List of Armenian Americans
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This is a list of notable Armenian-Americans, including both original immigrants who obtained American citizenship and their American descendants.
Armenian Americans are people born, raised, or who reside in the United States, with origins in the area known as Armenian, which ranges from the Caucasian mountain range to the Anatolian plateau. There has been sporadic emigration from Armenia to the US since the late 19th century, with the biggest influx coming after the Armenian Genocide of the early 20th century. The majority are based in Los Angeles, other major locales include Boston, New York, Detroit and the state of New Jersey.
During the United States 2000 Census, 385,488 Americans indicated either full or partial Armenian ancestry.[1]
| Lists of Americans |
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| By U.S. state |
| By ethnicity |
| Afghan · African · Albanian · Arab Argentine · Armenian · Austrian |
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Bahamian · Bangladeshi · Barbadian Belgian · Brazilian · Bulgarian |
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Cajun · Cambodian · Chinese Colombian · Croatian · Cuban · Czech |
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Danish · Dutch |
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English · Estonian |
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Filipino · Finnish · French |
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German · Greek |
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Haitian · Hispanic · Hmong Hungarian |
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Indian · Indonesian · Iranian · Irish Israeli · Italian |
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Jamaican · Japanese · Jewish |
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Korean |
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Laotian · Louisiana Creole |
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Macedonian · Mexican |
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Native American · Native Hawaiian Nicaraguan · Nigerian · Norwegian |
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Polish · Portuguese |
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Romanian · Russian · Rusyn |
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Salvadoran · Scots-Irish · Scottish Serbian · Slovak · Slovenian Spanish · Swedish · Swiss |
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Taiwanese · Turkish |
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Ukrainian |
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Vietnamese |
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Welsh |
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This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.
To be included in this list, the person must have a Wikipedia article showing they are Armenian American or must have references showing they are Armenian American and are notable.
[edit] List
[edit] Academia
- Daron Acemoglu- economist at Massachusetts Institute of Technology[2]
- Viken Babikian- professor at Boston University School of Medicine
- Harry K. Daghlian, Jr., Los Alamos scientist
- Richard Dekmejian - professor at University of Southern California
- Vartan Gregorian, president of Carnegie Corporation of New York
- Richard G. Hovannisian, professor of Armenian History at UCLA
- Levon Goukasian - Professor of Finance at UCLA, USC, and Pepperdine.
- Joseph Albert Kechichian - Author
- Robert Mehrabian- President of Carnegie Mellon
- Mark Saroyan - Professor of Soviet studies at Harvard and UC Berkeley
- Paul Boghossian - Professor of philosophy at NYU
[edit] Actors
- Val Avery, character actor
- Ross Bagdasarian, Sr.,was an American pianist, singer, songwriter, actor and record producer.
- Ross Bagdasarian, Jr.,is an American film producer, record producer, singer, and voice artist and the son of the Alvin and the Chipmunks creator Ross Bagdasarian, Sr.
- Brian Bagdasarian- actor
- Richard Bakalyan- actor
- Adrienne Barbeau, 1980s actress[3] (Armenian mother)
- Eric Bogosian, playwright and performance artist[4]
- Cher, entertainer[5] (father is an Armenian immigrant)
- Mike Connors, television actor[6]
- Miranda Cosgrove, actress known for iCarly and Drake and Josh
- Ken Davitian, actor, starred in Borat
- Naz Edwards, actress
- Arlene Francis, actress[7] (Armenian father)
- Michael A. Goorjian, actor and filmmaker[8]
- Sid Haig (Sidney Eddy Mosesian), actor[9]
- Alexandra Hedison, actress and director
- David Hedison, actor, starring in The Young and the Restless
- Kim Kardashian, "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" Reality Show Actress // Playboy Dec.2007 (Armenian Father)
- Khloe Kardashian, "Keeping Up With the Kardashians"
- Kourtney Kardashian, "Keeping Up With the Kardashians"
- Robert Kardashian Jr., "Keeping up with the Kardashians"
- Robert Kardashian Sr. Lawyer in the OJ Simpson trial, and father of Kim, Kourtney, Khloe, and Rob Kardashian
- Frankie Kazarian- actor
- Sylva Kelegian, actress
- Marco Khan- actor
- Andrea Martin, comedienne[10]
- Eddie Mekka, actor Laverne and Shirley
- Gregory Peck- actor, Armenian ancestry on father's side
- Deran Sarafian- actor
- Angela Sarafyan- actress
- Akim Tamiroff, actor[11]
- Hrach Titizian- actor
- Michael Vartan - actor, paternal grandfather was of Armenian ancestry.
