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

Kachigian, 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 Kachigian surname is from the 2000 census data.

Popularity of Kachigian in America

Kachigian is the 143847th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kachigian surname appeared 106 times in the 2000 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Kachigian.

The history of the last name Kachigian

The surname Kachigian has its origins in the Armenian culture. Its etymology suggests a derivation from the Armenian word "kachig," meaning "cross." The name likely originated during medieval times when surnames began to be formed based on professions, geographical locations, or prominent features. The suffix "ian" or "yan" is a common Armenian addition meaning "son of" or "descendant of," indicating that the bearer of the surname Kachigian comes from a lineage prominently associated with a cross, which could indicate a religious vocation or a significant family cross relic.

The surname Kachigian appears to have been prevalent in the regions of historic Armenia, including Cilicia and parts of Western Armenia, now within modern Turkey. The spread of the Kachigian name coincided with significant events in Armenian history, such as the Armenian Genocide of 1915, which caused many Armenians to flee to other countries, including the United States, France, and other parts of Europe.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname can be found in late 19th-century Ottoman Empire records, in which family names became more formalized. Kachigian is seen in various documents such as land records, church registers, and population assessments as the Armenian community continued to use and document their heritage.

Arsineh Kachigian, born in 1885 and deceased in 1957, was an influential figure in the Armenian diaspora in France. She was known for her contributions to Armenian culture and education among the expatriate community. Another notable Kachigian was Vartan Kachigian, born in 1910, a prominent American-Armenian scholar who wrote extensively on Armenian history and literature until his passing in 1993. In the field of medicine, Dr. Levon Kachigian (1945-2003) made significant advances in cardiovascular research and was recognized both in Armenia and internationally.

Benjamin Kachigian, who immigrated to the United States in the early 20th century, became a successful businessman and maintained strong ties to the Armenian community in New York, aiding in the establishment of cultural and support organizations. Helen Kachigian, born in 1952, became a respected figure in Armenian-American legal circles, known for her advocacy on human rights and representation of the Armenian genocide victims' descendants.

The name Kachigian remains a testament to the resilience and cultural persistence of the Armenian people through centuries of diaspora and adversity, maintaining a connection to their storied past and religious heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kachigian

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

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 2000 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Kachigian 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.

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

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

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