Last Names and Heritage

[HyeJinx1984]

In english there lots of last names like "Smith" or "Johnson" that are very common, making it difficult to find out if people of the same last name are actuall related to one another. Is it the same in Armenian for the most part? For example named like Harutunian or Hakobian are very common... but what about Melkonyan or Adzian? I know, for example, anyone with my last name is 100% part of my family... there's no Lalayan out there who isn't related to me in some way. How true is this for other last names? Is there a way to find out?

[pezeveng]

some Armenian last names were derived from there occupation other from the first name Vosgerichian and Ghazarian as two examples of occupation or first name. It all comes down to how many Ghazars used there name as a last name and how many xxxlers used there occupation as a last name. Older occupations such as a blacksmith are much more common. I believe Nalpatian or Nalbadian are examples of blacksmith family names.

[HyeJinx1984]

True. Another thing just occured to me... many names are actually first names turned into last names.. just like the firts two I mentioned: Harutounian (Harut), Hakobian (Hagop), etc... funny how I've never run across an Armenian (Armen) :p

[pezeveng]

its common sense most cultures used their first names as there last. As for Armen thats why we are called Armenians I dont know which group at the time labelled us but we were labelled Armenians after Armen.

[HyeJinx1984]

its common sense most cultures used their first names as there last. As for Armen thats why we are called Armenians I dont know which group at the time labelled us but we were labelled Armenians after Armen.

King Armen I believe (could be wrong as usual, lol), but I don't remember what time period this was.

And you've (Gaucho) actually come across someone with the lats name Armenian or Armenyan? I never have.

[HyeJinx1984]

jinx, why didn't you come to the meeting?
I would really like to connect these "brilliant thread ideas" to a face. :rolleyes:
some last names are rare, some aren't.
you will never know whether or not there's people with the same last name as yours somewhere in the world who are or aren't related to you!
in no way you can know all the "lalayan"s in this world.
now what exactly is the topic in question of this thread?

I didn't say I KNOW them all, I said they're all part of my family, meaning we all come from the same original "Lalayan(ian)" as oppose to two totally different people with the last name Derderian who's families have nothing to do with each other, but only share the same last name because it's progenitor was a priest.

Oh and there is no topic in question, I posted it cause I'm a big fat idiot. Sorry for not responding earlier, I was busy trying to figure out who to tie my shoe laces.

[XxgoeyxX]

There are a lot of Armenian last names that are the same but they aren’t even related. (As the others stated.)

When my grandfather left Beirut when he was 16 he went to Yerevan. He left alone without his family. He had no money, bascially he had nothing. Funny thing is when he got married he had 7 children, and about 20 grandchildren and lets not forget the great-grandchildren. Any who he got a job from this guy who I guess was this well-known rich dude. That guys last name was Shaginayan and my grandfather’s last name is Shaginayan too. Any who, to make a long story short my grandfather needed a place to live. I don’t know if this is correct but he kinda fooled the guy into believing that they were related because of their last names.

Plus our neighbor has the same last name as my mother. My mom thought they would be related but after long talks they realized there is no connection at all.


Jinx, I don’t know if you read that thread about “what our names mean.” Gevo posted this thing about last names and there meanings. Anyway, that explains how some of these last names came about.

[!EEK]

:laugh: ahahaha your father was tricky :p

[ArmoBarbi]

I have heard and read of people with my last name a lot from very different locations. I dont ever think that the person may be related to me, because it seems to be so common. It would be cool to learn that someone is related to me through our last name, but it would take a lot of other signs for me to seriously look into it.

[Thai-Samurai]

People always ask me if I'm the Bagdasarian from the 3 chipmunks, but I'm not.
It's funny that Goey had so many coincidental encounters w/ her last name.

[HyeERuski]

anyone please help me i know most armenian last names end in yan or ian but a VERY few end in unts like vanunts tanunts bakunts i wanna know what that unts means where does it come from if anyone knows please tell me

[One-Way]

My name is Armen. Therefore, I am the leader. Follow me.

[Siamanto]

My name is Armen. Therefore, I am the leader. Follow me.

I see a crowd following you: are you leading them or simply running away?

(Nietzsche - Twilight of Idols.)

[One-Way]

Is that a song?

[Crimson Glow]

Is that a song?

Shakes his head & massages his temples.....

http://www.handprint.com/SC/NIE/GotDamer.html

[One-Way]

Shakes his head.....

Ok? Just 'cause I don't know if it's a song or not..? :rolleyes:

[Crimson Glow]

I edited it, forgot to paste the link the first time.....there's a brief explanation for you, and...

http://www.philosophypages.com/ph/niet.htm

[One-Way]

We need more smilies in this board. So I can use something without typing a message. And we need to get rid of this 15 character bullxxxx.

[Siamanto]

Is that a song?

That was a line from a TV commercial. I believe sneakers or snickers! :)

[One-Way]

Too powerful of a line to be from a Snickers commercial.