[edit] Architects
- Mihran Mesrobian (1889 – 1975), noted Washington, D.C. architect
[edit] Art
- Greg Costikyan, game designer
- Ronald Dzerigian, painter
- Larry Gagosian- art dealer
- Arshile Gorky, painter
- Denis Peterson- painter
- Reuben Nakian, sculptor
- Haig Patigian, sculptor
- Hovsep Pushman, painter
- Sako Shahinian, illustrator
- Dikran Kelekian, a notable art collector and dealer of Islamic Art
- Edward Avedisian, painter
- Vartan Malakian, painter
[edit] Business
- Alan Woskanian, Social Activist and Founder of The Key League
- Alex Yemenidjian- Former CEO of MGM Studios
- Alex Manoogian, Founder of Masco Corporation
- Alex Seropian, Founder of Bungie Studios
- Arthur T. Gregorian, noted oriental rug merchant and author
- Avedis Zildjian, Founder of Zildjian
- Charlie Papazian, founded the Association of Brewers
- Craigie Zildjian, CEO of Zildjian
- David Shakarian- Founder of GNC
- David G. Mugar, entrepreneur and philanthropist
- Garo H. Armen, CEO of Antigenics Inc., NASDAQ listed
- Gary Mesdjian, CFO of Fox Racing
- Gerard Cafesjian, entrepreneur
- Henry D Sahakian- founder and owner of Uni Mart
- Ian Bremmer- President and founder of Eurasia Group, entrepreneur
- John Mirak, Founder/CEO The Arlington Center Garage and Service Corporation
- John Berberian, owner of Jons Marketplace
- Jirair Hovnanian, founder of J.S Honania and Sons
- Kevork Hovnanian, founder of Hovnanian Enterprises
- Kirk Kerkorian, Billionaire and majority stock owner of MGM Mirage
- Mark Hoplamazian- CEO and President of Global Hyatt
- Paul Garmirian, Founder of PG cigars
- Richard Manoogian, CEO and Director of Masco Corporation and JP Morgan
- Roger Tamraz- financier and oil magnate, founded Tamoil
- Robert Zildjian, Founder of Sabian Cymbals
- Stephen P. Mugar, founder of Star Market and philanthropist
- Sam Simon - chairman and CEO, Atlas Oil Co.
- Tro Piliguian- Chairman of Ogilvy
- Vartan Gregorian, President of Carnegie Corporation
- Vahe Aghabegians, entrepreneur
[edit] Banking and finance
- Charles A. Agemian, was a nationally known banker.
- Granger K. Costikyan, long partner of Brown Brothers Harriman
- Richard Donchian, pioneer finansist
- Vahan Janjigian, Senior VP and Executive Director of Forbes
[edit] Entertainment
- George Duran, chef and entertainer
- Cyrinda Foxe, '70s icon, model, actress
- Kim Kardashian, television personality, daughter of Robert Kardashian
- Ana Kasparian, radio host
- Bob Kevoian, Bob of the nationally syndicated morning radio The Bob & Tom Show
- Yvette Nelson, actress, singer, model
- Dita Von Teese, glamour model, "The Queen of Burlesque"
- Mia Tyler, plus- size model, television personality, daughter of Cyrinda Foxe and Steven Tyler of Aerosmith
- Alex Yemenidjian, Former CEO and Chairman of MGM Studios
- Robert Papazian, CEO of Sunset Gower Studios
- Jill Simonian, TV host
- Art Laboe, disc jockey, songwriter, record producer
- Bruce Nazarian, Musician, songwriter, record producer
[edit] Families
- The Mugar family, of Greater Boston, business and philanthropy[12]
[edit] Journalists
- Ben Bagdikian, former editor in chief of the Washington Post
- Sergey Dovlatov, columnist, contributed to The New Yorker
- John Garabedian, radio personality, host of Open House Party
- David Ignatius, associated editor of the Washington Post
- Armen Keteyian, Chief Investigative Correspondent for CBS News
- Nicolas Kristof, correspondent for The New York Times
- Tim Kurkjian, reporter at ESPN
- Strawberry Saroyan, journalist, The New York Times
- Janet Shamlian, news correspondent for NBC
- Roger Tatarian, senior VP of United Press International
- Philip Terzian, literary editor of The Weekly Standard
- Scout Tufankjian, photojournalist
- Matt Vasgersian, sportcastercaster and host
- Anita Vogel, news reporter for Fox News Channel
- Mark Arax, writer for the LA Times
- Dodie Kazanjian writer for Vogue
[edit] Fashion
- Patricia Field, is an American Academy Award-nominated and Emmy Award winning costume designer, stylist and fashion designer.
