2000
#130,443
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Talanian
Armenian surname referring to someone from the village of Talan.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 122 Americans carry the last name Talanian. That puts it at #152,339 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,809,462 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Talanian 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
122
1 in 2,809,462
Census rank
#152,339
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
106
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 106 bearers of the surname Talanian in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 152339th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Talanian, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.8%) and Hispanic (1.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Talanian
The surname Talanian is believed to have originated in Armenia, with its roots dating back to the medieval era. The name is derived from the Armenian word "talan," which means "to give" or "to bestow." This suggests that the surname may have been initially associated with individuals who were known for their generosity or charitable deeds.
The earliest recorded mentions of the Talanian surname can be found in ancient Armenian manuscripts and chronicles from the 12th to 14th centuries. These records often referred to prominent figures, nobles, or landowners bearing this name. One notable example is Hovhannes Talanian, a highly respected scholar and theologian who lived in the 13th century and made significant contributions to the Armenian literary and religious traditions.
During the 15th and 16th centuries, the Talanian surname was particularly prevalent in the regions of Vaspurakan and Artsakh, which were part of the historic Armenian highlands. Some historical accounts mention Talanian families who held influential positions or owned vast estates in these areas, indicating their social and economic standing.
In the late 18th century, Khachatur Talanian, a renowned Armenian poet and writer, gained recognition for his works that celebrated Armenian culture and heritage. His literary contributions played a crucial role in preserving the Armenian language and identity during a time of political turmoil.
Another notable figure bearing the Talanian surname was Nerses Talanian, an influential Armenian Catholic Archbishop who lived in the 19th century. He played a pivotal role in strengthening the Armenian Catholic community and establishing educational institutions in various parts of the Ottoman Empire.
Throughout history, the Talanian surname has also been associated with various place names and locations within Armenia. For instance, the village of Talanik, located in the Ararat Province, is believed to have derived its name from the Talanian family who once resided there.
While the Talanian surname has its roots in Armenia, it has gradually spread to other regions and countries due to migration and diaspora communities. Nevertheless, the name continues to carry a strong connection to its Armenian heritage and the rich cultural traditions associated with it.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Talanian
Among Census respondents with the surname Talanian, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.8%) and Hispanic (1.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Talanian 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 Talanian surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.5% · 97
- Two or more races2.8% · 3
- Hispanic or Latino1.9% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.9% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.9% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Talanian
Talanian 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
#145,220
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 114
-6 bearers (-5.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 14,777 places
2020
#152,339
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
-8 bearers (-7.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 7,119 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #130,443 | 120 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #145,220 | 114 | 0.04 | -6 bearers (-5.0%) | Down 14,777 places |
| 2020 | #152,339 | 106 | 0.04 | -8 bearers (-7.0%) | Down 7,119 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 Talanian 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 | #145,220 | #152,339 | -4.9% |
| Count | 114 | 106 | -7.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -11.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Talanian bearers went from 114 to 106 (-7.0% change). The surname moved down 7,119 positions in the national ranking, going from #145,220 to #152,339.
FAQ
Talanian surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Talanian?
Name Census estimates that about 122 living Americans carry the surname Talanian. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,809,462 residents.
How common is Talanian?
Talanian ranks #152,339 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 106 people with the surname Talanian. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (122), 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 Talanian.
Has Talanian become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Talanian went from 114 recorded bearers to 106. That is a decrease of 8 (-7.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #145,220 to #152,339.
What does the Census say about the background of Talanian?
Among Census respondents with the surname Talanian, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.8%) and Hispanic (1.9%). 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 Talanian in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.5% (97 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Talanian appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.5%), Two or More Races (2.8%), Hispanic (1.9%). 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 Talanian (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 Talanian mean?
Armenian surname referring to someone from the village of Talan. 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 Talanian (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 Talanian?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.