If you’ve ever met an Armenian person, or followed Armenian celebrities on American TV, you’ve probably noticed a very obvious pattern in our last names.

From the Kardashians and Cher (born Cherilyn Sarkisian) to System of a Down’s Serj Tankian, almost all Armenian surnames end in the exact same way: with -yan or -ian.

My own last name is Petrosyan. 😊

But what do these letters actually mean, and why are there two different ways to spell them in English?

In this guide, I’ll explain exactly how Armenian last names work, the history behind them, and how you can figure out what an Armenian surname actually translates to.

The meaning of -yan and -ian

Simply put, the suffixes -yan and -ian mean “son of” or “descendant of”.

They are patronymic suffixes. This means they are used to show that a family descends from a specific male ancestor.

If this sounds familiar, it’s because almost every language has a similar system! Think about English last names that end in -son (Johnson, which literally means “John’s son”).

You can also find this in other languages and cultures:

• Irish: O’Brien (descendant of Brien)
• Scottish: MacDonald (son of Donald)
• Russian: Ivanov (belonging to Ivan)

So, in my case, my last name is Petrosyan.

Petros is the Armenian version of the name Peter. By adding -yan to the end, my last name literally translates to “descendant of Peter” or “family of Peter.”

If you ever need to ask someone what their last name is in Armenian, here is how a simple conversation would look:

The difference between -yan and -ian

You might be wondering: if they mean the exact same thing, why do some people spell it with a “y” and others spell it with an “i”?

This all comes down to Armenian regional variations, history, and where the family migrated.

The Armenian language is split into two main branches: Eastern Armenian and Western Armenian.

Eastern Armenian (typically uses -yan)

Eastern Armenian is spoken in the modern-day Republic of Armenia. In the 1920s, while under Soviet rule, the Armenian alphabet went through a spelling reform. Because of this orthographic change, and the way Armenian names were translated into Russian passports, surnames from Armenia are almost always spelled with a “y” (like Petrosyan or Hakobyan).

Western Armenian (typically uses -ian)

Western Armenian is spoken mostly by the Armenian diaspora—families who survived the Armenian Genocide and spread to countries like Lebanon, France, and the United States. They kept the traditional, classical Armenian spelling (ending in -եան). When these families arrived in Western countries, their names were translated using French or English pronunciation rules, resulting in the “-ian” spelling (like Kardashian or Sarkisian).

Basically, if you meet someone with a -yan last name, their family likely came from modern-day Armenia or a former Soviet country. If they use -ian, their family is likely part of the Western Armenian diaspora!

What comes before the suffix?

Now that we know the ending means “family of”, what about the first part of the name?

The root word of an Armenian last name usually falls into one of four categories: an ancestor’s first name, an occupation, an adjective describing a trait, or a geographic location.

Here is a simple table breaking down some common Armenian last names and their literal meanings:

As a helpful tip for language learners, trying to translate the root of an Armenian last name is a great way to memorize Armenian vocabulary!

Other Armenian surname endings

While -yan and -ian cover about 95% of Armenian last names, they aren’t the only ones out there.

Historically, depending on a family’s social status or home region, you might find a few other unique endings.

Here are the three most common exceptions:

-uni (The royals and nobles)

If you see an Armenian last name ending in -uni (like Bagratuni or Amatuni), you are looking at an ancient noble family. In classical times, this suffix was reserved strictly for royal houses and lords.

-tsi (The geographic ending)

The suffix -tsi means “from” a specific place. It was used to identify people based on their hometown. For example, the famous 7th-century Armenian mathematician Anania Shirakatsi was simply “Anania from the Shirak region.”

-ents (The household ending)

The suffix -ents means “belonging to the house of.” It was traditionally used in rural villages to describe a large extended family or clan. You can still see it in the names of famous Armenians today, like the poet Yeghishe Charents.

Are you learning Armenian and want to know what a specific last name means?