2000
#92,601
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 184
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.07
Very Rare Last name
Vartan
Armenian surname representing someone from the village of Vartan or its descendants.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 243 Americans carry the last name Vartan. That puts it at #92,936 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.07 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,410,512 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Vartan 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
243
1 in 1,410,512
Census rank
#92,936
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
212
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 212 bearers of the surname Vartan in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.07 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 92936th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Vartan, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (6.1%) and Hispanic (2.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Vartan
The surname Vartan originated from Armenia, with its roots dating back to the 4th century AD. It is derived from the Armenian word "Vartavar," which means "rose-giver" or "bearer of roses." This name has its origins in the ancient Armenian pagan festival of Vartavar, celebrated in honor of the goddess Astghik, the deity of love, beauty, and fertility.
Historically, the name Vartan has been associated with several prominent figures in Armenian history. One of the earliest and most notable was Vartan Mamikonian, a renowned military leader who led the Armenian rebellion against the Sassanid Persian Empire in the Battle of Avarayr in 451 AD. Although the rebellion was ultimately unsuccessful, Vartan Mamikonian became a symbol of Armenian resistance and national pride.
Another historical figure bearing the surname Vartan was Vartan Pashayan (1866-1912), a prominent Armenian writer, journalist, and public figure. He played a significant role in the Armenian national awakening movement and was a vocal advocate for the rights of Armenians living under Ottoman rule.
In the realm of literature, Vartan Grigoryan (1920-1997) was a celebrated Armenian writer and poet. His works, which often explored themes of love, nature, and Armenian identity, earned him widespread recognition and several prestigious literary awards.
The name Vartan can also be found in Armenian religious history. Vartan Ter-Avetikyan (1899-1987) was an Armenian Catholic bishop who served as the Patriarch of Cilicia from 1970 to 1987. He was known for his efforts to promote ecumenical dialogue and strengthen ties between the Armenian Catholic Church and the Holy See.
Lastly, Vartan Gregorian (born 1934) is a prominent Armenian-American academic and former president of Brown University. He has made significant contributions to higher education and has been recognized for his leadership and commitment to promoting access to education for underrepresented groups.
While the surname Vartan has its roots in ancient Armenian culture and history, it has since spread globally and can be found among Armenian diaspora communities worldwide, reflecting the rich and diverse heritage of this name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Vartan
Among Census respondents with the surname Vartan, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (6.1%) and Hispanic (2.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Vartan 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 Vartan surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White88.7% · 188
- Two or more races6.1% · 13
- Hispanic or Latino2.4% · 5
- Asian and Pacific Islander2.4% · 5
- Black or African American0.5% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Vartan
Vartan 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
#97,210
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 187
+3 bearers (+1.6%)
Per 100,000 0.06
Rank movement Down 4,609 places
2020
#92,936
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 212
+25 bearers (+13.4%)
Per 100,000 0.07
Rank movement Up 4,274 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #92,601 | 184 | 0.07 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #97,210 | 187 | 0.06 | +3 bearers (+1.6%) | Down 4,609 places |
| 2020 | #92,936 | 212 | 0.07 | +25 bearers (+13.4%) | Up 4,274 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 Vartan 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 | #97,210 | #92,936 | 4.4% |
| Count | 187 | 212 | 13.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.06 | 0.07 | 18.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Vartan bearers went from 187 to 212 (+13.4% change). The surname moved up 4,274 positions in the national ranking, going from #97,210 to #92,936.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Vartan
FAQ
Vartan surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Vartan?
Name Census estimates that about 243 living Americans carry the surname Vartan. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,410,512 residents.
How common is Vartan?
Vartan ranks #92,936 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.07 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 212 people with the surname Vartan. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (243), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.07 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.07 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 Vartan.
Has Vartan become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Vartan went from 187 recorded bearers to 212. That is an increase of 25 (+13.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #97,210 to #92,936.
What does the Census say about the background of Vartan?
Among Census respondents with the surname Vartan, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (6.1%) and Hispanic (2.4%). 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 Vartan in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.7% (188 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Vartan appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (88.7%), Two or More Races (6.1%), Hispanic (2.4%). 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 Vartan (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 Vartan mean?
Armenian surname representing someone from the village of Vartan or its descendants. 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 Vartan (0.07 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 Vartan?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.