Armenian Family History Tour (Genealogy tour)

…experience the trail your ancestors have passed

This Genealogy Tour is a unique opportunity to explore your family history and start the journey to your origins.

I remember when I was a kid, my grandma used to gather all her grandchildren and tell us stories about our homeland and about the destiny and path they have passed with my grandpa until they reached to US, Virginia where I was actually born and grown.

At that time it was hard for me to understand why grandma was going over and over telling these stories and why each time even when telling happy parts of her life, her eyes were filled with tears…

When I grew up and had my own family I have started to understand my grandma and why she was repeating her stories to us all the time. I understood that now I want to go, see and experience through all that places they have passed. I understood that I want my children to visit the country of their ancestors and see the places where their roots are coming from…

I have taken out the diary of my grandma, which she was keeping very carefully. Then I've found an organization in Armenia which helped me clarify the information I had and find much more.

They helped me to draw a map of my journey to my roots. After all this was organized, we flied to Armenia, and this was just the beginning of my story…

1^st day

On 19th of May 2010 I, my wife Elis and my two sons Gevork and Sooren arrived to Yerevan. At the Zvartnots airport we were greeted by Gagik Sargsyan (guide from Armenian Family Tree project), who gave us the map of our family history tour.

After having rest in the hotel we were ready for the exciting ride. We have found out that descendants of my great aunt are currently living in Yerevan. It was really great meeting our lost relatives.

2^nd and 3^rd days

Earlier next day we took the road to Stepanavan. This is where my great grandfather Muguch was from.

After that he had settled in a village where he was earning his living working in the Carpenter's shop. Of course the carpenters shop was not there anymore but all the people remember the carpenter and his little helper.

4^th day

When Muguch grew-up he married a girl from the neighbor village. We visited the village of my great grandmother Satenig as well. And on the way back we visited one of the places we all were excited to see: the church where they got married.

When we entered the church we could almost build the scene which happened 102 years before in the same place.

5^th and 6^th days

As one carpenter was enough for a village, my great grandfather had to leave to another place to make his living for his new family. He took his tools, put my great grandma Satenig on a donkey and they moved to find a village and a new place to settle. We followed the road they have passed and then visited their graves there.

Muguch and Satenig have lived happy and long life. They had 5 children: 2 boys and 3 girls. Among them my grandpa Boghos whose name I have now. He left the village with his younger brother with the expectation of good future when he was 13.

7^th day

As the life was hard at those years my great grandparents sent Boghos to Satenig's brother's family who were living in Igdir. Boghos grew up there. He was helping his uncle's family in agricultural works.

This was our next point. We flied to Igdir (today's territory of Turkey). Though we were not able to find the exact place of the house where Boghos lived, it was great just to see the city where they were living, and try to guess if he had walked the street we are walking now.

8^th day

When in 1920 Igdir passed to Turkish government, Boghos decided to leave the city. We don't know the real reason of his shift and how he reached Cyprus.

It's clear that we are in Cyprus now. Here we had lot of things to see. I met the man who remembered Boghos very well. Boghos was friends with his father. They actually went to same collage together. It was a great day with Sarkis (the name of that man). He was 85 but he could remember many stories connected to his father and my grandfather. We had a lovely Armenian dinner with Sarkis's family spiced with great memories.

9^th day

The next day after visiting Sarkis we went in the wake of his stories. First place we went was the collage where Boghos studied. Now there was a public school.

Boghos met my grandma Araks in Cyprus. Araks was a survivor of genocide. On the way she lost her family. They got married there and the same year left Cyprus on a ship to US.

10^th day

We visited St. Karapet church and had a meeting with local Armenian community. We had lunch with them and again stories and memories which were so alike of ours. After the lunch we went to the port. This was the last point of our journey. Yes that's crazy but for the next day we had cruise tickets to US!

