2000
#122,534
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 130
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Karagozian
A surname of Armenian origin meaning "son of the black-eyed person".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 139 Americans carry the last name Karagozian. That puts it at #141,309 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,465,859 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Karagozian 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
139
1 in 2,465,859
Census rank
#141,309
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
121
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 121 bearers of the surname Karagozian in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 141309th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Karagozian, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (10.7%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Karagozian
The surname Karagozian originates from Armenia, with its roots dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the Turkish word "Karagöz," which translates to "black-eyed" or "dark-eyed." This name was likely given to individuals with distinctive dark-colored eyes, a physical trait that was considered noteworthy in the region.
During the Ottoman Empire's rule over Armenia, many Armenian families adopted Turkish-sounding surnames to blend in with the dominant culture. The name Karagozian emerged as a variant of Karagöz, reflecting the influence of the Turkish language on Armenian naming conventions.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Karagozian can be found in the archives of the Armenian Apostolic Church in the city of Vagharshapat (present-day Etchmiadzin). These records, dating back to the late 17th century, mention a family with the surname Karagozian residing in the region.
In the 18th century, a notable figure bearing the name Karagozian was Khachatur Karagozian, a skilled artisan and metalworker from the city of Yerevan. His intricate metalwork adorned churches and monasteries throughout Armenia, earning him recognition for his craftsmanship.
During the 19th century, the Karagozian family played a significant role in the Armenian national awakening movement. Mkrtich Karagozian (1823-1898) was a prominent writer and educator who established several schools in Armenia and advocated for the preservation of the Armenian language and culture.
Another notable figure was Avedis Karagozian (1841-1914), a wealthy merchant and philanthropist from the city of Shushi (present-day Shusha, Artsakh). He funded the construction of schools, hospitals, and cultural centers, contributing greatly to the development of Armenian communities in the region.
In the early 20th century, the Karagozian surname gained international recognition through the achievements of Siranush Karagozian (1901-1990), a renowned Armenian actress and theater director. She founded the Karagozian Theater in Yerevan, which became a cultural landmark and contributed significantly to the preservation of Armenian theatrical traditions.
The name Karagozian has also been associated with various places and locations throughout Armenia. For instance, the village of Karagozyan (now called Areni) in the Vayots Dzor province is believed to have derived its name from the Karagozian family who once resided there.
While the surname Karagozian has its roots in Armenia, it has since spread across the world due to the Armenian diaspora. Individuals bearing this surname can be found in various countries, carrying on the legacy and history of this name that originated from the ancient lands of Armenia.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Karagozian
Among Census respondents with the surname Karagozian, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (10.7%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Karagozian 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 Karagozian surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White88.4% · 107
- Hispanic or Latino10.7% · 13
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Karagozian
Karagozian 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
#133,863
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 126
-4 bearers (-3.1%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 11,329 places
2020
#141,309
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 121
-5 bearers (-4.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 7,446 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #122,534 | 130 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #133,863 | 126 | 0.04 | -4 bearers (-3.1%) | Down 11,329 places |
| 2020 | #141,309 | 121 | 0.04 | -5 bearers (-4.0%) | Down 7,446 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 Karagozian 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 | #133,863 | #141,309 | -5.6% |
| Count | 126 | 121 | -4.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | 1.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Karagozian bearers went from 126 to 121 (-4.0% change). The surname moved down 7,446 positions in the national ranking, going from #133,863 to #141,309.
FAQ
Karagozian surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Karagozian?
Name Census estimates that about 139 living Americans carry the surname Karagozian. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,465,859 residents.
How common is Karagozian?
Karagozian ranks #141,309 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 121 people with the surname Karagozian. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (139), 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 Karagozian.
Has Karagozian become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Karagozian went from 126 recorded bearers to 121. That is a decrease of 5 (-4.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #133,863 to #141,309.
What does the Census say about the background of Karagozian?
Among Census respondents with the surname Karagozian, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (10.7%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (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 Karagozian in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.4% (107 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Karagozian appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (88.4%), Hispanic (10.7%), Asian/Pacific Islander (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 Karagozian (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 Karagozian mean?
A surname of Armenian origin meaning "son of the black-eyed person". 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 Karagozian (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 common is the surname Karagozian?
If you just want to know how common the surname Karagozian is, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.