2010
#152,628
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Tufenkjian
An Armenian surname likely derived from a place name.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 115 Americans carry the last name Tufenkjian. That puts it at #155,682 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,980,473 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Tufenkjian 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
115
1 in 2,980,473
Census rank
#155,682
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
100
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 100 bearers of the surname Tufenkjian in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 155682nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Tufenkjian, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Tufenkjian
The surname "TUFENKJIAN" is of Armenian origin and can be traced back to the early medieval period. It is believed to have originated in the historical region of Vaspurakan, located in what is now eastern Turkey. The name is derived from the Armenian word "tufenk," which means "rifle" or "firearm," and the suffix "-jian," which indicates a profession or occupation.
In the Middle Ages, the region of Vaspurakan was known for its skilled craftsmen and artisans, including gunsmiths and makers of firearms. It is likely that the Tufenkjian surname was initially given to individuals or families involved in the production or use of firearms, such as gunsmiths, soldiers, or hunters.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Tufenkjian surname can be found in a 14th-century Armenian manuscript, which mentions a certain "Varteres Tufenkjian." This individual was likely a member of the Armenian nobility or a prominent figure in the region.
During the Ottoman Empire's rule over the Armenian highlands, the Tufenkjian family played a significant role in the resistance against Ottoman oppression. Mardiros Tufenkjian (1776-1846), a prominent military leader and revolutionary, is credited with leading several uprisings against Ottoman forces in the early 19th century.
Another notable figure with the Tufenkjian surname was Hovhannes Tufenkjian (1848-1920), a renowned Armenian writer, poet, and translator. His works played a crucial role in preserving Armenian literature and culture during the turbulent years of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Sarkis Tufenkjian (1891-1959) was a prominent Armenian architect who designed several landmark buildings in the Armenian capital of Yerevan, including the Opera House and the Government House. His work helped shape the architectural landscape of modern Armenia.
In the realm of religion, Archbishop Yeghishe Tufenkjian (1899-1982) was a prominent figure in the Armenian Apostolic Church. He served as the Primate of the Diocese of Artsakh and played a significant role in preserving Armenian cultural heritage in the region of Nagorno-Karabakh.
Lastly, Gevorg Tufenkjian (1924-2003) was a renowned Armenian painter and sculptor. His works, which often depicted Armenian landscapes and traditional life, are celebrated for their vibrant colors and intricate details, capturing the essence of Armenian culture.
While the Tufenkjian surname is relatively uncommon outside of Armenia and the Armenian diaspora, it holds a rich historical significance and is deeply intertwined with the nation's cultural, military, and artistic heritage.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Tufenkjian
Among Census respondents with the surname Tufenkjian, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Tufenkjian 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 Tufenkjian surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.0% · 95
- Two or more races5.0% · 5
Timeline
Historical Census data for Tufenkjian
Tufenkjian 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
#155,682
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 100
-7 bearers (-6.5%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 3,054 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #152,628 | 107 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #155,682 | 100 | 0.03 | -7 bearers (-6.5%) | Down 3,054 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 Tufenkjian 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 | #152,628 | #155,682 | -2.0% |
| Count | 107 | 100 | -6.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -16.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Tufenkjian bearers went from 107 to 100 (-6.5% change). The surname moved down 3,054 positions in the national ranking, going from #152,628 to #155,682.
FAQ
Tufenkjian surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Tufenkjian?
Name Census estimates that about 115 living Americans carry the surname Tufenkjian. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,980,473 residents.
How common is Tufenkjian?
Tufenkjian ranks #155,682 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 100 people with the surname Tufenkjian. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (115), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Tufenkjian.
Has Tufenkjian become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Tufenkjian went from 107 recorded bearers to 100. That is a decrease of 7 (-6.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #152,628 to #155,682.
What does the Census say about the background of Tufenkjian?
Among Census respondents with the surname Tufenkjian, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.0%). 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 Tufenkjian in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.0% (95 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Tufenkjian appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (95.0%), Two or More Races (5.0%). 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 Tufenkjian (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 Tufenkjian mean?
An Armenian surname likely derived from a place name. 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 Tufenkjian (0.03 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 Tufenkjian?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the last name Tufenkjian on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.