- Sonia Boyajian, jewelry designer
- Jack Vartanian, jewelry designer
- Araks Yeramyan, designer of fashion label Araks
[edit] Law Enforcement / Security
- Aiven Andrians , The first Armenian security officer in the United States .
[edit] Lawyers
- Jacqueline Chooljian, United States Magistrate Judge
- Charles R. Garry, civil rights/criminal defense attorney
- Mark Geragos, defense attorney
- Robert Kardashian, defense attorney
[edit] Media and movie industry
- Carol Black, CEO and President of Lifetime Entertainment Services
- Steve Dildarian, animator, creator of The Life and Times of Tim
- Carla Garapedian, filmmaker
- Hughes Brothers, directors
- Howard Kazanjian, producer [13]
- Alek Keshishian, director
- George Krikorian, cinema chain owner
- Rouben Mamoulian, director [14]
- Haig P. Manoogian, Teacher, Producer (Influenced Martin Scorsese to become a filmmaker)
- Deran Sarafian, director of CSI Miami, 8 episodes, 2002-2004
- Katherine Sarafian, assistant producer of The Incredibles, 2004
- Francis Veber – screen writer
- Steven Zaillian, writer,director [15]
[edit] Music
- Dennis Agajanian, singer
- Anahid Ajemian, violinist
- Maro Ajemian, pianist
- Roupen Altiparmakian (United States/Greece) (born in Adana, Turkey)
- Lucine Amara- soprano, Metropolitan Opera
- Charles Amirkhanian, composer
- Tigran Arakelyan, flutist and conductor
- George Avakian, Columbia Records executive
- Charles Aznavour, singer, songwriter, actor and public activist
- Ara Babajian, drummer of Slackers
- Ross Bagdasarian, record producer and songwriter, also known as David Seville of The Chipmunks
- Eve Beglarian, composer
- Ara Berberian, operatic singer
- Cathy Berberian, composer; singer
- John Berberian, oud player and rock/jazz fusion musician
- Armen Chakmakian, recording artist, keyboardist, composer
- Cher, singer [16]
- Ara Dinkjian, oud player
- John Dolmayan, System of a Down drummer
- Armen Donelian, musician
- Kallen Esperian, singer performed at Metropolitan Opera
- Ivan Galamian, violin teacher
- Richard Hagopian, oud player
- Alan Hovhaness, composer (Armenian father)
- Tonio K, famous songwriter
- Tamar Kaprelian, singer
- Kim Kashkashian, Violist
- Antranig Kzirian [15], oud player
- Daron Malakian, System of a Down guitarist and vocalist
- Paul Motian, famous jazz musician
- Shavo Odadjian, System of a Down bassist
- Michael Omartian, produced Donna Summer
- Harout Pamboukjian, pop singer
- Hasmik Papian, singer at Metropolitan Opera
- Rob Paravonian, stand up comedian.
- Tony Petrossian, music video director for such artists as DMX, Slipknot, Serj Tankian and others.
- Leon Redbone, jazz and blues artist
- Derek Sherinian, keyboardist with Kiss
- Sufjan Stevens, famous musician and composer
- Greg Steele, Faster Pussycat guitarist
- Serj Tankian, System of a Down vocalist
- Armand Tokatyan, singer at Metropolitan Opera
- Randy Torres, Guitarist.
