Vartanian is an Armenian surname that originated as an alternate transcription of the Armenian Վարդանյան (see Vardanyan). It belongs to a family of patronymic surnames (literally meaning "son of...") derived from the given name Vardan, one of the most common traditional Armenian first names, and the suffix -yan (Eastern Armenian) or -ian (Western Armenian). While Vardanyan typically reflects the Eastern Armenian pronunciation, Vartanian is the standard transliteration of the Western Armenian form, common among the descendants of Armenians from the Ottoman Empire and their diaspora. The root name Vardan (Old Armenian: Vardan) is derived from the Armenian noun վարդ (vard) meaning "rose", a word of Iranian origin reflecting centuries of Armenian contact with Persian culture. In Armenian tradition, Vardan has Christian significance due to Saint Vardan (Vardan Mamikonian), a 5th-century military leader who led the Armenian revolt against the Sassanian Persians to defend the Christian faith. His martyrdom, remembered annually on the Feast of Vartanantz (St. Vardan's Day), gives the name and its derived surnames a strong patriotic and religious resonance. The Vartanian/Western Armenian spelling is especially prevalent in the Armenian diaspora from the Middle East, Europe, and the Americas. Many families adopted that form when transliterating their name under Ottoman Turkish or French influence. Some notable bearers may appear under Vardanyan or the simpler variant Vardanyan (the Wikipedia extract lists many individuals, including Goar Vardanyan, Gevork Vartanian, and Ruben Vardanyan). While Vardan itself has remained popular in Armenia since ancient times, the patronymic Vardanyan/Vartanian is among the thirty most common Armenian surnames today. Meaning: patronymic "son of Vardan" (Vardan meaning "rose") Type: surname (patronymic) Origin: Western Armenian transcription of Վարդանյան Regions: Armenian diaspora worldwide (esp. Lebanon, Syria, Iran, France, USA)