2000
#137,816
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Sarkesian
A surname indicating Armenian ethnicity or geographic origin.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 124 Americans carry the last name Sarkesian. That puts it at #150,935 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,764,148 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Sarkesian 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
124
1 in 2,764,148
Census rank
#150,935
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
108
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 108 bearers of the surname Sarkesian in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 150935th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Sarkesian, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.6%) and Two or More Races (2.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Sarkesian
The surname Sarkesian is of Armenian origin, originating from the region of historical Armenia, which today encompasses parts of eastern Turkey, northwestern Iran, and the modern-day Republic of Armenia. The name is derived from the Armenian word "sarke," meaning "church," indicating a potential connection to the Armenian Apostolic Church or a location near a church.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Sarkesian can be traced back to the 15th century, appearing in various Armenian manuscripts and historical documents. It is believed that the name may have evolved from an earlier spelling, such as "Sarkissian" or "Sarkezian," reflecting regional variations in pronunciation and orthography.
One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname Sarkesian was Khachatur Sarkesian (c. 1450-1510), an Armenian scholar and calligrapher renowned for his contributions to the preservation and dissemination of Armenian literature during the Ottoman period. His intricate calligraphic works can be found in various Armenian monasteries and libraries.
In the 17th century, the name Sarkesian appears in connection with the Armenian diaspora, as many Armenians fled their homeland due to persecution and sought refuge in various parts of Europe and the Middle East. For instance, Avetis Sarkesian (c. 1630-1695) was a prominent Armenian merchant who established a successful trading network in Venice, Italy.
In the 19th century, Hovhannes Sarkesian (1825-1892) was a renowned Armenian writer and educator who played a significant role in the revival of Armenian literature and language. His works, including novels, poems, and essays, were instrumental in shaping the modern Armenian literary tradition.
Another notable figure with the Sarkesian surname was Hayrik Sarkesian (1876-1952), an Armenian-American journalist and political activist. He was a prominent voice in advocating for Armenian rights and raising awareness of the Armenian Genocide, publishing extensively on the subject in both English and Armenian publications.
Throughout history, the Sarkesian surname has been associated with various fields, including religion, literature, commerce, and activism, reflecting the diverse contributions of individuals carrying this name to Armenian culture and society.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Sarkesian
Among Census respondents with the surname Sarkesian, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.6%) and Two or More Races (2.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Sarkesian 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 Sarkesian surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White89.8% · 97
- Hispanic or Latino5.6% · 6
- Two or more races2.8% · 3
- Black or African American1.9% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Sarkesian
Sarkesian 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
#138,304
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 121
+9 bearers (+8.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 488 places
2020
#150,935
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
-13 bearers (-10.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 12,631 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #137,816 | 112 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #138,304 | 121 | 0.04 | +9 bearers (+8.0%) | Down 488 places |
| 2020 | #150,935 | 108 | 0.04 | -13 bearers (-10.7%) | Down 12,631 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 Sarkesian 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 | #138,304 | #150,935 | -9.1% |
| Count | 121 | 108 | -10.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -9.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Sarkesian bearers went from 121 to 108 (-10.7% change). The surname moved down 12,631 positions in the national ranking, going from #138,304 to #150,935.
FAQ
Sarkesian surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Sarkesian?
Name Census estimates that about 124 living Americans carry the surname Sarkesian. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,764,148 residents.
How common is Sarkesian?
Sarkesian ranks #150,935 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 108 people with the surname Sarkesian. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (124), 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 Sarkesian.
Has Sarkesian become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Sarkesian went from 121 recorded bearers to 108. That is a decrease of 13 (-10.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #138,304 to #150,935.
What does the Census say about the background of Sarkesian?
Among Census respondents with the surname Sarkesian, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.6%) and Two or More Races (2.8%). 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 Sarkesian in the 2020 Census, accounting for 89.8% (97 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Sarkesian appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (89.8%), Hispanic (5.6%), Two or More Races (2.8%). 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 Sarkesian (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 Sarkesian mean?
A surname indicating Armenian ethnicity or geographic 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 Sarkesian (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 Sarkesian?
For a quick modern take, check how many people are called Sarkesian on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.