2010
#147,253
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Ovasapyan
A surname of Armenian origin derived from a personal name or occupation.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 125 Americans carry the last name Ovasapyan. That puts it at #150,205 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,742,035 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Ovasapyan 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
125
1 in 2,742,035
Census rank
#150,205
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
109
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 109 bearers of the surname Ovasapyan in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 150205th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Ovasapyan, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.8%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Ovasapyan
The surname Ovasapyan originates from Armenia, with roots that can be traced back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Armenian word "ovas," meaning "meadow" or "grassland," and the suffix "-yan," which indicates belonging or association. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to individuals who lived or worked in meadows or grassy areas.
The earliest known records of the Ovasapyan surname can be found in Armenian manuscripts dating back to the 14th century. One notable mention is in the "Ganjaran," an Armenian manuscript from the 1360s, which references an individual named Hovhannes Ovasapyan, believed to be a scribe or scholar from the Vayots Dzor region of Armenia.
During the 15th century, the Ovasapyan name appears in several historical records and chronicles, often associated with prominent figures from various regions of Armenia. For instance, Mkhitar Ovasapyan, born in 1420 in the village of Garni, was a renowned Armenian poet and theologian who authored several influential works on literature and religion.
Another significant figure bearing the Ovasapyan surname was Khachatur Ovasapyan, a military commander who lived in the late 16th century. He played a crucial role in defending the Armenian settlements in the Syunik region against Ottoman invasions, earning him a reputation as a skilled strategist and leader.
In the 18th century, the Ovasapyan name gained further prominence with the birth of Hovhannes Ovasapyan (1735-1804), a renowned Armenian architect and artist. He was responsible for the construction of several churches and monasteries in the region, including the iconic St. Hripsime Church in Echmiadzin, which is considered a masterpiece of Armenian architecture.
Another notable figure was Avetis Ovasapyan (1805-1878), a prominent Armenian educator and writer who established several schools and authored numerous textbooks and educational materials. His contributions to the preservation and promotion of Armenian culture and language were widely recognized during his lifetime.
As the surname Ovasapyan spread throughout Armenia and neighboring regions, it became associated with various professions, including agriculture, clergy, and the arts. While the name has evolved in its spelling and pronunciation over the centuries, its roots remain firmly grounded in the rich cultural heritage of Armenia.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Ovasapyan
Among Census respondents with the surname Ovasapyan, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.8%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Ovasapyan 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 Ovasapyan surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.4% · 104
- Two or more races2.8% · 3
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.8% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Ovasapyan
Ovasapyan appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#150,205
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
-3 bearers (-2.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 2,952 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #147,253 | 112 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #150,205 | 109 | 0.04 | -3 bearers (-2.7%) | Down 2,952 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 Ovasapyan 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 | #147,253 | #150,205 | -2.0% |
| Count | 112 | 109 | -2.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -8.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Ovasapyan bearers went from 112 to 109 (-2.7% change). The surname moved down 2,952 positions in the national ranking, going from #147,253 to #150,205.
FAQ
Ovasapyan surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Ovasapyan?
Name Census estimates that about 125 living Americans carry the surname Ovasapyan. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,742,035 residents.
How common is Ovasapyan?
Ovasapyan ranks #150,205 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 109 people with the surname Ovasapyan. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (125), 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 Ovasapyan.
Has Ovasapyan become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Ovasapyan went from 112 recorded bearers to 109. That is a decrease of 3 (-2.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #147,253 to #150,205.
What does the Census say about the background of Ovasapyan?
Among Census respondents with the surname Ovasapyan, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.8%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%). 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 Ovasapyan in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.4% (104 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Ovasapyan appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (95.4%), Two or More Races (2.8%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%). 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 Ovasapyan (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 Ovasapyan mean?
A surname of Armenian origin derived from a personal name or occupation. 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 Ovasapyan (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 surname Ovasapyan?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.