- V Sevani, original member of NLT
- Arto Tunçboyacıyan, multi-instrumentalist and vocalist
- Sylvie Vartan - singer, father is of Armenian ancestry
[edit] Politicians
- Greg Aghazarian, California assemblyman
- Bob Avakian, chairman of the Revolutionary Communist Party, USA
- Brad Avakian, Oregon politician; Current Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor and Industries; Former State Senator and Secretary of State candidate
- Joe Ariyan,
- Marvin R. Baxter, associate justice of the Supreme Court of California
- Adam Benjamin, Jr., Democratic Congressman (Armenian mother)
- Albert A. Boyajian, business leader and activist for Armenian causes
- Samuel Der-Yeghiayan, United States federal judge
- George Deukmejian, Republican politician, the thirty-fifth Governor of California (1983-1991), and a former California Attorney General (1979-1983).[17]
- Edward Djerejian, former U.S. diplomat
- Steven Boghos Derounian, former Congressman from New York
- Anna Eshoo, Democratic Congresswoman (Armenian mother)
- Chuck Haytaian, former speaker of the New Jersey State Assembly
- Paul Robert Ignatius, Secretary of the Navy during the Johnson Administration
- Howard Kaloogian, Republican politician
- Peter Koutoujian, Massachusetts State Assemblyman
- Paul Krekorian, California State Assemblyman
- Mark Krikorian, activist for stricter immigration laws
- Robert Mardian,
- Monte Melkonian, military commander in the Nagorno-Karabakh war
- Charles Pashayan, Republican Congressman from Fresno, California
- Charles Poochigian, Republican politician
- Rousas John Rushdoony, credited as the father of both Christian Reconstructionism and the modern homeschool movement
- Jackie Speier, Democratic politician
- Joe Simitian, California State Senator
- John E. Sweeney, Congressman
- Harry Tutunjian, mayor of Troy, New York
- Larry Zarian, former mayor of Glendale, California
[edit] Religion
- Roger Youderian, missionary to Ecuador killed by the Huaorani
[edit] Sciences
- Gagik Melikyan, Professor of Chemistry at California State University Northridge
- George Adomian, mathematician
- Hagop S Akiskal- psychiatrist
- Armen Alchian, economist
- Viken Babikian, professor at Boston University
- James P. Bagian, astronaut
- Aram Chobanian, Dean of School of medicine at Boston University
- Raymond V. Damadian, MRI Pioneer
- John Najarian, transplant surgeon
- Varaztad Hovhannes Kazanjian, plastic surgeon
- Jack Kevorkian, pathologist
- Leonid Khachiyan, mathematician
- Robert Nalbandyan, chemist
- Alex Sevanian, molecular pharmacologist, pioneer in free radical research
- Luther George Simjian, inventor
- Avadis Tevanian, operating systems researcher
[edit] Sports
- Tatev Abrahamyan, (1988-) youngest top rated U.S. women's chess player[18]
- Fred Agabashian, racer
- Trent Edwards, NFL Quarterback
- Ben Agajanian, (1919-) pro football player.
- Christopher J.C. Agajanian motorsports promoter and racecar owner
- Andre Agassi, tennis player
- Steve Bedrosian, 1987 Cy Young Award winner for the Philadelphia Phillies
- Zach Bogosian, (1990-) professional ice hockey defenseman who currently plays for the Atlanta Thrashers of the National Hockey League. Drafted 3rd overall in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.
- Gokor Chivichyan, judoka
- Alecko Eskandarian, (1982-) professional soccer player in Major League Soccer, playing for D.C. United[19]
- Andranik Eskandarian, soccer player
- Chuck Essegian, (1931-) baseball player, Member of 1959 World champion L.A. Dodgers.
- Manvel Gamburyan, mixed martial arts fighter
- Brian Goorjian, coach of Sydney Kings
- Frankie Kazarian, top wrestler
- Tim Kurkjian, (1956-) ESPN analyst
- Harry T. Mangurian, Jr., former owner of the Boston Celtics, Memphis Rogues and Thoroughbred breeder
- Pete Mangurian, offensive line coach of Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Vanes Martirosyan, boxer
- Karo Parisyan, mixed martial arts fighter
- Ara Parseghian, (1923) Notre Dame head football coach
- Steve Sarkisian, University of Washington head football coach
- Jerry Tarkanian, college basketball coach
- Garo Yepremian, NFL kicker 1966-1981; a member of the 1972 undefeated Miami Dolphins team.
[edit] Writers
- Michael Arlen, novelist
- Adam Bagdasarian, writer of Forgotten Fire
- Ben Bagdikian, political writer
- Peter Balakian, poet, writer and academic
- David Barsamian, radio broadcaster and writer
- A. I. Bezzerides, novelist
- Chris Bohjalian, novelist
- Gary Braver, fiction writer
- Michael Casey, poet
- Nancy Kricorian, poet and author of Zabelle
- Arthur Nersesian, novelist, playwright, and poet
- George Ouzounian (Maddox), operator of The Best Page in the Universe
- Aram Saroyan, internationally acclaimed novelist
- William Saroyan, Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, author
- Marla Sloane, founder of the Armenian History and Awareness Foundation
- George Stambolian, a key figure in the early gay literary movement in New York
[edit] Fictional
- Dr. Haledjian, the police detective who is the protagonist of Donald J. Sobol's "Two-Minute Mysteries"
- Rabo Karabekian, Abstract expressionist and protagonist of Kurt Vonnegut's 1987 novel Bluebeard and a secondary character in his 1973 novel Breakfast of Champions
- Capt. John Yossarian, Protagonist of Joseph Heller's Catch-22 and Closing Time
[edit] See also
- Armenian-American
- Armenian Diaspora
- Little Armenia, Los Angeles, California
- Armenian Assembly of America
- Armenian American Political Action Committee
- Armenian National Committee of America
- Armenian Youth Federation
- List of Armenians
- List of Armenian-Iranians
- List of Armenian-Russians
- List of French-Armenians
- List of Canadian-Armenians
[edit] References
- ^ U.S census Bureau
- ^ Daron Acemoglu: A Turk of Armenian decent
- ^ [1] "I'm Armenian... So truthfully I'm only half Armenian but it's the half I was raised in." [2] "Half French-Canadian and half Armenian, she grew up in California during the 1950s." [3] "Almost every family has suffered persecution at some time. My family's Armenian, we were the first genocide of the [last] century -- even before Hitler..." [4] "The book begins with her as a child, half Armenian..."
