of the surname Boranian in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 152339th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Boranian, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (0.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Boranian
The surname BORANIAN has its origins in Armenia, a nation located in the Caucasus region between Europe and Asia. The name likely emerged during the Middle Ages, as many Armenian surnames solidified during this time period.
BORANIAN is believed to be derived from the Armenian word "bor," meaning "purple" or "red," with the suffix "-an" or "-ian" indicating a place of origin or occupation. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone from a place associated with the color purple or red, possibly a dye-producing region or a location known for its distinctive soil or landscape.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the BORANIAN surname can be found in a 14th-century Armenian manuscript, which mentions a scribe named Hovhannes BORANIAN. This document provides evidence of the name's existence and usage during the medieval era in Armenia.
In the 16th century, a notable figure named Khachatur BORANIAN was a prominent scholar and translator who played a significant role in preserving and disseminating Armenian literary works. His contributions to the preservation of Armenian cultural heritage have been widely recognized.
During the 17th century, the BORANIAN surname was also associated with a family of skilled artisans and craftsmen from the city of Yerevan. Historical records mention several members of this family who were renowned for their expertise in metalwork and jewelry-making.
Another individual of note was Aghavni BORANIAN, a 19th-century Armenian writer and educator who made significant contributions to the advancement of women's education and literature in her homeland. Her works and advocacy helped shape the intellectual discourse of her time.
In the early 20th century, a prominent figure named Vahan BORANIAN gained recognition as a influential politician and diplomat. He played a crucial role in representing Armenian interests on the international stage during a turbulent period in the nation's history.
While the BORANIAN surname has deep roots in Armenia, it has also spread to other parts of the world due to migration and diaspora communities. However, the historical significance and cultural connections of this name remain firmly rooted in the rich heritage of the Armenian people.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Boranian
Among Census respondents with the surname Boranian, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (0.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Boranian 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 Boranian surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White97.2% · 103
- Hispanic or Latino0.9% · 1
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
- Two or more races0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Boranian
Boranian 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
#154,907
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
-12 bearers (-10.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 21,793 places
2020
#152,339
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
+1 bearers (+1.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 2,568 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #133,114 | 117 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #154,907 | 105 | 0.04 | -12 bearers (-10.3%) | Down 21,793 places |
| 2020 | #152,339 | 106 | 0.04 | +1 bearers (+1.0%) | Up 2,568 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 Boranian 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 | #154,907 | #152,339 | 1.7% |
| Count | 105 | 106 | 1.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -11.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Boranian bearers went from 105 to 106 (+1.0% change). The surname moved up 2,568 positions in the national ranking, going from #154,907 to #152,339.
FAQ
Boranian surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Boranian?
Name Census estimates that about 122 living Americans carry the surname Boranian. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,809,462 residents.
How common is Boranian?
Boranian ranks #152,339 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 106 people with the surname Boranian. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (122), 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 Boranian.
Has Boranian become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Boranian went from 105 recorded bearers to 106. That is an increase of 1 (+1.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #154,907 to #152,339.
What does the Census say about the background of Boranian?
Among Census respondents with the surname Boranian, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (0.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.9%). 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 Boranian in the 2020 Census, accounting for 97.2% (103 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Boranian appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (97.2%), Hispanic (0.9%), Asian/Pacific Islander (0.9%). 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 Boranian (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 Boranian mean?
Of Middle Eastern origin, possibly referring to one from the city of Borana. 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 Boranian (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 Americans have the surname Boranian?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.