Armenian-American
Encyclopedia
Armenian Americans are citizens of the United States
whose ancestry originates wholly or partly in Armenia
. During the United States 2000 Census, 385,488 respondents indicated either full or partial Armenian
ancestry. The 2009 American Community Survey
one-year estimates indicated 484,840 Americans with full or partial Armenian ancestry.
known to have immigrated to America was Martin the Armenian
. He arrived in Jamestown, Virginia
, in 1618, when the colony was only eleven years old. A few other Armenians are recorded as having come to the United States in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, but they mostly came as individuals and did not form a community. A number of Armenians were known to have served for the side of the Union
during the Civil War
. Three Armenian doctors, Simeon Minasian, Garabed Galstian, and Baronig Matevosian, worked at military hospitals in Philadelphia. The only Armenian known to have participated in hostilities was Khachadour Paul Garabedian, who enlisted in the Union Navy
as Third Assistant Engineer and attained officer rank. A naturalized citizen who hailed from Rodosto, Garabedian served aboard the blockade ships USS Geranium
and USS Grand Gulf
from 1864 until his honorable discharge from the Navy in August 1865.
Armenians began to arrive in the United States in higher numbers in the late nineteenth century, most notably after the Hamidian Massacres
of 1894-1896. The largest communities were founded in Fresno
and other towns in the San Joaquin Valley
of California and in Worcester, Massachusetts
. Discrimination was widespread and many Armenians struggled against the overt racism and housing restrictions (the Armenians living in central California were often referred to by natives as "Fresno Indians" and "lower class Jews"). This first wave of immigration lasted until the mid-1920s, when the new immigration quotas decreased the number of Armenians who were allowed to immigrate into the US. This wave of immigrants established Armenian communities and organizations in the United States, most notably the Armenian Apostolic Church
.
. By the 1920s, Western Armenia
, the homeland of most Armenian-Americans, was depleted almost entirely of its Armenian population, and Eastern Armenia
, which had enjoyed a short-lived period of independence as the First Republic of Armenia, was incorporated into the Soviet Union
as Soviet Armenia. Armenians in the United States had many different viewpoints on their future. Some wished to stay in America, some wished to return to Soviet Armenia, some wished to liberate their lost homeland from the new Turkish Republic, and some wished to liberate Soviet Armenia from the Soviet Union. The strongest Armenian political organization in the Diaspora
, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation
, was active in the United States and was pushing for the liberation of Soviet Armenia as an independent state.
Most other Armenian political or social organizations opposed this viewpoint and generally supported the status quo of the Armenian political situation. The people themselves were split down the middle. This political divide spilled over into the Armenian Apostolic Church as Armenians who viewed the church as the mouthpiece of the Armenian people tried to force church leaders to promote their political agendas. Events in 1933 led to the separation of the Armenian Church of America into two rival factions, the "Diocese of the Armenian Church of America" and the "Prelacy of the Armenian Church of America." The Diocese pledged loyalty to the Armenian Catholicos of Echmiadzin while the Prelacy renounced Echmiadzin's leadership as being controlled by the Soviets. This split meant that since 1933 the Armenian community in the U.S. has on many levels developed as two parallel communities, since bitter rivalries meant that many Armenians refused to associate with those from the "other side."
During the Second World War, many Armenians served in the armed forces of the United States. A great number were decorated for their service, including Sgt. (later colonel) Ernest Dervishian, a native of Virginia
, who was awarded with the Congressional Medal of Honor.
(known as D.P.'s or Displaced Persons). However, the true second wave of immigration did not begin until the immigration reforms of the 1960s allowed for it. Armenians once again began immigrating to the United States from various parts of the Old World diaspora or from now-Soviet Armenia.
Especially due to the Iranian revolution of 1979 and various other political upheavals in countries of the Middle East
where Armenians were then living, Armenian immigration to America boomed into a Second Wave in the 1970s and 1980s. Starting around the same time and continuing after the breakup of the Soviet Union, waves of Armenians from the former Soviet Union arrived for ideological freedom and economic opportunities and settled in older established Armenian communities across the country. Most of the early Armenian immigrants who came from Soviet Armenia actually lived pretty comfortably in their former country but sought freedom from Communist
repression. However, later, in the early 1990s, many Armenians arrived in the United States following the chaotic collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.
