The etymology of Armenian names can provide fascinating clues to the origin of a family or the identity of an ancestor.
In the Middle Ages
The earliest known Armenian surnames date from the medieval period. They were those of the Nakharars, the Armenian nobility of Parthian or Persian origin, who bore the name of their “house”. These surnames end with the Armenian suffix -ունի (English transliteration -uni/-ooni, French transliteration -ouni) such as Ardzrouni, Bagratouni, Rechtouni, Arshakouni, etc., with the exception of Mamikonian, which already has the suffix -ian. These families are mostly extinct, but there are still descendants with this suffix. In the 2019 electoral rolls, there are still 1213 (0.05% of voters) with a name with the suffix -uni in the Republic of Armenia.
At that time, people could also be distinguished by their place of origin with a -ցի suffix (transliteration -tsi). Famous examples are Grigor Narekatsi (Saint Gregory of Narek) or Movses Khorenatsi (Moses of Khoren). This suffix is used to designate the inhabitants of a city or region: the inhabitants of Yerevan/Erevan are called Yerevantsi.
Family names
Family names were not generalized. In Ottoman registers, Armenians were listed by their father's first name and their own first name, and possibly a physical characteristic (black moustache, beard, normal height...) and an occupation. As identification was made through the father, patronymic names appeared first. They change from generation to generation: if the father's name is Boghos, the son Bedros will be called Bedros Boghossian. Bedros's son, Hovhannes, will be called Hovhannes Bedrossian.
Suffixes
Family names became widespread in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The family name is given after the most influential person in the clan, or imposed by the authorities for tax census purposes. In classical Armenian, the initial final ending in -եանց (-yants or -eants) became (-yants or -ents). These names with a final -ts and derived suffixes (-unts, -onts, -entz, -yantz) were preserved by Armenians who migrated to the Russian Empire in the 19th century. Names with these endings represent in the Republic of Armenia in 2019 respectively -unts/-ounts 0.20%, -onts 0.01%, -yants 0.10%, -yans 0.01% of voters.
The ending has evolved, and nowadays the vast majority of Armenian family names have the suffix -յան (transliterated as -yan) for Eastern Armenians (from the former Russian Empire) or -եան (whose transliteration should be -ean or -yan, but which is instead found written -ian or -yan before a vowel e.g. Saroyan). The form -յան (-yan) has become widespread in today's Republic of Armenia (from the former Russian Empire), while Western Armenians (from the former Ottoman Empire) use the form -եան (-ian).
These suffixes mean “from”, “son of”. Equivalent suffixes are found in many countries, such as -oğlu for Turks, -ov/-off or -ev/-eff for Russians or even -son or -sen in Scandinavian countries.
On electoral rolls, 98.21% of voters have a -յան suffix (-yan) or one of its derivatives -եան (-ian), -յանu (-yans), -յանց (-yants), with other name endings indicating Russian or Ukrainian origins (-ov/-ova, -ev/eva, -in/-ina, -ko/-ka, -tchuk/-yuk, -itch, -ski/-skaya) accounted for 1.27% of voters, Georgian origins (-idze/-adze, -shvili) 0.03% and the suffix (-unts or -onts) 0.21%.
Prefix
The prefix Տեր (transliterated as Ter or Der depending on the armenian dialect) is used to designate a priest and his descendants.
The root of names
The roots of family names are words of Armenian origin, but may be of Russian, Georgian or Persian origin for Eastern Armenians, and of Turkish, Greek or Arabic origin for Western Armenians.
Parents
In the majority of cases, the root is a first name, the father's first name, which became the ancestor's name when the patronymic was abandoned in favor of the family name. This is the case for the 20 most common surnames in Armenia today:
Eastern Armenian to English transliteration | Western Armenian to French transliteration |
Grigoryan | Krikorian |
Harutyunyan | Haroutiounian |
Sargsyan | Sarkissian |
Hovhannisyan | Hovhannessian |
Khachatryan | Khatchatrian |
Hakobyan | Hagopian |
Petrosyan | Bedrossian |
Vardanyan | Vartanian |
Gevorgyan | Kevorkian |
Karapetyan | Garabedian |
Mkrtchyan | Meguerditchian |
Ghazaryan | Ghazarian |
Manukyan | Manoukian |
Avetisyan | Avedissian |
Poghosyan | Boghossian |
Martirosyan | Mardirossian |
Sahakyan | Sahakian |
Arakelyan | Arakelian |
Margaryan | Markarian |
Davtyan | Davidian |
Occupation
The root can also designate a trade practiced by the father in the past, who became the ancestor: Deukmedjian from Turkish Dökmedji (foundryman), Berberian from Turkish Berber (hairdresser), Sarafian from Arabic Sarraf (banker, coiner).
Place of origin
The root can designate a place, in which case the final ending is -lian. It designates a person who has migrated and is identified by his or her place of origin: Stamboulian - from Istanbul, Izmirlian - from Izmir, Sivaslian - from Sivas, Vanlian - from Van. en -tsyan Vantsyan. The -lian being used in the Ottoman Empire and -tsyan in the Russian Empire.
Physical characteristics
The root may give information on a physical characteristic of the ancestor, sometimes surprising: Dilsizian meaning tongue-less (cut tongue), Vetsmadian meaning 6 fingers, Moroukian meaning beard.
Alterations to surnames
Surnames undergo transformations as Armenians migrate to the countries of the Armenian Diaspora. We'll take a look at the problems of name transformations in the next blog dedicated to the specifics of Armenian genealogy.