NameCensus.

UK surname

Armistead

A locational surname referring to someone from Armistead, a place in Yorkshire, England, meaning "hermitage" or "resting place."

In the 1881 census there were 558 people recorded with the Armistead surname, ranking it #6,201 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 452, ranked #10,768, down from #6,201 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lancaster Borough, Aldingham and Lancaster. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Lakeland and Lancaster.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Armistead is 625 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 19.0%.

1881 census count

558

Ranked #6,201

Modern count

452

2016, ranked #10,768

Peak year

1911

625 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Armistead had 558 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,201 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 452 in 2016, ranked #10,768.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 625 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Armistead surname distribution map

The map shows where the Armistead surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Armistead surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Armistead over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 390 #6,155
1861 historical 313 #8,103
1881 historical 558 #6,201
1891 historical 588 #6,497
1901 historical 609 #6,988
1911 historical 625 #6,631
1997 modern 483 #9,549
1998 modern 475 #9,982
1999 modern 482 #9,950
2000 modern 487 #9,819
2001 modern 450 #10,226
2002 modern 474 #10,027
2003 modern 452 #10,258
2004 modern 471 #9,942
2005 modern 466 #9,935
2006 modern 473 #9,871
2007 modern 466 #10,070
2008 modern 463 #10,204
2009 modern 452 #10,629
2010 modern 453 #10,858
2011 modern 449 #10,807
2012 modern 451 #10,640
2013 modern 468 #10,516
2014 modern 477 #10,444
2015 modern 461 #10,636
2016 modern 452 #10,768

Geography

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Where Armisteads are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lancaster Borough, Aldingham, Lancaster, Blackburn and Whalley. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Lakeland and Lancaster. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Lancaster Borough Lancashire
2 Aldingham Lancashire
3 Lancaster Lancashire
4 Blackburn Lancashire
5 Whalley Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Lakeland 014 South Lakeland
2 Lancaster 005 Lancaster
3 South Lakeland 008 South Lakeland
4 Lancaster 001 Lancaster
5 Lancaster 016 Lancaster

Forenames

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First names often paired with Armistead

These lists show first names that appear often with the Armistead surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Armistead

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Armistead, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Armistead surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Armistead household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Armistead is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Armistead is most concentrated in decile 4 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Armistead falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Armistead is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Armistead, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Armistead

The surname Armistead originated in England during the medieval period, likely derived from the Old English words "eormen" meaning "entire" and "stede" meaning "place" or "homestead." It was a toponymic surname given to someone who lived at a particular homestead or village.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Ermested" in reference to a landowner in Norfolk. Over time, the spelling evolved to its modern form of Armistead.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various records in Lancashire, Yorkshire, and Cheshire, indicating that it was particularly prevalent in these northern counties of England. Historical documents from this period mention individuals such as Richard de Ermested (1220) and William de Armistead (1285).

The Armistead family held lands and properties in various parts of England, including the manor of Armistead in Cheshire, which was likely the namesake of the surname. Notable figures from this lineage include Sir John Armistead (1527-1593), a Member of Parliament and landowner in Yorkshire.

During the English Civil War in the 17th century, George Armistead (1636-1697) was a prominent loyalist who fought for King Charles I. He later settled in Virginia, where his descendants became influential in colonial America.

Among the notable American Armisteads was Lewis Addison Armistead (1817-1863), a brigadier general in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War. He was mortally wounded while leading an assault against Union forces at the Battle of Gettysburg.

Other notable individuals with the surname Armistead include Samuel Armistead (1744-1818), a merchant and planter in Virginia, and George Armistead (1780-1818), who commanded Fort McHenry during the War of 1812 and was responsible for the successful defense that inspired the writing of the "Star-Spangled Banner."

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Armistead families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Armistead surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Lancashire leads with 282 Armisteads recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.37x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 282 4.37x
Yorkshire 170 3.15x
Durham 21 1.30x
Westmorland 16 13.38x
Kent 9 0.48x
Surrey 9 0.34x
Midlothian 8 1.10x
Nottinghamshire 7 0.95x
Staffordshire 7 0.38x
Cambridgeshire 6 1.74x
Derbyshire 5 0.59x
Kirkcudbrightshire 5 6.35x
Cumberland 4 0.85x
Middlesex 3 0.06x
Ayrshire 1 0.25x
Cheshire 1 0.08x
Devon 1 0.09x
Hampshire 1 0.09x
Norfolk 1 0.12x
Warwickshire 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Poulton Barre in Lancashire leads with 69 Armisteads recorded in 1881 and an index of 938.78x.