Armenian Americans are often heavily involved in politics involving promotion of ties with Armenia. During the Nagorno-Karabakh War
, the Armenian Diaspora in the US was a crucial provider of resources to the country of Armenia, and many Armenian Americans, in fact, volunteered to fight on the side of their homeland. With regards to recognition of the Armenian Genocide, many Armenian American groups have organized to promote legal recognition, and partly as a result, 43 states now recognize (although the federal government does not).
The Armenian-American community consists largely of descendants of the survivors of the Armenian massacres
in the 1890s and the subsequent Armenian genocide
.
hosts the largest Armenian-American population. The first Armenian to arrive in California was Ruben Minasian, also known as Normart, which means new man in Armenian
. He settled in Fresno
in 1874.
The first Armenians, who came as residents were members of the family Serobian. They arrived to Fresno in 1881, although after 16 years (in 1897) the number of Armenians in the city of Fresno has reached 329. In the 1920s, Armenians began to move from rural regions to cities, such as Los Angeles
. By 1930, the Armenian population of Los Angeles was the largest in California. The largest concentration of Armenian-Americans is located in Glendale
, where 26.2% of residents identified themselves as Armenian on the 2000 US Census.
The eastern part of the Hollywood district of Los Angeles was named "Little Armenia
" on October 6, 2000.
Fresno
The first Armenian arrived in Fresno, California in 1876. He expected a “paradise,” as it had been represented to him, but he thought the hot, bleak desert was more like Hell. He went back to Philadelphia two years later. Nevertheless, he was the first Armenian to set foot in California. His real name was Mardiros Yanikian, but supposedly he told the inspector at Ellis Island in Armenian, “Nor mart em!” (“I am a new man!”) So he became Frank Normart.
By the count of Hagop Nishigian, there were 329 Armenians in Fresno in 1897.
Cities of California with the largest Armenian communities are (according to the 2000 U.S. Census)
In recent years, Armenian communities outside of California have developed in:
Other important Armenian-American communities include:
Other Armenian Communities in the Midwest and Southeast:
The Armenian American community is the second largest in the world outside Armenia and easily the wealthiest and best educated. Rightly or wrongly, this community is perceived as the major participant in the reconstruction
of Armenia. Its numbers increased dramatically in the 1890s as a result of the anti-Armenian pogroms of Sultan Abdul Hamid
. 15,000 Armenians had arrived by 1900. Those who followed were ever more desperate, looking for a land where people enjoyed security as individuals. With the onset of the planned Turkish genocide of 1915, immigration became a matter of survival. By 1924, when the United States established the quota system, at least 100,000 Armenians had arrived, more than 95% from Turkey. After World War II a second, larger migration took place: post-war refugees, others fleeing various conflicts in Iran
, Syria
, Iraq
, and Turkey
, Armenians from Romania
, Lebanon
, and as political refugees from Soviet Armenia itself.
Armenian Americans gather in multiple towns and cities every year on April 24 for the recognition of the Armenian Genocide
. The largest of such gatherings occurs in the Los Angeles area.
According to Armenian National Institute there are 28 Armenian Genocide memorials in the United States.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
whose ancestry originates wholly or partly in Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
. During the United States 2000 Census, 385,488 respondents indicated either full or partial Armenian
Armenians
Armenian people or Armenians are a nation and ethnic group native to the Armenian Highland.The largest concentration is in Armenia having a nearly-homogeneous population with 97.9% or 3,145,354 being ethnic Armenian....
ancestry. The 2009 American Community Survey
American Community Survey
The American Community Survey is an ongoing statistical survey by the U.S. Census Bureau, sent to approximately 250,000 addresses monthly . It regularly gathers information previously contained only in the long form of the decennial census...
one-year estimates indicated 484,840 Americans with full or partial Armenian ancestry.
