2000
#70,679
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 258
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.10
Very Rare Last name
Malkasian
Of Armenian origin, referring to someone from the town of Malkha.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 268 Americans carry the last name Malkasian. That puts it at #85,854 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.08 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,278,934 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Malkasian 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
268
1 in 1,278,934
Census rank
#85,854
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
234
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 234 bearers of the surname Malkasian in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.08 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 85854th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Malkasian, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.1%) and Two or More Races (2.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Malkasian
The surname Malkasian is of Armenian origin, originating in the historic Armenian regions of the Caucasus mountains and Asia Minor. It is derived from the Armenian word "malkas" meaning "miller" or "one who operates a mill." The name likely referred to an occupation in its earliest usage, denoting those who worked in mills grinding grain into flour.
One of the earliest recorded instances of this surname can be found in the Armenian Village of Malkas located in the Shirak Province of modern-day Armenia. This village, which dates back to the Middle Ages, likely gave rise to the surname as those from the village were referred to as the "Malkasians."
In the late 19th century, many Armenians fled the Ottoman Empire due to persecution and genocide. During this time, the Malkasian surname can be found in Armenian diaspora communities across Europe, the Middle East, and the Americas. One notable bearer of this name was Harutiun Malkasian (1870-1916), an Armenian writer and educator who was a victim of the Armenian Genocide.
Another prominent figure with this surname was Murad Malkasian (1892-1971), an Armenian-American painter and artist known for his landscapes and portraits. Born in Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul), he immigrated to the United States in the early 20th century and became a renowned figure in the American art scene.
In the 20th century, the Malkasian surname can be found among Armenians who settled in various parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, France, and Australia. One notable individual was Caro Malkasian (1913-2002), an Armenian-American author and historian who wrote extensively on the Armenian Genocide and the history of the Armenian people.
Another prominent bearer of this name was Kevork Malkasian (1921-2005), an Armenian-American writer and journalist who worked for several Armenian-language newspapers and publications in the United States. He was also actively involved in Armenian community organizations and worked to preserve Armenian culture and traditions.
Lastly, Garo Malkasian (1925-2012) was an Armenian-American architect and urban planner who made significant contributions to the development of several cities in the United States, including Los Angeles and San Francisco. He was known for his innovative designs and his commitment to creating sustainable and livable urban spaces.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Malkasian
Among Census respondents with the surname Malkasian, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.1%) and Two or More Races (2.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Malkasian 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 Malkasian surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.9% · 222
- Hispanic or Latino2.1% · 5
- Two or more races2.1% · 5
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Malkasian
Malkasian 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
#74,375
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 260
+2 bearers (+0.8%)
Per 100,000 0.09
Rank movement Down 3,696 places
2020
#85,854
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 234
-26 bearers (-10.0%)
Per 100,000 0.08
Rank movement Down 11,479 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #70,679 | 258 | 0.10 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #74,375 | 260 | 0.09 | +2 bearers (+0.8%) | Down 3,696 places |
| 2020 | #85,854 | 234 | 0.08 | -26 bearers (-10.0%) | Down 11,479 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 Malkasian 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 | #74,375 | #85,854 | -15.4% |
| Count | 260 | 234 | -10.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.09 | 0.08 | -13.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Malkasian bearers went from 260 to 234 (-10.0% change). The surname moved down 11,479 positions in the national ranking, going from #74,375 to #85,854.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Malkasian
FAQ
Malkasian surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Malkasian?
Name Census estimates that about 268 living Americans carry the surname Malkasian. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,278,934 residents.
How common is Malkasian?
Malkasian ranks #85,854 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.08 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 234 people with the surname Malkasian. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (268), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.08 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.08 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 Malkasian.
Has Malkasian become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Malkasian went from 260 recorded bearers to 234. That is a decrease of 26 (-10.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #74,375 to #85,854.
What does the Census say about the background of Malkasian?
Among Census respondents with the surname Malkasian, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.1%) and Two or More Races (2.1%). 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 Malkasian in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.9% (222 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Malkasian appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.9%), Hispanic (2.1%), Two or More Races (2.1%). 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 Malkasian (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 Malkasian mean?
Of Armenian origin, referring to someone from the town of Malkha. 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 Malkasian (0.08 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 have the last name Malkasian?
Want to know how many people have the surname Malkasian? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.