My ancestors had the surname Karamanoogian. Kara-Manoog was the nickname of a leader of a large group of Armenians who, following the route of least resistance, migrated slowly southwestward from Caucausus Armenia under the pressure of Turkish and other Asiatic enemies. Manoog is a proper name derived from Manuel or Emmanuel, of Hebrew and particularly biblical origin. Kara means "of dark complexion" in contrast to being very white. Travellers and outdoor workers acquire this dark complexion. Ian at the end of the family or surname is none other than the suffix -ian meaning belonging or related to, as in English, in forms such as Syrian, Presbyterian, and so on.
Many years ago our branch of the Karamanoogians adopted the name Daghlian. Kara-Manoog and his group had settled in what became a city called Aintab or Antep. There were many descendants of the original Kara-Manoog in Aintab. In fact we Daghlians were relatives of these Karamanoogians. Each of the seven children in our family had a Karamanoogian as a godfather.
During the first decades of the nineteenth centure, or about a hundred and fifty years ago, a Turkish military officer from Macedonia named Ibrahim Pasha was sent with an army by the then reigning Sultan to put down a revolt in the south instigated (most probably) by Egypt. Ibrahim Pasha, as he advanced into the area of the revolt, changed his allegiance and began to fight against Turkish forces moving up from the south. Finally he came to Aintab as a conqueror and occupied it. All the Turkish military forces fled overnight northward to Marash, etc. One of these high Turkish officers had contracted to buy a large number of silver ornaments for the horses of his troops.
The members of the gold and silver smith guild in Aintab had their individual shops housed in a big building for protection. My great-grandfather Krikor was chief of the guild, and it was he who had parcelled out the officer's order to the individual artisans. When they finished the work they brought in the jewelry for deliver to the Turkish officer. But before the agreed-on payment could be made the city was occupied by Ibrahim Pasha and all the Turkish officers fled north. Thus my great-grandfather did not receive the money to pay the artisans. Nonetheless he considered himself personally responsible for the money due the poor workers.
He had relatives in the Amanus Mountains, which were known as Giaour Dagh, meaning the mountains (Dagh) where Armenians (Giaour) lived in great numbers. These were the remnants of Cicilian Armenia. My great-grandfather moved lock, stock, and barrel to the Amanus Mountans, where he practiced his goldsmith's business. As often as he could save some money he would send it to Aintab to the goldsmith artisans, until every one was fully paid. This took him ten years to accomplish. Then he returned to Aintab, with my grandfather, who told most of this tale many times in my hearing, a boy in his teens.
Since the great-grandfather had come from the Dagh, he bagan to be called Daghli, meaning from the mountains. At that time Daghli, or Daghli oglu (son of the mountaineer) was the way family names were called. Later, when the suffix -ian became universal among Armenians and other Christians, the name became Daghlian.
The early military phase of this story may not be strictly accurate. But there is no doubt that a Turkish official had to flee north because an army from the south had occupied Aintab. Whether the pasha was Ibrahim Pasha or not does not alter the last part of this story. But I like the Ibrahim Pasha angle, because he was a friendly high Moslem ruler who was nice and kind to the Armenians, who were constantly under the oppression of the Turks. As Ibrahim Pasha changed sides and began to fight Turks, he naturally became friendly to the Armenians, so much so that my grandfather reported that the remaining Turks in Aintab would call out to Armenians, "O you giaours (infidels), you have the right to rejoice, because your father (referring to Ibrahim Pasha) has come!"