Armenian pioneers
The first ArmenianArmenians
Armenian people or Armenians are a nation and ethnic group native to the Armenian Highland.The largest concentration is in Armenia having a nearly-homogeneous population with 97.9% or 3,145,354 being ethnic Armenian....
known to have immigrated to America was Martin the Armenian
Martin the Armenian
Martin the Armenian was a settler in the Jamestown Colony in Virginia. He is the first known individual of Armenian ancestry to have come to North America, arriving in either 1618 or 1619. Martin was invited to the colony to raise silk worms. Other Armenians were also brought to the colony but they...
. He arrived in Jamestown, Virginia
Jamestown, Virginia
Jamestown was a settlement in the Colony of Virginia. Established by the Virginia Company of London as "James Fort" on May 14, 1607 , it was the first permanent English settlement in what is now the United States, following several earlier failed attempts, including the Lost Colony of Roanoke...
, in 1618, when the colony was only eleven years old. A few other Armenians are recorded as having come to the United States in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, but they mostly came as individuals and did not form a community. A number of Armenians were known to have served for the side of the Union
Union (American Civil War)
During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty free states and five border slave states. It was opposed by 11 southern slave states that had declared a secession to join together to form the...
during the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. Three Armenian doctors, Simeon Minasian, Garabed Galstian, and Baronig Matevosian, worked at military hospitals in Philadelphia. The only Armenian known to have participated in hostilities was Khachadour Paul Garabedian, who enlisted in the Union Navy
Union Navy
The Union Navy is the label applied to the United States Navy during the American Civil War, to contrast it from its direct opponent, the Confederate States Navy...
as Third Assistant Engineer and attained officer rank. A naturalized citizen who hailed from Rodosto, Garabedian served aboard the blockade ships USS Geranium
USS Geranium (1863)
USS Geranium was a steamship acquired by the Union Navy during the American Civil War for the purpose of using her as a tugboat in support of Union ships on the blockade of Southern waterways...
and USS Grand Gulf
USS Grand Gulf (1863)
USS Grand Gulf was a screw steamer acquired by the Union Navy during the American Civil War. She was effective in performing blockade duty, and captured a number of Confederate blockade runners....
from 1864 until his honorable discharge from the Navy in August 1865.
First wave of immigration
In 1870, the number of Armenians living in the United States stood only at 69. The first Armenians to arrive to the United States in the nineteenth century were students from Western Armenia coming in search of a higher education. The pioneer of this movement is noted to be Khachadour Vosganian, who stayed in the US and later became president of the New York Press Club.Armenians began to arrive in the United States in higher numbers in the late nineteenth century, most notably after the Hamidian Massacres
Hamidian massacres
The Hamidian massacres , also referred to as the Armenian Massacres of 1894–1896, refers to the massacring of Armenians by the Ottoman Empire, with estimates of the dead ranging from anywhere between 80,000 to 300,000, and at least 50,000 orphans as a result...
of 1894-1896. The largest communities were founded in Fresno
Fresno, California
Fresno is a city in central California, United States, the county seat of Fresno County. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 510,365, making it the fifth largest city in California, the largest inland city in California, and the 34th largest in the nation...
and other towns in the San Joaquin Valley
San Joaquin Valley
The San Joaquin Valley is the area of the Central Valley of California that lies south of the Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta in Stockton...
of California and in Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....
. Discrimination was widespread and many Armenians struggled against the overt racism and housing restrictions (the Armenians living in central California were often referred to by natives as "Fresno Indians" and "lower class Jews"). This first wave of immigration lasted until the mid-1920s, when the new immigration quotas decreased the number of Armenians who were allowed to immigrate into the US. This wave of immigrants established Armenian communities and organizations in the United States, most notably the Armenian Apostolic Church
Armenian Apostolic Church
The Armenian Apostolic Church is the world's oldest National Church, is part of Oriental Orthodoxy, and is one of the most ancient Christian communities. Armenia was the first country to adopt Christianity as its official religion in 301 AD, in establishing this church...
.
Split within the Armenian community
As the first wave of immigrants was arriving in America, the dust was settling from World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. By the 1920s, Western Armenia
Western Armenia
Western Armenia is a term, primarily used by Armenians, to refer to Armenian-inhabited areas of the Armenian Highland that were part of the Ottoman Empire and now are part of the Republic of Turkey....