[Siamanto]

Too powerful of a line to be from a Snickers commercial.
Maybe sneakers? :)

[One-Way]

I can see that happening. It's a good line though. Might even be useful for a future song. ;)

*Grabs a pen and paper and writes it down*

[Siamanto]

I can see that happening. It's a good line though. Might even be useful for a future song. ;)

*Grabs a pen and paper and writes it down*

In that case, continue taking notes:

Nietzsche - Twilight of the Idols (http://www.geocities.com/thenietzschechannel/twi.htm)


By the way, the original aphorism - as of the page:

"You run ahead?— Are you doing it as a shepherd? Or as an exception? A third case would be the fugitive ... First question of conscience."

[nunechka]

armenians for the most part have -ian last names (~95%) of us... there are some (~5%) whos last names end with -uni or -yants -- according to history books it is believed that those without the -ian last name were of higher level of citizenship... however, according to the history books all but 1 or 2 percent of those higher level of citizenship were killed first AND what i can infere from this is that those who have the non -ian last names currently (i.e. -yants or -uni), have changed their names to have it be remembered or to have it continue to live in our culture.

moving on to the topic of the thread --- my last name is Boyadjian - this means painter in turkish... i dont know anyone in my family who is a painter... we were known as the "Lrchants Boyadjiannereh" which means "blue eyed painters"

However i do know that my grandfather when he was living in Lebanan he had a sowing business and my whole fmaily worked in it... when he came to Armenia to live there (as this was his dream) the communists beat him almost to death and he could not continue his line of business, and he died of internal organ failure... (contributed to the communistakan beatings in the jails)...

- long live the soviet government!
- ohh wait its gone (phewww) --- a little too late huh? :(

[Amelia]

My last name is Goolvart...what origin is that? :confused: I'm not sure if it's an armenian surname...

[!IKE]

My last name is Goolvart...what origin is that? :confused: I'm not sure if it's an armenian surname...

Don't forget that many Armenians had to get rid of the "ian" endings for various reasons..

Maybe it's Goolvartian :confused:

and that's armenian, the thing in bold ;)

[Che_Ka]

Gul is a Turkish name, so maybe that might help...

[Siamanto]

Gul is a Turkish name, so maybe that might help...

Che_Ka,
I'm afraid that is pure homophonic coincidence! Gulvart is an Armenian first name - like Sirvart etc.
More later! I have to go!

!IKE has a point!

[Amelia]

Che_Ka,
I'm afraid that is pure homophonic coincidence! Gulvart is an Armenian first name - like Sirvart etc.
More later! I have to go!

!IKE has a point!
Oh, I didn't know that,thanks for clearing that up somewhat... :)

[Che_Ka]

Oops! lol

While we all know what "sir" in "Sirvart" means, what does the "gool" in "Goolvart" mean?

[!IKE]

!IKE has a point!


Awwwww Siamanto... that's so kind..

After that Euro arguing, you still admit that I have a point, very fair play :cool:

[Siamanto]

Awwwww Siamanto... that's so kind..

After that Euro arguing, you still admit that I have a point, very fair play :cool:

!eeeeke, il faut pas en faire un plat! :)

[karoaper]

!eeeeke, il faut pas en faire un plat! :)
maybe gul is from glukh (head).
In which case it's the head of the rose.
Maybe? No? Ok, it was worth a try?

[Siamanto]

Gul is a Turkish name, so maybe that might help...[
Che_Ka,
I'm afraid that is pure homophonic coincidence! Gulvart is an Armenian first name - like Sirvart etc.
More later! I have to go!



I found the following:

1- "daughter Rose Gulvart Goins Diaz (deceased) who had four sons, Clinton Goins who with his wife Julia live in North Kingstown"
http://www.providenceri.com/heritage_park/ARMENIAN_HERITAGE_PARK7.html

2- Gul in *urkish means "rose."

3- A search of "gulvart," "goulvart," "goolvart" and "gulvarte" lead to Armenians; while "Gul" and "Gulen" to *urks.

Can it be that it's more than a pure homophonic coincidence? Maybe I spoke too soon! :confused:
I'm still not convinced if , in fact, "gul" in "Gulvart" is of *urkish origin? I'll investigate a bit more!
Also, are we sure that the ending is the word "vart" i.e. "rose?"






maybe gul is from glukh (head).
In which case it's the head of the rose.
Maybe? No? Ok, it was worth a try?
:confused: Is the city of Gurun a symbol of the spring i.e. karun???? :)



Oops! lol
While we all know what "sir" in "Sirvart" means, what does the "gool" in "Goolvart" mean?
What does "sir" mean? If you are assuming that "sir" means love, then what happened to the "a" i.e. Sir[a]vart?



Note: I have chosen to auto censor the words "*urk" or "*urkish" because it is commonly perceived as unpleasant and offending, evokes unpleasant emotions and imagery and is pregnant with immoral and evil connotations!