2010
#157,234
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.03
Very Rare Last name
Tarjan
A surname likely derived from Turkish words denoting a person from a certain region or occupation.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 124 Americans carry the last name Tarjan. 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 Tarjan 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 Tarjan 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 Tarjan, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.5%) and Two or More Races (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Tarjan
The surname TARJAN is of Hungarian origin, with its roots traced back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Hungarian word "tarjan," which means "meadow" or "pasture." The name was likely adopted by individuals who lived or worked in areas known for their lush meadows or grazing lands.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the TARJAN surname can be found in the Regestrum Varadiense, a 14th-century manuscript that documented legal proceedings in the Bishopric of Várad (now Oradea, Romania). This manuscript contains several references to individuals bearing the TARJAN name, suggesting that the surname was already well-established in the region by that time.
In the 15th century, the TARJAN name appeared in various historical records, including land deeds and tax rolls, indicating that the family had gained prominence and owned properties in different parts of the Kingdom of Hungary.
A notable figure from this era was János TARJAN, a wealthy landowner and military leader who fought in the Hungarian-Ottoman Wars during the late 15th and early 16th centuries. Records show that he participated in several battles against the Ottoman forces, defending the borders of the Hungarian Kingdom.
During the 16th and 17th centuries, the TARJAN surname continued to spread across Hungary and neighboring regions. Some families adopted variations of the name, such as TÁRJÁN or TARJÁNY, reflecting regional differences in pronunciation and spelling.
In the 18th century, a prominent TARJAN family emerged in the town of Mezőtúr, located in present-day Hungary. This family played a significant role in the local community, with members holding positions as landowners, merchants, and civic leaders.
One of the most renowned individuals from this lineage was István TARJAN (1760-1832), a wealthy landowner and philanthropist who contributed significantly to the development of Mezőtúr. He funded the construction of several public buildings, including a school and a church, and was highly respected for his generosity and civic engagement.
Another notable figure was Pál TARJAN (1828-1905), a Hungarian writer and poet who gained recognition for his works celebrating the beauty of the Hungarian countryside and the life of rural communities.
In the 19th and early 20th centuries, the TARJAN surname was also found in other parts of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, including present-day Romania, Slovakia, and Serbia, reflecting the migration patterns of Hungarian families during that period.
Throughout its history, the TARJAN surname has maintained a strong association with agriculture, land ownership, and rural traditions, reflecting its origins as a name associated with meadows and pastures.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Tarjan
Among Census respondents with the surname Tarjan, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.5%) and Two or More Races (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Tarjan 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 Tarjan surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.6% · 100
- Hispanic or Latino6.5% · 7
- Two or more races0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Tarjan
Tarjan 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
#150,935
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
+5 bearers (+4.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 6,299 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #157,234 | 103 | 0.03 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #150,935 | 108 | 0.04 | +5 bearers (+4.9%) | Up 6,299 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 Tarjan 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 | #157,234 | #150,935 | 4.0% |
| Count | 103 | 108 | 4.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 20.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Tarjan bearers went from 103 to 108 (+4.9% change). The surname moved up 6,299 positions in the national ranking, going from #157,234 to #150,935.
FAQ
Tarjan surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Tarjan?
Name Census estimates that about 124 living Americans carry the surname Tarjan. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,764,148 residents.
How common is Tarjan?
Tarjan 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 Tarjan. 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 Tarjan.
Has Tarjan become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Tarjan went from 103 recorded bearers to 108. That is an increase of 5 (+4.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #157,234 to #150,935.
What does the Census say about the background of Tarjan?
Among Census respondents with the surname Tarjan, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.5%) and Two or More Races (0.9%). 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 Tarjan in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.6% (100 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Tarjan appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.6%), Hispanic (6.5%), Two or More Races (0.9%). 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 Tarjan (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 Tarjan mean?
A surname likely derived from Turkish words denoting a person from a certain region 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 Tarjan (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 share the surname Tarjan?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.