, the homeland of most Armenian-Americans, was depleted almost entirely of its Armenian population, and Eastern Armenia
Eastern Armenia
Eastern Armenia or Caucasian Armenia was the portion of Ottoman Armenia and Persian Armenia that was ceded to the Russian Empire following the Russo-Turkish War, 1828-1829...
, which had enjoyed a short-lived period of independence as the First Republic of Armenia, was incorporated into the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
as Soviet Armenia. Armenians in the United States had many different viewpoints on their future. Some wished to stay in America, some wished to return to Soviet Armenia, some wished to liberate their lost homeland from the new Turkish Republic, and some wished to liberate Soviet Armenia from the Soviet Union. The strongest Armenian political organization in the Diaspora
Armenian diaspora
The Armenian diaspora refers to the Armenian communities outside the Republic of Armenia and self proclaimed de facto independent Nagorno-Karabakh Republic...
, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation
Armenian Revolutionary Federation
The Armenian Revolutionary Federation is an Armenian political party founded in Tiflis in 1890 by Christapor Mikaelian, Stepan Zorian, and Simon Zavarian...
, was active in the United States and was pushing for the liberation of Soviet Armenia as an independent state.
Most other Armenian political or social organizations opposed this viewpoint and generally supported the status quo of the Armenian political situation. The people themselves were split down the middle. This political divide spilled over into the Armenian Apostolic Church as Armenians who viewed the church as the mouthpiece of the Armenian people tried to force church leaders to promote their political agendas. Events in 1933 led to the separation of the Armenian Church of America into two rival factions, the "Diocese of the Armenian Church of America" and the "Prelacy of the Armenian Church of America." The Diocese pledged loyalty to the Armenian Catholicos of Echmiadzin while the Prelacy renounced Echmiadzin's leadership as being controlled by the Soviets. This split meant that since 1933 the Armenian community in the U.S. has on many levels developed as two parallel communities, since bitter rivalries meant that many Armenians refused to associate with those from the "other side."
During the Second World War, many Armenians served in the armed forces of the United States. A great number were decorated for their service, including Sgt. (later colonel) Ernest Dervishian, a native of Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, who was awarded with the Congressional Medal of Honor.
Second wave of immigration
There was some Armenian immigration to the United States in the 1940s and 1950s, notably the Soviet Armenian prisoners of war who immigrated to the west after being freed from Nazi German campsNazi crimes against Soviet POWs
The Nazi crimes against Soviet Prisoners of War relate to the deliberately genocidal policies taken towards the captured soldiers of the Soviet Union by Nazi Germany...
(known as D.P.'s or Displaced Persons). However, the true second wave of immigration did not begin until the immigration reforms of the 1960s allowed for it. Armenians once again began immigrating to the United States from various parts of the Old World diaspora or from now-Soviet Armenia.
Especially due to the Iranian revolution of 1979 and various other political upheavals in countries of the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
where Armenians were then living, Armenian immigration to America boomed into a Second Wave in the 1970s and 1980s. Starting around the same time and continuing after the breakup of the Soviet Union, waves of Armenians from the former Soviet Union arrived for ideological freedom and economic opportunities and settled in older established Armenian communities across the country. Most of the early Armenian immigrants who came from Soviet Armenia actually lived pretty comfortably in their former country but sought freedom from Communist
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
repression. However, later, in the early 1990s, many Armenians arrived in the United States following the chaotic collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.
Armenian Americans are often heavily involved in politics involving promotion of ties with Armenia. During the Nagorno-Karabakh War
Nagorno-Karabakh War
The Nagorno-Karabakh War was an armed conflict that took place from February 1988 to May 1994, in the small enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh in southwestern Azerbaijan, between the majority ethnic Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh backed by the Republic of Armenia, and the Republic of Azerbaijan...
, the Armenian Diaspora in the US was a crucial provider of resources to the country of Armenia, and many Armenian Americans, in fact, volunteered to fight on the side of their homeland. With regards to recognition of the Armenian Genocide, many Armenian American groups have organized to promote legal recognition, and partly as a result, 43 states now recognize (although the federal government does not).
