The entries for Armenian professionals and tradesmen have been extracted from a French-language trade directory for the year 1891. The sections for eastern Anatolia are arranged by vilayet and, within that, by town. Only certain cities and towns are included in the directory, with a focus especially on those with a pronounced Western commercial interest (as opposed, for example, to market towns with a primarily local or provincial catchment) and therefore on those which are producing or marketing goods for export. This explains, for instance, the inclusion of the relatively modestly sized settlement of Ergani (Arghni): it had a major copper-mining industry.

French orthography may produce renderings of surnames different from those in English (e.g. Ch- and Tch- where English would might use Sh- and Ch- respectively). However, it is quite probable that the spellings of Armenian names adapted to French orthography would be those carried into diaspora by descendants in North America as well as France. The Turkic patronymic suffix -oğlu would, of course, most probably be dropped in diaspora and -ian or -yan used in lieu.

There are some compositorial errors in the original directory. Obvious errors have been corrected silently. However, where the correction is not self-evident, the original text has been retained.

Names in the extracts are ordered A-Z according to the Latin alphabet used in English. In the original text they are arranged by occupation.

Unfortunately, the directory often gives an initial instead of a forename, and of course in those instances the actual forename may be one of two or more commencing with that initial. For example, while the initial O will nearly always be for Ohannes (or a hypocoristic such as Onnik), initials such as A and K could stand for a number of personal names.

Only those names which are clearly Armenian, or very probably Armenian, have been extracted. It is recognised that, for some places, such as Ergani (Arghni) and Dikranagerd (Diyarbakır), a number of other Eastern Christians (such as Chaldeans and Syriacs) may have slipped in to the lists inadvertently. It is also possible that some Persians appear in the lists, although equally it is not inconceivable that some Armenians from Persia might have borne seemingly Persian names.

Occupations are approximate translations from the French originals. Therefore, although the French “orfèvre” is here translated as goldsmith, an individual so described might possibly have been a silversmith or a worker in various precious metals.

Given the length of some of the lists, they will be split over several blogs, by vilayet. This first post covers the two vilayets of Bitlis and Van. The Google Map shows the location of the places in question.

Bitlis vilayet

Baghesh (Bitlis)

Aspadourian, Garabet, money changer
Bacalian, Hatchadur, manufacturer
Bacalian, Simon & brothers, merchants
Basmadjian, Khatchmanoug, merchant
Bechirian, Murad, manufacturer
Checkhoyan, Gh., toolmaker
Choghiguian, Mourad, clothier
Dabaghian, Panos, tanner
Ghuiragossian, Kh., toolmaker
Kaprielian, O, clothier
Kardiguian, Mig., tailor
Kenderian, Krikor & brothers, merchants
Khantcherian, Ohannes, goldsmith
Khatcherian, Ohannes, manufacturer
Khatchmanouguian, Av., banker
Kirmoyan, Aghad., clothier
Kirmoyan, Gaspar, tanner
Kurklian, Mardiros, dyer
Lopoyan, Krikor, tailor
Mateossian, Ohannes, dyer
Mikhtchian, Ga., merchant
Ohannessian, K, tailor
Ozoyan, Krikor & brothers, merchants
Parighian, S, toolmaker
Pariguian, Sefer., clothier
Pegoyian, A, dyer
Sahradian, R Movses, builder
Sarkissian, O, money changer
Soghomonian, Av, coppersmith
Tchoharian, Stepan, director of Armenian Catholic School
Vosghertchian, S, goldsmith

Sgerd (Siirt)

Abrahamian, Mourad, merchant & importer
Gharibian, Boghos, shoemaker
Malkian, Movses, toolmaker
Ohannes, Bishop
Panossian, Movses, grain merchant

Mush (Muş)

Adeyan, Manouk, stove-maker
Aghadjanian, M, banker
Badeyan, Assadour, baker
Badouhassian, Boghos, merchant
Balian, Agop, merchant
Bedrossian, Malk. M, merchant
Bedrossian Makhdessi, S, tailor
Boleyan, Stepan, merchant
Cantarian, Ohannes, bootmaker
Demirdjian, Ohannes, gunsmith
Der Mihitarian, Av., merchant
Djirtyan, Sahag, stove-maker
Donkikian, Boghos, tailor
Eguinian, Artin, watchmaker
Gakhiloukian, Ohannes, merchant
Ghazar, Varbed, gunsmith
Guirintchoyan, Manouk, banker
Hadji, Bedros, gunsmith
Kirounkian, Aghadjan, bootmaker
Loutfian, S, bootmaker
Markarian, Manouk, watchmaker
Midjandjian, B, merchant
Milletbachian, Nigoghos, lawyer
Minassian, Math., tobacco producer
Nalbandian, B, merchant
Poupoyan, M, tailor
Sifreyan, Gaspar, gunsmith
Sudjian, Bedros, lawyer
Varteb, Artine, baker

Van vilayet

Van

Alemian, Aslan, banker
Babiguian, brothers, merchants
Bartevian, Artin, tanner
Chahbinderian, Margos, merchant
Chirvanian, Nishan, dragoman for British Vice-Consul
Der Ohannessian, Kirkor, merchant
Eremian, O, merchant
Fadjian, Var., merchant
Kabrielian, Haroutioun, shoemaker
Kaghaghortian, brothers, merchants
Kaldjian, Artin, banker
Kaldjian, Var., merchant
Kapamadjian, -, bankers
Kapamadjian, brothers, manufacturers
Kapamadjian, brothers, merchants
Khrimian, Mkrtich, Armenian Apostolic Prelate
Levonian, -, stationer & bookseller
Maroutian effendi, merchant
Nalbandian, Garabet, merchant
Ohannes effendi, merchant
Puzantian, -, stationer & bookseller
Tateos, father, Armenian Apostolic vicar
Terzibachian, Haroutioun, merchant
Terlemezian, Manoug & M, merchants
Tokmakian, Markar, manufacturer