hɪz pətˈɜːnəl ɡɹˈændfɑːðɚ tʃˈeɪndʒd ðə fˈæmɪli sˈɜːneɪm fɹʌm bˌæɡdɐsˈɛɹiən tə bˈækstɚ bɪkˈʌz ʌv stɹˈɔŋ ˈæntaɪɑːɹmˈiːniən pɹˈɛdʒuːdɪs ɪnðə fɹˈɛsnoʊ ˈɛɹiə dˈʊɹɹɪŋ ðə nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd θˈɜːɾi z.
His paternal grandfather changed the family surname from Bagdasarian to Baxter because of strong anti-Armenian prejudice in the Fresno area during the 1930s.