The Armenian-American community consists largely of descendants of the survivors of the Armenian massacres
Hamidian massacres
The Hamidian massacres , also referred to as the Armenian Massacres of 1894–1896, refers to the massacring of Armenians by the Ottoman Empire, with estimates of the dead ranging from anywhere between 80,000 to 300,000, and at least 50,000 orphans as a result...
in the 1890s and the subsequent Armenian genocide
Armenian Genocide
The Armenian Genocide—also known as the Armenian Holocaust, the Armenian Massacres and, by Armenians, as the Great Crime—refers to the deliberate and systematic destruction of the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire during and just after World War I...
.
Armenian Demographics
Armenian-Americans are one of the most educated ethnic groups in the United States with a high school graduation rate above 88%. Also, second-generation Armenian-Americans have the highest rate of earning Bachelor's degrees at around 70%.California and Western US
CaliforniaCalifornia
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
hosts the largest Armenian-American population. The first Armenian to arrive in California was Ruben Minasian, also known as Normart, which means new man in Armenian
Armenian language
The Armenian language is an Indo-European language spoken by the Armenian people. It is the official language of the Republic of Armenia as well as in the region of Nagorno-Karabakh. The language is also widely spoken by Armenian communities in the Armenian diaspora...
. He settled in Fresno
Fresno
Fresno is the fifth largest city in California.Fresno may also refer to:-Places:Colombia* Fresno, TolimaSpain* Fresno, a ghost village in Nidáliga, Valle de Sedano, Burgos* Aldea del Fresno, Madrid* Fresno de la Vega, Ribera del Esla, León...
in 1874.
The first Armenians, who came as residents were members of the family Serobian. They arrived to Fresno in 1881, although after 16 years (in 1897) the number of Armenians in the city of Fresno has reached 329. In the 1920s, Armenians began to move from rural regions to cities, such as Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. By 1930, the Armenian population of Los Angeles was the largest in California. The largest concentration of Armenian-Americans is located in Glendale
Glendale, California
Glendale is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2010 Census, the city population is 191,719, down from 194,973 at the 2000 census. making it the third largest city in Los Angeles County and the 22nd largest city in the state of California...
, where 26.2% of residents identified themselves as Armenian on the 2000 US Census.
The eastern part of the Hollywood district of Los Angeles was named "Little Armenia
Little Armenia, Los Angeles, California
Little Armenia is a community that is part of the Hollywood district of Los Angeles, California. It falls within the area referred to as East Hollywood...
" on October 6, 2000.
Fresno
Fresno, California
Fresno is a city in central California, United States, the county seat of Fresno County. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 510,365, making it the fifth largest city in California, the largest inland city in California, and the 34th largest in the nation...
The first Armenian arrived in Fresno, California in 1876. He expected a “paradise,” as it had been represented to him, but he thought the hot, bleak desert was more like Hell. He went back to Philadelphia two years later. Nevertheless, he was the first Armenian to set foot in California. His real name was Mardiros Yanikian, but supposedly he told the inspector at Ellis Island in Armenian, “Nor mart em!” (“I am a new man!”) So he became Frank Normart.
By the count of Hagop Nishigian, there were 329 Armenians in Fresno in 1897.
Cities of California with the largest Armenian communities are (according to the 2000 U.S. Census)
| 1. | Los Angeles Los Ángeles Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants... |
64,997 | 2. | Glendale Glendale, California Glendale is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2010 Census, the city population is 191,719, down from 194,973 at the 2000 census. making it the third largest city in Los Angeles County and the 22nd largest city in the state of California... |
53,840 | 3. | Burbank Burbank, California Burbank is a city in Los Angeles County in Southern California, United States, north of downtown Los Angeles. The estimated population in 2010 was 103,340.... |
8,312 | 4. | Fresno Fresno, California Fresno is a city in central California, United States, the county seat of Fresno County. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 510,365, making it the fifth largest city in California, the largest inland city in California, and the 34th largest in the nation... |
6,024 | 5. | Pasadena Pasadena, California Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet... |
4,400 | 6. | Montebello Montebello, California Montebello is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, in the southwestern part of the San Gabriel Valley. It is located on of land just east of downtown Los Angeles. It is considered part of the Gateway Cities, and the city is a member of the Gateway Cities Council of... |
2,736 | 7. | San Francisco | 2,528 | 8. | Altadena Altadena, California Altadena is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Los Angeles County, California, United States, approximately from the downtown Los Angeles Civic Center, and directly north of the city of Pasadena, California... |
2,134 | 9. | San Diego | 1,839 | 10. | La Crescenta-Montrose La Crescenta-Montrose, California La Crescenta-Montrose is a census-designated place and an unincorporated area in Los Angeles County, California, encompassing those parts of the Crescenta Valley not in the cities of Glendale or La Cañada Flintridge. However, both the unincorporated area and the portion of incorporated Glendale... |
1,382 | 11. | San Jose San Jose, California San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay... |
1,197 |
In recent years, Armenian communities outside of California have developed in:
- Cliffside Park, New JerseyCliffside Park, New JerseyCliffside Park is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 23,594....
