2000
#26,267
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 875
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.32
Rare Last name
Keshishian
An Armenian surname indicating origin from the city of Kesi.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,253 Americans carry the last name Keshishian. That puts it at #23,906 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.37 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 273,547 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Keshishian 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
1.3K
1 in 273,547
Census rank
#23,906
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.4
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.1K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,093 bearers of the surname Keshishian in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.37 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 23906th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Keshishian, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.7%) and Hispanic (2.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Keshishian
The surname Keshishian has its origins in Armenia, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Armenian word "keesheesh," which means "priest" or "clergyman." This suggests that the name may have initially been associated with individuals who served in religious roles within Armenian communities.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Keshishian name can be found in Armenian manuscripts from the 13th century. These documents contain references to individuals bearing variations of the surname, such as "Keshishyan" and "Keshishian." This indicates that the name has maintained a consistent spelling and pronunciation over several centuries.
The Keshishian surname has also been linked to certain geographical locations within Armenia. For example, some historical records mention families with this name residing in the regions of Ararat and Vayots Dzor, which were prominent centers of Armenian culture and religion during the medieval era.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who have carried the Keshishian surname. One such figure was Hovhannes Keshishian (1868-1949), an Armenian author and educator who made significant contributions to the preservation of Armenian literature and language. Another prominent Keshishian was Khoren Keshishian (1923-2005), a renowned Armenian-American artist known for his abstract expressionist paintings.
In the realm of politics, Vahan Keshishian (1930-2012) served as the Prime Minister of Armenia from 1991 to 1992, playing a crucial role in the country's transition to independence after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Additionally, Harutyun Keshishian (1875-1949) was a prominent Armenian Revolutionary figure who fought for the liberation of Armenian territories from Ottoman rule.
Another notable figure bearing the Keshishian surname was Avedis Keshishian (1902-1983), a renowned Armenian-American architect who designed numerous buildings and structures across the United States, including churches, schools, and residential properties. His works were heavily influenced by Armenian architectural styles and motifs.
While the Keshishian name has its roots in Armenia, it has since spread to various parts of the world, particularly among Armenian diaspora communities. However, the historical records and documented instances mentioned above provide valuable insights into the origins and significance of this surname within Armenian culture and history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Keshishian
Among Census respondents with the surname Keshishian, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.7%) and Hispanic (2.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Keshishian 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 Keshishian surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.2% · 1,030
- Two or more races2.7% · 29
- Hispanic or Latino2.4% · 26
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.5% · 6
- Black or African American0.2% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Keshishian
Keshishian 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
#23,768
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,064
+189 bearers (+21.6%)
Per 100,000 0.36
Rank movement Up 2,499 places
2020
#23,906
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,093
+29 bearers (+2.7%)
Per 100,000 0.37
Rank movement Down 138 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #26,267 | 875 | 0.32 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #23,768 | 1,064 | 0.36 | +189 bearers (+21.6%) | Up 2,499 places |
| 2020 | #23,906 | 1,093 | 0.37 | +29 bearers (+2.7%) | Down 138 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 Keshishian 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 | #23,768 | #23,906 | -0.6% |
| Count | 1,064 | 1,093 | 2.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.36 | 0.37 | 1.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Keshishian bearers went from 1,064 to 1,093 (+2.7% change). The surname moved down 138 positions in the national ranking, going from #23,768 to #23,906.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Keshishian
FAQ
Keshishian surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Keshishian?
Name Census estimates that about 1,253 living Americans carry the surname Keshishian. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 273,547 residents.
How common is Keshishian?
Keshishian ranks #23,906 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.37 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 1,093 people with the surname Keshishian. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (1,253), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.37 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.37 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 Keshishian.
Has Keshishian become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Keshishian went from 1,064 recorded bearers to 1,093. That is an increase of 29 (+2.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #23,768 to #23,906.
What does the Census say about the background of Keshishian?
Among Census respondents with the surname Keshishian, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.7%) and Hispanic (2.4%). 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 Keshishian in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.2% (1,030 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Keshishian appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.2%), Two or More Races (2.7%), Hispanic (2.4%). 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 Keshishian (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 Keshishian mean?
An Armenian surname indicating origin from the city of Kesi. 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 Keshishian (0.37 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 are called Keshishian?
Find out how many Americans have the surname Keshishian on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.