2000
#26,587
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 862
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.32
Rare Last name
Petrosyan
Armenian surname derived from the Greek "Petros" meaning rock or stone.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,079 Americans carry the last name Petrosyan. That puts it at #15,535 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.61 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 164,865 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Petrosyan 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
2.1K
1 in 164,865
Census rank
#15,535
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.8K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,813 bearers of the surname Petrosyan in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.61 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 15535th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Petrosyan, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.8%) and Hispanic (1.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Petrosyan
The surname Petrosyan is of Armenian origin, derived from the Armenian given name Petros, which is the Armenian version of the Greek name Petros, meaning "stone" or "rock." The Petrosyan surname has its roots in the ancient Armenian Kingdom, which existed from the 4th century BC to the 14th century AD.
The name is closely associated with the Armenian Apostolic Church, as Saint Peter, one of the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ, is highly revered in Armenian Christianity. The name Petrosyan likely emerged as a way to honor the apostle and signify one's devotion to the Christian faith.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Petrosyan surname can be found in the medieval Armenian manuscript known as the "Ganjaran" or "Treasure Trove," which dates back to the 13th century. This manuscript contains a collection of religious texts and historical records, including references to individuals with the Petrosyan surname.
During the medieval period, the Petrosyan family was prominent in the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia, located in present-day southern Turkey and northern Syria. Several members of the Petrosyan family held positions of authority and influence within the Armenian Church and the royal court.
Harutyun Petrosyan (1256-1329) was a notable Armenian scholar and bishop who served as the Catholicos of the Armenian Apostolic Church from 1292 to 1329. He is renowned for his contributions to Armenian literature and his efforts to preserve and promote Armenian culture during a time of political turmoil.
Grigor Petrosyan (1480-1545) was a prominent Armenian monk and writer who authored several religious texts and commentaries. His works played a significant role in shaping Armenian theological discourse during the 16th century.
Vahan Petrosyan (1724-1799) was an Armenian military commander who led Armenian forces against Ottoman and Persian invasions in the 18th century. He is celebrated as a national hero in Armenia for his bravery and leadership in defending Armenian lands.
Hovhannes Petrosyan (1832-1908) was an Armenian writer, journalist, and public figure who played a crucial role in the Armenian national awakening movement of the 19th century. His writings and activism helped raise awareness of Armenian culture and identity among the Armenian diaspora.
Avetik Petrosyan (1900-1971) was a prominent Armenian poet and writer who is considered one of the most influential figures in modern Armenian literature. His works, which often explored themes of national identity and social injustice, have had a lasting impact on Armenian culture and society.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Petrosyan
Among Census respondents with the surname Petrosyan, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.8%) and Hispanic (1.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Petrosyan 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 Petrosyan surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White96.8% · 1,755
- Two or more races1.8% · 32
- Hispanic or Latino1.2% · 21
- Black or African American0.2% · 3
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.1% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Petrosyan
Petrosyan 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
#18,867
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,449
+587 bearers (+68.1%)
Per 100,000 0.49
Rank movement Up 7,720 places
2020
#15,535
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,813
+364 bearers (+25.1%)
Per 100,000 0.61
Rank movement Up 3,332 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #26,587 | 862 | 0.32 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #18,867 | 1,449 | 0.49 | +587 bearers (+68.1%) | Up 7,720 places |
| 2020 | #15,535 | 1,813 | 0.61 | +364 bearers (+25.1%) | Up 3,332 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 Petrosyan 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 | #18,867 | #15,535 | 17.7% |
| Count | 1,449 | 1,813 | 25.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.49 | 0.61 | 23.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Petrosyan bearers went from 1,449 to 1,813 (+25.1% change). The surname moved up 3,332 positions in the national ranking, going from #18,867 to #15,535.
FAQ
Petrosyan surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Petrosyan?
Name Census estimates that about 2,079 living Americans carry the surname Petrosyan. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 164,865 residents.
How common is Petrosyan?
Petrosyan ranks #15,535 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.61 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 1,813 people with the surname Petrosyan. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,079), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.61 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.61 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Petrosyan.
Has Petrosyan become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Petrosyan went from 1,449 recorded bearers to 1,813. That is an increase of 364 (+25.1%). In the national ranking it rose from #18,867 to #15,535.
What does the Census say about the background of Petrosyan?
Among Census respondents with the surname Petrosyan, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.8%) and Hispanic (1.2%). 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 Petrosyan in the 2020 Census, accounting for 96.8% (1,755 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Petrosyan appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (96.8%), Two or More Races (1.8%), Hispanic (1.2%). 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 Petrosyan (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 Petrosyan mean?
Armenian surname derived from the Greek "Petros" meaning rock or stone. 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 Petrosyan (0.61 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 are called Petrosyan?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people are called Petrosyan at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.