- Fair Lawn, New JerseyFair Lawn, New JerseyFair Lawn is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States and a suburban municipality in the New York City Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 32,457. Fair Lawn was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March...
- FairviewFairview, Bergen County, New JerseyFairview is a borough located in Bergen County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough had a total population of 13,835....
, Bergen County, New JerseyBergen County, New JerseyBergen County is the most populous county of the state of New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, its population was 905,116. The county is part of the New York City Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Hackensack... - Denver, ColoradoDenver, ColoradoThe City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
- Las Vegas, NevadaLas Vegas, NevadaLas Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
- Phoenix, ArizonaPhoenix, ArizonaPhoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
- Salt Lake City, UtahSalt Lake City, UtahSalt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
- Seattle, WashingtonSeattle, WashingtonSeattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
- Tucson, ArizonaTucson, ArizonaTucson is a city in and the county seat of Pima County, Arizona, United States. The city is located 118 miles southeast of Phoenix and 60 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. The 2010 United States Census puts the city's population at 520,116 with a metropolitan area population at 1,020,200...
Eastern and Central United States
Metropolitan areas in Eastern and Central States with the largest Armenian communities are (according to the 2000 U.S. Census):| Rank | Metropolitan area | State(s) | Armenian population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Greater New York New York metropolitan area The New York metropolitan area, also known as Greater New York, or the Tri-State area, is the region that composes of New York City and the surrounding region... |
NY New York New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east... , NJ New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware... , CT Connecticut Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately... |
31,867 |
| 2 | Greater Boston Greater Boston Greater Boston is the area of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts surrounding the city of Boston. Due to ambiguity in usage, the size of the area referred to can be anywhere between that of the metropolitan statistical area of Boston and that of the city's combined statistical area which includes... |
MA Massachusetts The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010... , NH New Hampshire New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian... , RI Rhode Island The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area... |
21,709 |
| 3 | Metro Detroit Metro Detroit The Detroit metropolitan area, often referred to as Metro Detroit, is the metropolitan area located in Southeast Michigan centered on the city of Detroit which shares an international border with Windsor, Ontario. The Detroit metropolitan area is the second largest U.S. metropolitan area... |
MI Michigan Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake".... |
11,986 |
| 4 | Greater Philadelphia Delaware Valley The Delaware Valley is a term used to refer to the valley where the Delaware River flows, along with the surrounding communities. This includes the metropolitan area centered on the city of Philadelphia. Such educational institutions as Delaware Valley Regional High School in Alexandria Township... |
PA Pennsylvania The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to... , NJ New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware... , DE Delaware Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania... MD Maryland Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east... |
7,562 |
| 5 | Greater Chicago | IL Illinois Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,... , IN Indiana Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is... |
6,991 |
| 6 | Providence Providence, Rhode Island Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region... |
RI Rhode Island The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area... |
6,575 |
| 7 | Greater Miami South Florida metropolitan area The South Florida metropolitan area, also known as the Miami metropolitan area, and designated the Miami–Fort Lauderdale–Pompano Beach, FL Metropolitan Statistical Area by the U.S... |
FL Florida Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it... |
3,357 |
| 8 | Greater Worcester Worcester, Massachusetts Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston.... |
MA Massachusetts The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010... , CT Connecticut Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately... |
3,256 |
| 9 | Greater Albany Albany, Georgia metropolitan area The Albany, Georgia Metropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of five counties – Baker, Dougherty, Lee, Terrell, and Worth – in southwest Georgia, anchored by the city of Albany... |
GA Georgia (U.S. state) Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788... |
1,958 |
| 10 | Greater Atlanta | GA Georgia (U.S. state) Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788... |
1,662 |
- Providence, Rhode IslandProvidence, Rhode IslandProvidence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
, and its surrounding suburbs also contain flourishing Armenian-American communities. Providence is home to the Armenian Heritage Park, which recognizes Armenian heritage, culture, and religion, and an Armenian Genocide Memorial located in the Old North Burial Ground. - Rehoboth, MA, a suburb of Providence, is home to the Husenig Grove, an establishment that hosts many Armenian picnics, dinners, and outings. It was founded by natives of Husenig, a village of the ancient Kharpert, ArmeniaElazigElâzığ is a city in Eastern Anatolia, Turkey and the seat of Elâzığ Province. It has a population of331,479 according to the 2010 census, and the plain on which the city extends has an altitude of 1067 metres....