- ^ [5] "at home being Armenian was a badge of honor, instilled in the younger generation at large extended family gatherings."
- ^ [6] "To understand why Cher undertook this journey, it helps to remember that behind the leather and lace costumes and the club-scene poses, she is still Cherilyn Sarkisian, the only black-haired member in a family of Southern California blonds.
- ^ [7] "Connors, an Armenian-American born Krekor Ohanian in Fresno, California"
- ^ [8] "Born Arlene Francis Kazanjian on October 20, 1907, in Boston, Massachusetts... Her father was an Armenian immigrant, a refugee from the Turkish massacres of 1905-06, who became a successful painter and photographer, and her mother was the daughter of actor Alfred Davis, who instilled in the young Arlene a love of performing that came to shape her entire life."
- ^ [9] "Illusion has thrust into the spotlight a new and fresh Armenian-American talent, Michael Goorjian"
- ^ [10] "Haig has been a performer for as long as he can remember. Born in 1939 in the heart of Fresno's Armenian community (his birth name is Sid Mosesian; Haig is his father's first name), he was taking dance classes at age 7."
- ^ [11] " was born in Portland, Maine on January 15, 1947 of Armenian heritage. Her grandfather, whose last name was Papazian, emigrated from Ottoman Turkey in the early 1900s, changing his name to Martin when he settled in Maine."
- ^ [12] "Although we think of him in roles as Spanish or Hispanic, he was actually an Armenian. Short and stocky with dark hair, thick eyebrows over intense eyes, often with a black mustache, he was cast in a variety of ethnic roles as both hero and heavy."
- ^ The Fifty Families (Part 1) - Boston Magazine
- ^ http://www.armeniandrama.org/show.php?w=armenianfilm&a=0 Howard Kazanjian
- ^ http://www.filmsofthegoldenage.com/foga/1999/spring99/mamoulian.shtml "The son of Armenian parents"
- ^ http://www.tribute.ca/bio.asp?id=1830"Zaillian, whose background is Armenian, lives in Los Angeles..."
- ^ http://www.cilicia.com/armo_article_cherarmeniatrip.html "To understand why Cher undertook this journey, it helps to remember that behind the leather and lace costumes and the club-scene poses, she is still Cherilyn Sarkisian, the only black-haired member in a family of Southern California blonds. Cher, who grew up with one half sister, is the daughter of a mother, Georgia, with Irish, English, German and Cherokee bloodlines, and a father, John, whose parents left Armenia after the Armenian Genocide which was conducted by the Ottoman Turks in which an estimated 1.5 million Armenians perished."
- ^ a b "Official portrait of George Deukmejian as Governor of California". California State Capitol Museum. http://californiagovernors.ca.gov/h/biography/governor_35.html. Retrieved 2008-12-02.
- ^ Abrahamyan - [13] "TATEV ABRAHAMYAN (born Jan-13-1988) Armenia (citizen of United States of America)"
- ^ [14] "Eskandarian joined more than 1,000 Armenian-Americans in front of the Turkish Embassy... Eskandarian's soft exterior belies his hard Armenian roots. His father is Andranik Eskandarian, a hellion defender who played in the 1978 World Cup for Iran and for the New York Cosmos from 1979 to 1984... Growing up in the Armenian Christian church, attending an Armenian school from nursery school through eighth grade -- "I had classes in a trailer", he said, "only eight kids were in my grade" -- Eskandarian's Armenian identity was nurtured from birth. Nothing enraptured him more, though, than his grandfather's life story."