THE
ARMENIANS
OF CYPRUS
16
Demographic Profile
Unfortunately, there is no available information as to the size of the Armenian population of Cyprus during
the Byzantine and the Latin Eras. With regard to the Ottoman Era, it appears that, during its very first years,
about 20.000 Armenians used to live in Cyprus. Their number, however, rapidly declined due to the harshness
and the oppression of the regime, as well as the onerous taxation, forcing many to become Linobambaki
(Crypto-Christians) or to embrace Islam; others were assimilated into the Greek-Cypriot majority.
In the mid-19th century, the number of Armenians in Cyprus ranged between 150-200 persons, according to
various censuses and estimations. The official censuses that took place between 1881 and 1960 provide fairly
accurate data on the Armenian population of Cyprus. The table below shows the combined figures of those
recorded as Gregorian and as speakers of Armenian. The map on page 33 shows the places of origin of the
Genocide refugees, according to a survey conducted by Archbishop Bedros Saradjian in 1935; those refugees
hailed mainly from Adana and Seleucia, with significant numbers originating from Aintab, Caesarea, Hadjin,
Marash, Sis and Tarsus.
According to data from the community, the Armenian population of Cyprus is about 3.500: 60% live in the
capital, Nicosia, 20% in Larnaka, 15% in Limassol and 5% in Pafos and some villages. Over 95% of them speak
Armenian and are Armenian Orthodox, while some 5% are either Protestants (mainly Evangelicals) or Catholics.
1881
136
9
4
14
1
37
201
1901
357
14
24
100
8
50
553
1911
326
25
13
196
3
48
611
1921
615
576
57
306
1
18
1.573
1931
2.301
218
105
950
16
27
3.617
1946
???
???
???
???
???
???
3.962
1956
3.130
295
198
867
26
33
4.549
1960
2.542
287
157
604
3
35
3.628
Nicosia District
Limassol District
Famagusta District
Larnaka District
Pafos District
Kyrenia District
Total
Source: British Administration, Department of Statistics and Research of the Republic of Cyprus.
1891
186
18
11
28
8
40
291
l
The geographical distribution of
Armenians in Cyprus (2016).
