Each generic name has a certain meaning. Armenian surnames are no exception. They have reflected the centuries-old history and lifestyle of the ancient people.
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Origin of Armenian last names
A significant number of surnames of Armenians occurred as a result of a combination of the name of the ancestor, who has authority in the family, and the suffix indicating ownership.
The suffix was not distinguished by constancy - its modification was observed. In modern language, this is the phonetic form of “yants” (in some parts of the country suffixes “nts”, “onts”, “oz”, “uni” are found). Phonetic transformations did not end there - with time the "yang" form remained.
Some surnames came from the names of certain crafts. The profession usually passed from generation to generation - its name is reflected in the name of the family. A similar variant of the origin of the family name: if a representative of the family gained fame thanks to his skill and became a famous jeweler, mason, baker, his descendants were called a surname derived from the profession (Voskerchyan - from “jeweler”).
The family names of Armenians living in past centuries on the territory of Western Armenia (present-day Turkey) are analyzed separately. Such surnames may end with "ian" instead of "yang". Some trace the Turkic trace. Turkish words denoting crafts formed the basis of some names of residents of Western Armenia.
Also, the surname could come from a nickname that emphasizes one of the characteristics of a person or characterizes a specific family. Scientists and writers of the Middle Ages were famous for surnames formed from the names of localities.
Surnames of noble clans trace their history from ancient times, indicating that they belong to a particular clan using the suffix "uni", for example, Amatuni, Bagratuni. The presence of the prefix "ter" in the surname indicated a clergyman, the prefixes "melik" - a person of noble origin.
Armenian surnames (in the modern sense) finally took shape and officially supplemented the names of the residents of Armenia in the early 19th century. This was due to the census. Later names with surnames were entered in the appeared passports.
Last names declined or not
Many people ask themselves: Are Armenian surnames inclined or not? It must be remembered that only those male surnames that end with a consonant sound (with the endings “yang”, “yants”, “nts”) are inclined. For example, Aram Shirakyan - Aram Shirakyan or Sahakyants - Sahakyantsu.
On a note! Female surnames, unlike male ones, are not inclined.
Female and male list
Some Armenian male surnames (as well as female) are more common than others. Below are 2 lists: one lists beautiful surnames, the other lists the most common.
Beautiful
One of the main criteria of beauty is the meaning that the surname carries.
Beautiful Armenian last names:
- Hambartsumyan ("heavenly radiance").
- Viranyan (“face of a hero”).
- Danielian (“the gift of God”).
- Zavaryan ("sky").
- Kaputikyan ("dove").
- Kuzumyan ("flower").
- Kulishyan (“diamond”).
- Lavazanyan ("eternal beauty").
- Malatyan ("jasmine").
- Manaryan (“noble soul”).
- Masuryan ("moonlight").
- Okminyan (“soulmate”).
- Soghomonyan (“harmonious”).
Common
The most common are the following male and female surnames:
- Agamyan.
- Ayvazyan.
- Hakobyan.
- Aleksanyan.
- Alemyan.
- Amiryan.
- Harutyunyan.
- Babikyan.
- Bagumyan.
- Vaganyan.
- Vanoyan.
- Vardanyan.
- Gevorgyan.
- Grigoryan.
- Gukoyan.
- Jivanyan.
- Dushukyan.
- Egoyan.
- Yenoyan.
- Yesayan.
- Zakaryan.
- Zurabyan.
- Isakyan.
- Karapetyan.
- Kirakosyan.
- Kocheryan.
- Nahapetyan.
- Nurozyan.
- Makaryan.
- Manukyan.
- Martirosyan.
- Mikayelyan.
- Mikoyan.
- Minasyan.
- Movsesyan.
- Muradyan.
- Hovhannisyan.
- Ohanyan.
- Petrosyan.
- Poghosyan.
- Sagaryan.
- Sargsyan.
- Safaryan.
- Sogoyan.
- Suradyan.
- Tatevosyan.
- Unikyan.
- Khachatryan.
- Shirinyan.
The most famous surnames
The list of popular surnames is huge - their owners contributed to the development of culture and art, left a mark in politics, in social activities, excelled in military affairs, in sports.
Outstanding representatives of the Armenian people include:
- Khachaturian Aram - composer, conductor;
- Aivazovsky (Ayvazyan) Ivan - painter, marine painter and battle painter;
- Saryan Martiros - painter;
- Baghramyan Ivan - commander, marshal;
- Babajanyan Amazasp - commander of armored forces, Marshal;
- Saroyan William - writer, born in the USA;
- Aznavour (Aznavuryan) Charles - French pop singer, poet, composer;
- Gasparyan Jivan is a musician known for his virtuoso and bewitching duduk playing.
Analyzing the process of the emergence of Armenian family names, they take into account the region of residence and the level of material wealth of the family, find out which concept or word served as the basis. When using surnames in oral and written language, the rules of declension are observed.