Place Total Index
Poulton Barre 69 938.78x
Leeds 31 10.18x
Hunslet 24 28.53x
Great Little Marsden 21 70.97x
Headingley Cum Burley 21 60.48x
Blackburn 17 9.89x
Lancaster 16 41.63x
Aldingham 12 555.56x
Preston 12 6.94x
Skipton 12 70.71x
Whalley 10 106.27x
Beckenham 9 37.07x
Toxteth Park 9 4.12x
Bishopwearmouth 8 5.76x
Long Preston 8 606.06x
Newbattle 8 128.41x
Wortley In Bramley 8 18.73x
Colne 7 36.38x
Padiham 7 44.87x
Radcliffe 7 22.49x
Radford 7 18.78x
Stoke Upon Trent 7 3.59x
Wavertree 7 33.87x
West Derby 7 3.70x
Gargrave 6 250.00x
Great Shelford 6 331.49x
Heysham 6 508.47x
Over Darwen 6 11.63x
Turton 6 56.71x
Auckland St Andrew 5 116.82x
Barnsley 5 8.99x
Batley 5 9.75x
Chesterfield 5 15.65x
Colvend 5 209.21x
Goole 5 55.31x
Kendal 5 22.83x
North Meols 5 7.91x
Settle 5 121.07x
Southworth With Croft 5 259.07x
Bowling 4 7.49x
Darlington 4 6.40x
Ireby 4 2666.67x
Kirkby Ireleth 4 124.22x
Lupton 4 1000.00x
Oswaldtwistle 4 17.53x
Pudsey 4 13.87x
St Cuthbert W O 4 17.51x
Stranton 4 7.34x
Wilpshire 4 769.23x
Allerton 3 43.60x
Barnoldswick 3 39.84x
Bermondsey 3 1.85x
Bury 3 4.07x
Calverley Cum Farsley 3 19.58x
Goldshaw Booth 3 454.55x
Horton In Bradford 3 3.56x
Kirkdale 3 2.76x
Lambeth 3 0.63x
Manchester 3 1.03x
Scarborough 3 6.12x
Camberwell 2 0.58x
Clifton Cum Salwick 2 256.41x
Dalton In Furness 2 8.02x
Hulme 2 1.48x
Kirkby Lonsdale 2 61.92x
Mickleton 2 161.29x
Old Laund Booth 2 322.58x
Salford 2 1.05x
Tadcaster West 2 46.84x
Thornton In Fylde 2 14.15x
Tonge 2 14.76x
Birmingham 1 0.22x
Burnsall 1 434.78x
Ilkley 1 11.35x
Kirkham 1 11.71x
Lower Holker 1 80.65x
Newton 1 2.01x
Newton In Clitheroe 1 161.29x
Pendleton In Salford 1 1.30x
Reigate Borough 1 16.34x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Armistead surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 40
Sarah 26
Margaret 23
Jane 19
Elizabeth 15
Ellen 11
Isabella 11
Ann 10
Hannah 10
Annie 9
Emily 7
Emma 7
Alice 6
Maria 6
Agnes 5
Catherine 4
Edith 4
Eliza 4
Nancy 4
Ada 3
Florence 3
Frances 3
Martha 3
Susannah 3
Betsy 2
Caroline 2
Charlotte 2
Clara 2
Dorothy 2
Elizth. 2
Ester 2
Ethel 2
Grace 2
Kate 2
Margt. 2
Susan 2
Amy 1
Blanche 1
Char. 1
Eleanor 1
Esther 1
Fanny 1
Janet 1
Juliane 1
Lavinia 1
Lily 1
Louisa 1
Louise 1
Lydia 1
Thirza 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Armistead surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
William 36
John 33
James 27
Thomas 22
Richard 14
Joseph 10
George 9
Robert 9
Henry 6
Charles 5
Albert 4
Benjamin 4
Edward 4
Walter 4
Edwin 3
Harry 3
Isaac 3
Samuel 3
Tom 3
Arthur 2
Chas. 2
Christopher 2
Ernest 2
Nathan 2
Rd. 2
Reginald 2
Wm. 2
Amos 1
Benjmain 1
Chas.H. 1
Elisha 1
Frederic 1
Frederick 1
Geo.Henry 1
Herbert 1
Hugh 1
J. 1
J.T. 1
Laurence 1
Mark 1
Marmaduke 1
Miles 1
Peel 1
Ralph 1
Richd. 1
Sam 1
Stephen 1
Th. 1
Thos. 1
Wm.H. 1

FAQ

Armistead surname: questions and answers

How common was the Armistead surname in 1881?

In 1881, 558 people were recorded with the Armistead surname. That placed it at #6,201 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Armistead surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 452 in 2016. That gives Armistead a modern rank of #10,768.

What does the Armistead surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone from Armistead, a place in Yorkshire, England, meaning "hermitage" or "resting place."

What does the Armistead map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Armistead bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.