11^th day

The last morning was filled with a much excitement and sadness together. All that we have experienced was fabulous. I looked at my children and saw the same feelings in their eyes. We came to the conclusion of a great journey to past. It seemed like we had a trip to our own history. It's hard to describe in words…

NOTE: ALL names and places have been changed for privacy.

Rosalie
I am looking for my relatives from America and in Armenia.
Carlos Luis
Hassassian mer enda-
nike Hin Bayaziden kaghtaz Assassian-neru Yevtokia (Tokat)-i djughen e. Gan ourish djiugher Marashum yev Nor Bayazidum. Har-
kanok, Garabed Levon (Carlos Luis) Hassassian.
Nora
my grand mother was elizabeth zakazryan maybe we are relatives
Larisa
I am looking for ZAKARYANS.
Chris
Looking for relatives of Rose Nagjar(ian). She had one brother named Hanna (Ohanes). She was probably from Diyabakir region. She lived in a monastery and was raised by her mother's sister who died when Rose was two.
Jose
I am searching for any information regarding my grandmother's family. Her name was Josephine Schamier, born July 1899.
Lily
Actually I know my family tree - but anyway - anyone who is my relative... send me a note... thank you!!!!
Anahit
Looking for info about Seroj Evoyan. The last we heard about him was that he was a prisoner of war at WWII in Germany. Originally from Dsegh, Armenia, had 2 brothers and 2 sisters.
Suren
The only thing I know is that my father and his sister were born in Arapkir-Turky during the Armenian genocide. They managed to come to Eritrea-East Africa on the 1940s during the Italian colonialism.
Alex
I am looking for some incite into my family's genocide story. Family names: *Arkilanian *Arkiletian *Tchalekian *Leylekian *Bedrossian
Mari
Looking for relatives - I'm born in Sofia, Bulgaria, but my family spans a few countries. Surnames in my family are: Garabedian (father), Hashimian (mother), Ovanivic (grandma), Papuchian (grandma).
Stephan
I am looking to my parents that from old Ourfa of Antolia and second names is Kebabjian...My grandma finished the Central college of Aintap in 1905 or 1908. her name is Rebeca and husband name is Ohannes.