.
Other Armenian Communities in the Midwest and Southeast:
- Baltimore, Maryland
- Indianapolis, IndianaIndianapolis, IndianaIndianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
- Kansas City, MissouriKansas City, MissouriKansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
- Minneapolis, MinnesotaMinneapolis, MinnesotaMinneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
- Charlotte, North CarolinaCharlotte, North CarolinaCharlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
- Orlando, FloridaOrlando, FloridaOrlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
- South Florida of MiamiMiami, FloridaMiami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
US communities with high percentages of people of Armenian ancestry
The top 10 US communities with the highest percentage of people claiming Armenian ancestry are:- Glendale, CA 26.2%
- Burbank, CA 7.3%
- Watertown, MA 7.2%
- Altadena, CA 4.6%
- Montebello, CA 4.6%
- Belmont, MA 4.1%
- Cliffside Park, NJ 3.6%
- Englewood Cliffs, NJ 3.4%
- Whitinsville, MA 3.3%
- Pasadena, CA 3.1%
Population size
| Year | Armenian population | %± |
|---|---|---|
| 1890 | 1,500 | |
| 1898 | 14,000 | 833.3 |
| 1900 | 25,000 | 78.6 |
| 1914 | 65,950 | 163.8 |
| 1920 | 100,000 | 33.3 |
| 1930's | 200,000 | 50 |
| 1945 | 215,000 | 7.5 |
| 1972 | 450,000 | 109.3 |
| 1979 | 550,000 | 22.3 |
| 1983 | 700,000 | 27.3 |
| 1986 | 800,000 | 14.3 |
| 1994 | 1,000,000 | 25 |
| 2003 | 1,200,000 | 20 |
| 2006 | 1,270,000 | 5.8 |
The Armenian American community is the second largest in the world outside Armenia and easily the wealthiest and best educated. Rightly or wrongly, this community is perceived as the major participant in the reconstruction
Reconstruction
In the history of the United States, the term "Reconstruction Era" has two senses: the first covers the entire nation in the period 1865–1877 following the Civil War; the second one, used in this article, covers the transformation of the Southern United States from 1863 to 1877, with the...
of Armenia. Its numbers increased dramatically in the 1890s as a result of the anti-Armenian pogroms of Sultan Abdul Hamid
Hamidian massacres
The Hamidian massacres , also referred to as the Armenian Massacres of 1894–1896, refers to the massacring of Armenians by the Ottoman Empire, with estimates of the dead ranging from anywhere between 80,000 to 300,000, and at least 50,000 orphans as a result...
. 15,000 Armenians had arrived by 1900. Those who followed were ever more desperate, looking for a land where people enjoyed security as individuals. With the onset of the planned Turkish genocide of 1915, immigration became a matter of survival. By 1924, when the United States established the quota system, at least 100,000 Armenians had arrived, more than 95% from Turkey. After World War II a second, larger migration took place: post-war refugees, others fleeing various conflicts in Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
, Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, and Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, Armenians from Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
, and as political refugees from Soviet Armenia itself.
Armenian Genocide and the United States
Armenian Americans gather in multiple towns and cities every year on April 24 for the recognition of the Armenian Genocide
Armenian Genocide
The Armenian Genocide—also known as the Armenian Holocaust, the Armenian Massacres and, by Armenians, as the Great Crime—refers to the deliberate and systematic destruction of the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire during and just after World War I...
