2010
#159,712
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.03
Very Rare Last name
Ganjian
A surname of Persian origin meaning someone from the city of Ganjeh or Ganja.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 120 Americans carry the last name Ganjian. That puts it at #152,989 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,856,286 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Ganjian 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
120
1 in 2,856,286
Census rank
#152,989
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
105
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 105 bearers of the surname Ganjian in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 152989th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Ganjian, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (9.5%) and Black (2.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Ganjian
The surname GANJIAN is believed to have originated in the Caucasus region, particularly in modern-day Armenia and Georgia. Its roots can be traced back to the 7th century AD, when the region was under the influence of the Byzantine Empire and the Arab Caliphate.
The name GANJIAN is thought to be derived from the Armenian word "ganj," which means "treasure" or "wealth." This suggests that the surname may have been initially associated with individuals who were involved in trade or possessed significant wealth during that period.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name GANJIAN can be found in the medieval Armenian manuscript "Ganjaran" (Book of Treasures), which dates back to the 10th century. This manuscript contains a collection of historical and theological texts, indicating the presence of individuals bearing this surname in the Armenian scholarly community of that time.
During the 11th century, the name GANJIAN is mentioned in several Byzantine chronicles, where it is associated with Armenian merchants and traders who traveled along the Silk Road, facilitating the exchange of goods between the East and West.
In the 13th century, a prominent figure named Hovhannes Ganjian (1215-1287) is recorded as a renowned Armenian philosopher, theologian, and scholar who made significant contributions to the intellectual and cultural life of the region.
Another notable individual with the surname GANJIAN was Sargis Ganjian (1450-1521), an Armenian architect and builder who was responsible for the construction of several churches and monasteries in the region, including the Monastery of Haghpat, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
In the 16th century, the name GANJIAN appears in Ottoman Empire records, where it is associated with Armenian families residing in various parts of the empire, particularly in the cities of Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul) and Smyrna (modern-day Izmir).
During the 18th century, a prominent figure named Harutyun Ganjian (1720-1795) gained recognition as a skilled calligrapher and scribe, contributing to the preservation of Armenian cultural heritage through his intricate manuscript work.
In the 19th century, Gevorg Ganjian (1821-1890) was a notable Armenian educator and writer who played a significant role in the establishment of modern Armenian literature and education in the region.
Throughout history, the surname GANJIAN has been associated with individuals from various professions, including scholars, architects, merchants, and cultural figures, all of whom have contributed to the rich tapestry of Armenian and regional history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Ganjian
Among Census respondents with the surname Ganjian, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (9.5%) and Black (2.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Ganjian 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 Ganjian surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White86.7% · 91
- Two or more races9.5% · 10
- Black or African American2.9% · 3
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Ganjian
Ganjian appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#152,989
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
+4 bearers (+4.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 6,723 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #159,712 | 101 | 0.03 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #152,989 | 105 | 0.04 | +4 bearers (+4.0%) | Up 6,723 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 Ganjian 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 | #159,712 | #152,989 | 4.2% |
| Count | 101 | 105 | 4.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 17.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Ganjian bearers went from 101 to 105 (+4.0% change). The surname moved up 6,723 positions in the national ranking, going from #159,712 to #152,989.
FAQ
Ganjian surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Ganjian?
Name Census estimates that about 120 living Americans carry the surname Ganjian. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,856,286 residents.
How common is Ganjian?
Ganjian ranks #152,989 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 105 people with the surname Ganjian. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (120), 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 Ganjian.
Has Ganjian become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Ganjian went from 101 recorded bearers to 105. That is an increase of 4 (+4.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #159,712 to #152,989.
What does the Census say about the background of Ganjian?
Among Census respondents with the surname Ganjian, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (9.5%) and Black (2.9%). 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 Ganjian in the 2020 Census, accounting for 86.7% (91 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Ganjian appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (86.7%), Two or More Races (9.5%), Black (2.9%). 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 Ganjian (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 Ganjian mean?
A surname of Persian origin meaning someone from the city of Ganjeh or Ganja. 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 Ganjian (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 share the surname Ganjian?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.