Post your note

April
26
2024

Albert David Hedison, Jr.
May 20, 1927
Armenian-American actor who has made more than 150 appearances in film, television, and theatre. Born in Providence, Rhode Island. From 1950 he is credited as Al Hedison.
Adrienne Jo Barbeau
June 11, 1945
American television, film, character and musical theater actress. Her more notable films: The Fog, Swamp Thing and Escape from
New York.
Kenneth Davitian
June 19, 1953
Armenian-American actor who is best known for his role as Borat's producer in the 2006 comedy film Borat, in which he speaks Armenian throughout the film.
Frunzik (Mher) Mkrtchyan
1930-1993
Popular Armenian actor who was named a People's Artist of the Soviet Union. His most famous roles in classics of Armenian cinema: "Menq enq, mer sarere", "Hayrik", "Nahapet" etc.
Sid Haig
July 14, 1939
Sidney Eddy Mosesian is an American film actor. He has appeared in many horror films. He was born in Fresno, California and was raised in an Armenian - American community.
Val Avery
July 14, 1924
American character actor who has added heft to hundreds of movies and television shows since the '50s. Born as Sebouh Der Abrahamian in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Anna Dymna
July 20, 1951
Polish TV, film and theatre actress. She was born to a Polish family with Armenian roots. Anna has received many important awards for her artistic achievements.
Erika Marozsán
Aug 3, 1972
Hungarian actress. She has played primarily in Hungarian films, but also appeared in others. Her name is the Hungarian version of an Armenian family name.
Mike Connors
Aug 15, 1925
Golden Globe-winning American actor best known for playing detective Joe Mannix in the long-running CBS television series, Mannix. Born as Krikor Ohanian in Fresno.
Tulip Joshi
Sep 11, 1979
Indian model and actress in Bollywood. She was born in Bombay, India. Tulip is half Gujarati and half Armenian. Her mother was born in Lebanon and later moved to India.
Armen Dzigarkhanyan
Oct 3, 1935
One of the most popular Armenian actors working in Russia. He starred in dozens of Soviet films and provided the voice for many cartoon characters.
Arlene Francis
1907-2001
American actress, radio talk show host, and game show panelist. She was born in Boston, Massachusetts. Daughter of Leah and Aram Kazanjian.
Akim Tamiroff
1899-1972
The first Golden Globe Award-winning actor for Best Supporting Actor. He was born of Armenian ethnicity, trained at the Moscow Art Theatre drama school, then left for US.
Michael S. Vartan
Nov 27, 1968
French-American film and television actor. He is best known for the role of Michael Vaughn on the American television action drama Alias.
Martín Adjemián
1932-2006
Film and television actor. He worked in the cinema of Argentina. He died on Jan 3, 2006 of cancer. One of his most recent role was in the critically acclaimed film La Ciénaga.
Arthur Edmund Carewe
1884-1937
Armenian-American actor in the silent and early sound film era. Seen in many classic offerings such as The Phantom of the Opera, Mystery of the Wax Museum etc.
Andrea Martin
Jan 15, 1947
American actress and comedienne. Martin, the oldest of three children, was born in Portland, Maine, in a family of Armenian heritage. Her early success was found in Canada.
Dmitry Kharatyan
Jan 21, 1960
Russian actor of Armenian descent. He was born in the Olmaliq, Tashkent region, Soviet Union (now Uzbekistan). His debut was in Vladimir Menshov's The Prank in 1977.
Naz Edwards
Feb 2, 1952
Nazig Dombalagian is American actress who is most remembered as the voice of antagonist Queen Beryl in the DiC English version of Sailor Moon.
Michael Antranig Goorjian
Feb 4, 1971
American actor and filmmaker. He has written, financed, and starred in Something More, The Invisibles, and Illusion. He was born and grew up in Oakland CA, in an Armenian family.
Kev Orkian
Feb 13, 1974
British-Armenian musician, comedian and actor born in London to Armenian parents. His highly entertaining act is in demand around the world.
Aracy Balabanian
Feb 22, 1942
Versatile Brazilian actress. Television is her strongest medium, but she's worked in the theatre and in some movies as well.
Simon Abkarian
March 5, 1962
French actor of Armenian descent. The most notable role in Atom Egoyan's Ararat. He spent his childhood in Lebanon. He moved to US, where he joined an Armenian theater company.
Vladimir Msryan
March 12, 1938
One of Armenia's most respected stage and film actors. Since 1966 he has performed at the Yerevan Drama Theatre. Besides Armenian films has starred in a number of foreign films.
Leonid Yengibarov
1935-1972
A Soviet clown and actor. Leonid was born in Moscow to an Armenian father and a Russian mother. He started his career as a boxer. In 1955 he joined the State School of Circus Art.
Marco Khan
March 27, 1899
Also Marco Kahn or Marco Khanlian is an Armenian-American actor and stuntman. Born in Tehran, Iran. He is a versatile actor achieving success in comedy, action and drama.
Grégoire Aslan
1908-1982
An Armenian actor. He became an indispensable feature in many British and American films, usually playing foreigners - Russians, Frenchmen, Italians and Middle Easterners.
Andrew C.G. Serkis
April 20, 1964
English actor, director and author. His father was an Iraqi-born Armenian. His performance as Gollum is ranked #10 on Premiere's "100 Greatest Movie Characters of All Time".
Eric Bogosian
April 24, 1953
American actor, playwright, monologist, and novelist. Born in Woburn, Massachusetts. Bogosian has a very distinctive style.
Martín Karadagian
1922-1991
Argentine professional wrestler and actor. He was best known for the 1962 TV show Titanes en el ring (Titans on the ring). Karadagian was of Armenian descent.