2000
#118,236
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 136
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Iskenderian
An Armenian surname derived from the name Iskender, meaning "Alexander."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 140 Americans carry the last name Iskenderian. That puts it at #140,525 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,448,245 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Iskenderian 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
140
1 in 2,448,245
Census rank
#140,525
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
122
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 122 bearers of the surname Iskenderian in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 140525th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Iskenderian, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (9.8%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (0.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Iskenderian
The surname Iskenderian has its origins in Armenia, dating back to the 11th century. It is believed to be derived from the Armenian word "Iskendar," which is a variation of the name Alexander. This name was likely adopted by Armenians who had been influenced by the legacy of Alexander the Great, who had conquered parts of Armenia in the 4th century BC.
The earliest recorded instances of the Iskenderian name can be found in medieval Armenian manuscripts and records, where it was often spelled as "Iskandaryan" or "Iskandarean." These variations suggest that the name may have been associated with a specific region or town within the Armenian highlands.
One of the earliest known individuals with the Iskenderian surname was Vahram Iskenderyan, a prominent Armenian scholar and theologian who lived in the 12th century. He was renowned for his contributions to the study of Armenian literature and religious texts.
In the 15th century, records show an Iskenderian family residing in the city of Ani, which was once the capital of the Armenian Kingdom. This family was known for their skill in metalworking and produced many renowned craftsmen.
During the Ottoman Empire's rule over Armenia, the Iskenderian surname became more widespread as Armenians were displaced and dispersed across the region. One notable figure from this period was Hovhannes Iskenderyan, a 17th-century Armenian merchant and philanthropist who helped establish schools and churches in various communities.
As the Armenian diaspora spread across the globe, the Iskenderian name traveled with them. In the late 19th century, an Armenian named Arshag Iskenderian immigrated to the United States and became a successful businessman in Detroit, establishing one of the earliest Armenian communities in the city.
Another prominent individual with the Iskenderian surname was Ervand Iskenderian, an Armenian revolutionary who fought against the Ottoman Empire in the early 20th century. He played a crucial role in the Armenian resistance movement and was eventually executed by Ottoman authorities in 1915.
Throughout history, the Iskenderian surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including scholars, artisans, merchants, and revolutionaries. While its origins can be traced back to medieval Armenia, the name has since spread across the globe, reflecting the rich and diverse history of the Armenian people.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Iskenderian
Among Census respondents with the surname Iskenderian, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (9.8%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (0.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Iskenderian 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 Iskenderian surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White89.3% · 109
- Hispanic or Latino9.8% · 12
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Iskenderian
Iskenderian 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
#119,508
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 145
+9 bearers (+6.6%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Down 1,272 places
2020
#140,525
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 122
-23 bearers (-15.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 21,017 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #118,236 | 136 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #119,508 | 145 | 0.05 | +9 bearers (+6.6%) | Down 1,272 places |
| 2020 | #140,525 | 122 | 0.04 | -23 bearers (-15.9%) | Down 21,017 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 Iskenderian 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 | #119,508 | #140,525 | -17.6% |
| Count | 145 | 122 | -15.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.04 | -18.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Iskenderian bearers went from 145 to 122 (-15.9% change). The surname moved down 21,017 positions in the national ranking, going from #119,508 to #140,525.
FAQ
Iskenderian surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Iskenderian?
Name Census estimates that about 140 living Americans carry the surname Iskenderian. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,448,245 residents.
How common is Iskenderian?
Iskenderian ranks #140,525 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 122 people with the surname Iskenderian. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (140), 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 Iskenderian.
Has Iskenderian become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Iskenderian went from 145 recorded bearers to 122. That is a decrease of 23 (-15.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #119,508 to #140,525.
What does the Census say about the background of Iskenderian?
Among Census respondents with the surname Iskenderian, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (9.8%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (0.8%). 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 Iskenderian in the 2020 Census, accounting for 89.3% (109 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Iskenderian appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (89.3%), Hispanic (9.8%), American Indian/Alaska Native (0.8%). 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 Iskenderian (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 Iskenderian mean?
An Armenian surname derived from the name Iskender, meaning "Alexander." 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 Iskenderian (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 Iskenderian?
If you just want to know how many people have the surname Iskenderian, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.