2000
#128,797
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 122
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Matosian
A surname indicating an Armenian origin.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 123 Americans carry the last name Matosian. That puts it at #151,639 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,786,621 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Matosian 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
123
1 in 2,786,621
Census rank
#151,639
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
107
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 107 bearers of the surname Matosian in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 151639th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Matosian, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.7%) and Black (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Matosian
The surname Matosian is believed to have originated in Armenia, tracing its roots back to the 15th century. It is derived from the Armenian word "matos," which means "book" or "manuscript." This suggests that the name may have been associated with scribes, scholars, or individuals involved in the preservation and dissemination of knowledge.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Matosian name can be found in the Armenian manuscripts and chronicles from the 16th century. These documents often listed individuals by their surnames, providing valuable insights into the history and origins of various family names.
During the Ottoman Empire's rule over Armenia, the Matosian family played a significant role in the preservation of Armenian culture and literature. Several prominent members of the family were known for their scholarly pursuits and contributions to the preservation of ancient manuscripts.
In the 18th century, a notable figure bearing the Matosian surname was Hovhannes Matosian, a renowned Armenian scholar and theologian. He was born in 1720 and is celebrated for his extensive work in translating and annotating religious texts, as well as his contributions to the study of Armenian literature.
Another influential figure was Hakob Matosian, born in 1785, who was a prominent educator and author. He established several schools in various Armenian communities and authored numerous textbooks and educational materials aimed at promoting literacy and preserving the Armenian language.
In the 19th century, the Matosian family continued to leave its mark, with individuals like Avetis Matosian (1820-1892), a renowned philosopher and writer who advocated for Armenian independence and played a pivotal role in the intellectual and cultural renaissance of his time.
The name Matosian also has connections to certain place names in Armenia, such as the village of Matos, located in the Aragatsotn Province. This village likely derived its name from the same root as the surname, further solidifying the connection between the Matosian family and their ancestral homeland.
Other notable individuals with the Matosian surname include Sahak Matosian (1875-1952), a prominent Armenian painter and founder of the Armenian National Gallery, and Ruben Matosian (1902-1987), a distinguished composer and musician who contributed significantly to the development of Armenian classical music.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Matosian
Among Census respondents with the surname Matosian, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.7%) and Black (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Matosian 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 Matosian surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.3% · 102
- Hispanic or Latino3.7% · 4
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Matosian
Matosian 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
#146,201
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
-9 bearers (-7.4%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 17,404 places
2020
#151,639
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
-6 bearers (-5.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 5,438 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #128,797 | 122 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #146,201 | 113 | 0.04 | -9 bearers (-7.4%) | Down 17,404 places |
| 2020 | #151,639 | 107 | 0.04 | -6 bearers (-5.3%) | Down 5,438 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 Matosian 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 | #146,201 | #151,639 | -3.7% |
| Count | 113 | 107 | -5.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -10.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Matosian bearers went from 113 to 107 (-5.3% change). The surname moved down 5,438 positions in the national ranking, going from #146,201 to #151,639.
FAQ
Matosian surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Matosian?
Name Census estimates that about 123 living Americans carry the surname Matosian. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,786,621 residents.
How common is Matosian?
Matosian ranks #151,639 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 107 people with the surname Matosian. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (123), 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 Matosian.
Has Matosian become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Matosian went from 113 recorded bearers to 107. That is a decrease of 6 (-5.3%). In the national ranking it fell from #146,201 to #151,639.
What does the Census say about the background of Matosian?
Among Census respondents with the surname Matosian, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.7%) and Black (0.9%). 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 Matosian in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.3% (102 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Matosian appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (95.3%), Hispanic (3.7%), Black (0.9%). 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 Matosian (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 Matosian mean?
A surname indicating an Armenian origin. 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 Matosian (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 Americans have the surname Matosian?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.