2000
#127,948
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 123
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Topjian
A surname of Armenian origin referring to someone who worked with or produced ordnance or firearms.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 123 Americans carry the last name Topjian. That puts it at #151,639 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,786,621 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Topjian 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
123
1 in 2,786,621
Census rank
#151,639
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
107
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 107 bearers of the surname Topjian in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 151639th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Topjian, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.7%) and Two or More Races (2.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Topjian
The surname TOPJIAN is believed to have originated in Armenia, likely during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Armenian word "top," meaning "cannon," and the suffix "-jian," indicating a family name or profession. This suggests that the name may have been associated with individuals who worked as cannoniers or in professions related to artillery or weaponry.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name TOPJIAN can be found in Armenian manuscripts dating back to the 15th century, where it appears in various spellings, such as "Topjyan" and "Topchian." These records often mention individuals with this surname living in different regions of historic Armenia, particularly in areas around Lake Van and the city of Van, which was a significant center of Armenian culture and commerce during that time.
In the 17th century, the TOPJIAN name is mentioned in several historical documents from the Ottoman Empire, where many Armenians lived and worked. These records indicate that members of the TOPJIAN family were involved in various trades and professions, including metalworking, weapon manufacturing, and military service.
One notable figure bearing the TOPJIAN surname was Stepan Topjian (1715-1789), a skilled Armenian architect and stonemason who worked on several important architectural projects in the Ottoman Empire, including the renovation of the Blue Mosque in Istanbul.
Another prominent individual was Hovhannes Topjian (1805-1872), an Armenian writer, educator, and intellectual who lived in Constantinople (present-day Istanbul). He was a prolific author and played a significant role in the Armenian cultural renaissance of the 19th century.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, many Armenians, including those with the TOPJIAN surname, were forced to flee their homeland due to persecution and the Armenian Genocide. This led to the dispersal of the TOPJIAN name across various parts of the world, including communities in the Middle East, Europe, and the Americas.
One notable figure from this period was Vahan Topjian (1870-1934), an Armenian-American artist and educator who was a pioneer of the American Impressionist movement. He taught at several prestigious art schools in the United States and his works are featured in numerous museums and galleries.
Another significant individual was Garabed Topjian (1888-1966), an Armenian-American writer and journalist who worked tirelessly to raise awareness about the Armenian Genocide and advocate for the rights of Armenian refugees.
While the TOPJIAN name has its roots in Armenia, it has since become a global surname, with individuals bearing this name making contributions in various fields, including the arts, literature, education, and advocacy for human rights.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Topjian
Among Census respondents with the surname Topjian, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.7%) and Two or More Races (2.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Topjian 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 Topjian surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.5% · 100
- Hispanic or Latino3.7% · 4
- Two or more races2.8% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Topjian
Topjian 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
-9 bearers (-7.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 17,272 places
2020
#151,639
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
-7 bearers (-6.1%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 6,419 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #127,948 | 123 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #145,220 | 114 | 0.04 | -9 bearers (-7.3%) | Down 17,272 places |
| 2020 | #151,639 | 107 | 0.04 | -7 bearers (-6.1%) | Down 6,419 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 Topjian 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 | #151,639 | -4.4% |
| Count | 114 | 107 | -6.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -10.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Topjian bearers went from 114 to 107 (-6.1% change). The surname moved down 6,419 positions in the national ranking, going from #145,220 to #151,639.
FAQ
Topjian surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Topjian?
Name Census estimates that about 123 living Americans carry the surname Topjian. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,786,621 residents.
How common is Topjian?
Topjian ranks #151,639 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 107 people with the surname Topjian. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (123), 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 Topjian.
Has Topjian become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Topjian went from 114 recorded bearers to 107. That is a decrease of 7 (-6.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #145,220 to #151,639.
What does the Census say about the background of Topjian?
Among Census respondents with the surname Topjian, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.7%) 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 Topjian in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.5% (100 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Topjian appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.5%), Hispanic (3.7%), 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 Topjian (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 Topjian mean?
A surname of Armenian origin referring to someone who worked with or produced ordnance or firearms. 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 Topjian (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 common is the surname Topjian?
For a quick modern take, check how many Americans have the surname Topjian on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.