. The largest of such gatherings occurs in the Los Angeles area.
According to Armenian National Institute there are 28 Armenian Genocide memorials in the United States.
See also
- Politics and society
- Armenia – United States relations
- Armenian American Political Action CommitteeArmenian American Political Action CommitteeArmenian American Political Action Committee , was founded by Albert A. Boyajian.It is a grassroots political organization and coordinates with a network of offices, chapters and supporters throughout the United States and affiliated organizations around the world, and concerns of the...
- Armenian Assembly of AmericaArmenian Assembly of AmericaThe Armenian Assembly of America aims to "strengthen U.S./Armenia and U.S. relations, promotes Armenia's democratic development and economic prosperity and seeks universal affirmation of the Armenian Genocide" via "research, education and advocacy."...
- Armenian National Committee of AmericaArmenian National Committee of AmericaThe Armenian National Committee of America is the largest and most influential Armenian American grassroots organization. Working in coordination with a network of offices, chapters and supporters throughout the United States and affiliated organizations around the world, the ANCA actively...
- Diaspora politics in the United StatesDiaspora politics in the United StatesDiaspora politics in the United States is the study of the political behavior of transnational ethnic diasporas, their relationship with their ethnic homelands and their host states, as well as their prominent role in ethnic conflicts. This article describes case studies and theories of political...
- Armenian Church Youth Organization of AmericaArmenian Church Youth Organization of AmericaThe Armenian Church Youth Organization of America is the official youth group of the Eastern . Its name in Armenian is "Hayastanyats Yegeghetsvo Yeridasartats Gazmagerboutiun Amerigayi." It was founded in 1946 by Archbishop Tiran Nersoyan, Primate of the Armenian Diocese of America, 1944-1954...
- Armenian Youth Federation
- Fund for Armenian ReliefFund for Armenian ReliefThe Fund for Armenian Relief is a US humanitarian organization. It provides short-term emergency relief and long-term programs focusing on child protection, economic development, education, health care, and social services....
- Armenian American lobbyArmenian American lobbyThe Armenian American lobby is a term used to describe the loose coalition of groups and individuals who influence United States foreign policy in support of Armenia and its policies....
- Culture
- Armenian Catholic communities in the United States
- Armenian-American music
- Armenian Library and Museum of AmericaArmenian Library and Museum of AmericaArmenian Library and Museum of America , located in Watertown, Massachusetts, United States, is an institution that has the largest collection of Armenian artifacts in North America.-History:...
- Armenian Heritage Park (Boston)
- The Armenian Genocide
- Recognition of the Armenian GenocideRecognition of the Armenian GenocideArmenian Genocide recognition refers to the formal acceptance that the massacre and forced deportation of Armenians committed by the Ottoman Empire in 1915-1923 constitute genocide...
- United States resolution on Armenian genocideUnited States resolution on Armenian genocideThe proposed Armenian Genocide resolution is a measure currently under consideration in the U.S. House of Representatives that would recognize the 1915 Genocide. It is officially called H. Res 106 or the Affirmation of the United States Record on the Armenian Genocide Resolution...
- Armenian Genocide Museum of AmericaArmenian Genocide Museum of AmericaArmenian Genocide Museum of America is a proposed Armenian museum in Washington, D.C., United States, run by the Armenian Genocide Museum and Memorial Inc....
- Recognition of the Armenian Genocide
- Other
- European AmericanEuropean AmericanA European American is a citizen or resident of the United States who has origins in any of the original peoples of Europe...
- Hyphenated AmericanHyphenated AmericanIn the United States, the term hyphenated American is an epithet commonly used from 1890 to 1920 to disparage Americans who were of foreign birth or origin, and who displayed an allegiance to a foreign country. It was most commonly used to disparage German Americans or Irish Americans who called...
- List of Armenian-Americans
- Little Armenia, Los Angeles, CaliforniaLittle Armenia, Los Angeles, CaliforniaLittle Armenia is a community that is part of the Hollywood district of Los Angeles, California. It falls within the area referred to as East Hollywood...
- European American