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

Isayan, 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 Isayan surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Isayan in America

Isayan is the 87663rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Isayan surname appeared 212 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 Isayan.

We can also compare 2010 data for Isayan 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.

The history of the last name Isayan

The surname ISAYAN is of Armenian origin, with roots tracing back to the medieval era in the region of historic Armenia. It is believed to have derived from the Armenian word "isayan," which translates to "noble" or "aristocratic." This suggests that the name may have initially been bestowed upon individuals of high social standing or those belonging to prominent Armenian noble families.

One of the earliest known references to the ISAYAN surname can be found in the annals of the Armenian Apostolic Church, where several clergymen bearing this name were documented in the 13th and 14th centuries. Notably, Bishop Hovhannes Isayan, who lived in the late 13th century, was a renowned scholar and author of religious texts.

During the Ottoman Empire's rule over Armenia, the ISAYAN name appeared in various administrative records and tax registers, indicating the presence of families with this surname in various regions of historic Armenia. One notable figure from this period was Khachatur Isayan, a prominent merchant and philanthropist who lived in the 18th century and contributed significantly to the cultural and educational development of the Armenian community in Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul).

In the 19th century, several members of the ISAYAN family achieved distinction in various fields. Hovhannes Isayan (1814-1876) was a renowned painter and one of the pioneers of the Armenian national art movement. His works depicted scenes from Armenian history and rural life, helping to preserve the cultural heritage of the Armenian people.

Another notable figure was Avetis Isayan (1835-1901), a writer, journalist, and educator who played a crucial role in the development of modern Armenian literature. His novel "Khent" is considered a masterpiece of Armenian realism and is widely studied in Armenian literature courses.

Towards the end of the 19th century and the early 20th century, many Armenians bearing the ISAYAN surname immigrated to various parts of the world, including the United States, France, and Russia, fleeing persecution and seeking better opportunities. One such individual was Vahan Isayan (1870-1945), a prominent lawyer and political activist who fought for Armenian independence and was instrumental in establishing the First Republic of Armenia in 1918.

As the ISAYAN name spread across different regions, it underwent minor spelling variations, such as Isahakian, Isahagian, or Isahakyan, reflecting the linguistic and cultural influences of the regions where Armenian communities settled.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Isayan

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

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 Isayan was:

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

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

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

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