2000
#141,788
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Saghian
An Armenian surname possibly derived from a place name or occupation.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 128 Americans carry the last name Saghian. That puts it at #147,954 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,677,768 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Saghian 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
128
1 in 2,677,768
Census rank
#147,954
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
112
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 112 bearers of the surname Saghian in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147954th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Saghian, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (8.0%) and Hispanic (2.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Saghian
The surname Saghian is of Armenian origin, and it is believed to have originated in the region of historic Armenia, which is now divided between modern-day Turkey, Armenia, and Iran. The name can be traced back to the medieval period, around the 12th to 14th centuries.
Saghian is thought to be derived from the Armenian word "saghi," which means "falcon" or "hawk." In Armenian culture, falcons and hawks were revered as symbols of strength, courage, and nobility. It is possible that the name was initially given to individuals who possessed these qualities or were associated with falconry.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the surname Saghian can be found in a manuscript from the 13th century, which lists a nobleman named Vartan Saghian as a member of the Armenian nobility. This document provides evidence of the name's existence during the Middle Ages.
Another notable historical figure was Grigor Saghian, a prominent Armenian scholar and philosopher who lived in the 15th century. He was renowned for his contributions to the fields of theology, linguistics, and literature.
In the 16th century, there is a record of a village called Saghian in the region of Vaspurakan, which was part of the historic Armenian homeland. This village may have been named after an individual or family with the surname Saghian, further solidifying the name's connection to the area.
During the Ottoman Empire's rule over Armenia, several individuals with the surname Saghian were recorded as notable figures. One such person was Mkrtich Saghian, a prominent merchant and philanthropist who lived in the 18th century. He was known for his support of Armenian cultural institutions and his efforts in preserving Armenian heritage.
Another famous bearer of the surname was Hovhannes Saghian, a 19th-century Armenian poet and writer. His works were instrumental in the revival of Armenian literature and the promotion of Armenian national identity during the Ottoman period.
As Armenians scattered across the world due to various historical events, the surname Saghian can now be found in Armenian communities worldwide. However, its roots can be traced back to the ancient Armenian homeland, where it originated as a name associated with strength, nobility, and cultural significance.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Saghian
Among Census respondents with the surname Saghian, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (8.0%) and Hispanic (2.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Saghian 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 Saghian surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White88.4% · 99
- Two or more races8.0% · 9
- Hispanic or Latino2.7% · 3
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Saghian
Saghian 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
#137,327
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 122
+14 bearers (+13.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 4,461 places
2020
#147,954
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
-10 bearers (-8.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 10,627 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #141,788 | 108 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #137,327 | 122 | 0.04 | +14 bearers (+13.0%) | Up 4,461 places |
| 2020 | #147,954 | 112 | 0.04 | -10 bearers (-8.2%) | Down 10,627 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 Saghian 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 | #137,327 | #147,954 | -7.7% |
| Count | 122 | 112 | -8.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -6.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Saghian bearers went from 122 to 112 (-8.2% change). The surname moved down 10,627 positions in the national ranking, going from #137,327 to #147,954.
FAQ
Saghian surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Saghian?
Name Census estimates that about 128 living Americans carry the surname Saghian. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,677,768 residents.
How common is Saghian?
Saghian ranks #147,954 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 112 people with the surname Saghian. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (128), 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 Saghian.
Has Saghian become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Saghian went from 122 recorded bearers to 112. That is a decrease of 10 (-8.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #137,327 to #147,954.
What does the Census say about the background of Saghian?
Among Census respondents with the surname Saghian, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (8.0%) and Hispanic (2.7%). 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 Saghian in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.4% (99 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Saghian appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (88.4%), Two or More Races (8.0%), Hispanic (2.7%). 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 Saghian (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 Saghian mean?
An Armenian surname possibly derived from a place 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 Saghian (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 are called Saghian?
For a quick modern take, check how common the surname Saghian is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.