2000
#102,691
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 162
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.06
Very Rare Last name
Voskanian
Armenian surname likely referring to someone from the village of Voskan.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 235 Americans carry the last name Voskanian. That puts it at #95,461 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.07 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,458,529 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Voskanian 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
235
1 in 1,458,529
Census rank
#95,461
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
205
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 205 bearers of the surname Voskanian in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.07 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 95461st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Voskanian, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.5%) and Hispanic (0.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Voskanian
The surname Voskanian originates from Armenia, with its roots dating back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Armenian word "voskor," meaning "goldsmith" or "worker of gold." This suggests that the name may have been associated with a family or lineage involved in the crafting of gold and other precious metals.
One of the earliest records of the name Voskanian can be found in the Armenian census records of the 14th century, where it was spelled as "Voskanyan." This variation in spelling was common during that time period due to the lack of standardized orthography.
In the 16th century, a prominent figure named Hovhannes Voskanian (1535-1604) is mentioned in several historical manuscripts as a skilled artisan and goldsmith in the city of Yerevan. His works were highly sought after by the nobility and wealthy merchants of the time.
Another notable bearer of the name was Avetis Voskanian (1677-1745), a renowned architect and master builder who oversaw the construction of several churches and monasteries in the regions of Artsakh and Syunik. His architectural designs were heavily influenced by the traditional Armenian style, incorporating intricate stone carvings and religious motifs.
In the 19th century, the Voskanian surname gained prominence through the works of Hovhannes Voskanian (1808-1875), a celebrated writer and scholar who played a significant role in the Armenian literary renaissance. His literary works, including poems and plays, were instrumental in preserving and promoting the Armenian language and culture.
Towards the latter part of the 19th century, Mariam Voskanian (1872-1949) made a name for herself as a pioneering educator and activist. She established several schools for girls in various regions of Armenia, advocating for women's education and empowerment at a time when such efforts were rare.
The Voskanian surname has also been associated with notable figures in more recent history, such as Hrant Voskanian (1925-2003), a renowned composer and musician who made significant contributions to the preservation and development of Armenian folk music.
While the surname Voskanian may have evolved over time, its origins remain deeply rooted in the rich cultural heritage of Armenia, reflecting the country's long-standing tradition of skilled artisanship, architecture, and literary achievements.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Voskanian
Among Census respondents with the surname Voskanian, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.5%) and Hispanic (0.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Voskanian 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 Voskanian surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White97.1% · 199
- Two or more races1.5% · 3
- Hispanic or Latino0.5% · 1
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.5% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Voskanian
Voskanian 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
#82,908
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 227
+65 bearers (+40.1%)
Per 100,000 0.08
Rank movement Up 19,783 places
2020
#95,461
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 205
-22 bearers (-9.7%)
Per 100,000 0.07
Rank movement Down 12,553 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #102,691 | 162 | 0.06 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #82,908 | 227 | 0.08 | +65 bearers (+40.1%) | Up 19,783 places |
| 2020 | #95,461 | 205 | 0.07 | -22 bearers (-9.7%) | Down 12,553 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 Voskanian 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 | #82,908 | #95,461 | -15.1% |
| Count | 227 | 205 | -9.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.08 | 0.07 | -14.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Voskanian bearers went from 227 to 205 (-9.7% change). The surname moved down 12,553 positions in the national ranking, going from #82,908 to #95,461.
FAQ
Voskanian surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Voskanian?
Name Census estimates that about 235 living Americans carry the surname Voskanian. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,458,529 residents.
How common is Voskanian?
Voskanian ranks #95,461 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 205 people with the surname Voskanian. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (235), 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 Voskanian.
Has Voskanian become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Voskanian went from 227 recorded bearers to 205. That is a decrease of 22 (-9.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #82,908 to #95,461.
What does the Census say about the background of Voskanian?
Among Census respondents with the surname Voskanian, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.5%) and Hispanic (0.5%). 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 Voskanian in the 2020 Census, accounting for 97.1% (199 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Voskanian appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (97.1%), Two or More Races (1.5%), Hispanic (0.5%). 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 Voskanian (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 Voskanian mean?
Armenian surname likely referring to someone from the village of Voskan. 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 Voskanian (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 Voskanian?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.