NameCensus.

UK surname

Armitage

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "hermitage" or "monastery" in Old French.

In the 1881 census there were 7,647 people recorded with the Armitage surname, ranking it #557 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 8,193, ranked #807, down from #557 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Kirkheaton, Batley and Almondbury. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kirklees and Sheffield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Armitage is 9,865 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 7.1%.

1881 census count

7,647

Ranked #557

Modern count

8,193

2016, ranked #807

Peak year

1911

9,865 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Armitage had 7,647 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #557 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 8,193 in 2016, ranked #807.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 9,865 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Armitage surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Armitage surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Armitage 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 4,685 #592
1861 historical 5,308 #528
1881 historical 7,647 #557
1891 historical 8,044 #547
1901 historical 9,305 #563
1911 historical 9,865 #498
1997 modern 8,460 #746
1998 modern 8,640 #767
1999 modern 8,689 #768
2000 modern 8,596 #772
2001 modern 8,436 #768
2002 modern 8,579 #768
2003 modern 8,399 #770
2004 modern 8,319 #780
2005 modern 8,150 #782
2006 modern 8,135 #785
2007 modern 8,162 #790
2008 modern 8,179 #794
2009 modern 8,336 #798
2010 modern 8,476 #798
2011 modern 8,439 #791
2012 modern 8,253 #792
2013 modern 8,331 #799
2014 modern 8,371 #798
2015 modern 8,215 #806
2016 modern 8,193 #807

Geography

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Where Armitages are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Kirkheaton, Batley, Almondbury, Bradford and Sheffield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kirklees and Sheffield. 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 Kirkheaton Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Batley Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Almondbury Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kirklees 059 Kirklees
2 Kirklees 051 Kirklees
3 Kirklees 053 Kirklees
4 Sheffield 003 Sheffield
5 Kirklees 049 Kirklees

Forenames

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First names often paired with Armitage

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Armitage

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Armitage, 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 Armitage surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Armitage 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Armitage is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Armitage is most concentrated in decile 8 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

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

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Armitage 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 Armitage 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 Armitage, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Armitage

The surname Armitage is of English origin, deriving from the Old French words "armure" meaning armor and "atache" meaning fastening. It is thought to have originated as an occupational name for an armor-maker or armorer during the medieval period.

One of the earliest known records of the Armitage name dates back to the 13th century in the Hundred Rolls of Yorkshire, where it was spelled "Armurier". The name also appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1296, spelled "Armurer".

In the 14th century, the spelling "Armytage" was recorded in Yorkshire, indicating the name's connection to the local area. The surname is believed to have originated in the West Riding of Yorkshire, where several places bear the name, such as Armitage Bridge near Huddersfield.

Notably, the Armitage surname is mentioned in the celebrated Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of landholdings commissioned by William the Conqueror. This early reference demonstrates the name's long-standing presence in English history.

One of the earliest known individuals with the Armitage surname was John Armytage, who was born around 1300 in Yorkshire. He was a prominent landowner and served as the Sheriff of Yorkshire in 1346.

Another notable figure was Sir John Armytage (1480-1545), who was a member of the English gentry and served as the High Sheriff of Yorkshire in 1532. His family owned extensive lands in Yorkshire and were influential in the region.

Sir Lionel Armitage (1532-1608) was a respected English judge who served as the Chief Baron of the Exchequer in the late 16th century. He was born in Yorkshire and played a significant role in the legal system of his time.

Edmund Armitage (1587-1651) was an English clergyman and academic who served as the Provost of King's College, Cambridge, from 1636 until his death. He was a prominent figure in the Church of England and made valuable contributions to the field of education.

In the 19th century, Edward Armitage (1817-1896) was a renowned English historical painter who gained recognition for his works depicting scenes from literature and history. His paintings can be found in various galleries and museums around the world.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Armitage families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Armitage 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. Yorkshire leads with 5,475 Armitages recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.42x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 5,475 7.42x
Lancashire 713 0.81x
Middlesex 267 0.36x
Cheshire 251 1.53x
Durham 136 0.61x
Surrey 77 0.21x
Kent 69 0.27x
Derbyshire 64 0.55x
Nottinghamshire 63 0.63x
Northumberland 62 0.56x
Lincolnshire 45 0.38x
Hertfordshire 31 0.60x
Sussex 27 0.21x
Gloucestershire 23 0.16x
Hampshire 23 0.15x
Essex 18 0.12x
Renfrewshire 18 0.31x
Staffordshire 18 0.07x
Cambridgeshire 17 0.36x
Fife 17 0.39x
Bedfordshire 15 0.39x
Devon 15 0.10x
Warwickshire 15 0.08x
Herefordshire 14 0.46x
Norfolk 14 0.12x
Selkirkshire 13 1.93x
Westmorland 13 0.79x
Berwickshire 12 1.33x
Berkshire 11 0.20x
Leicestershire 11 0.13x
Lanarkshire 10 0.04x
Somerset 9 0.08x
Midlothian 8 0.08x
Pembrokeshire 8 0.34x
Wiltshire 8 0.12x
Huntingdonshire 7 0.47x
Perthshire 6 0.18x
Northamptonshire 4 0.06x
Oxfordshire 4 0.09x
Peeblesshire 4 1.14x
Glamorgan 3 0.02x
Isle of Man 3 0.22x
Royal Navy 3 0.34x
Anglesey 2 0.15x
Cornwall 2 0.02x
Cumberland 2 0.03x
Suffolk 2 0.02x
Worcestershire 2 0.02x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.01x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.03x
Dumfriesshire 1 0.06x
Shropshire 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Huddersfield in Yorkshire leads with 344 Armitages recorded in 1881 and an index of 31.98x.

Place Total Index
Huddersfield 344 31.98x
Leeds 285 6.84x
Mirfield 198 48.84x
Almondbury 175 49.02x
Lockwood 156 58.73x
Dewsbury 145 19.15x
Pudsey 124 31.42x
Oldham 118 4.14x
Batley 109 15.53x
Horton In Bradford 108 9.37x
Ecclesfield 104 19.21x
Hunslet 98 8.51x
Sheffield 94 4.00x
Clayton 82 45.38x
Ashton Under Lyne 81 4.19x
Thornhill 80 37.13x
Dukinfield 71 9.34x
Nether Hallam 71 7.11x
Elland Cum Greetland 70 21.05x
Kirkburton 70 80.41x
Liversedge 70 21.30x
Golcar 69 35.35x
Heckmondwike 67 28.21x
Meltham 66 57.48x
Soothill 64 24.00x
Headingley Cum Burley 63 13.26x
Slaithwaite 63 81.96x
Dalton In Huddersfield 61 36.88x
Bowling 59 8.07x
Ecclesall Bierlow 59 3.93x
Wortley In Bramley 59 10.09x
Linthwaite 58 37.38x
Bradford 55 3.08x
Horbury 54 41.81x
Kirkheaton 53 44.26x
Manningham 53 5.83x
Morley 52 13.55x
Shepley 50 122.82x
Cleckheaton 49 18.02x
Gomersal 49 14.22x
Manchester 46 1.16x
Barnsley 45 5.91x
Castleford 45 16.74x
Lindley Cum Quarmby 45 24.16x
Brightside Bierlow 44 3.04x
Shitlington 42 54.98x
Islington London 41 0.57x
Saddleworth 41 7.20x
Armley 40 12.28x
Nottingham St Mary 39 1.50x
Lofthouse Cum Carlton 38 42.23x
Ossett Cum Gawthorpe 37 14.03x
Shelley 37 85.69x
Wakefield 37 6.53x
Cartworth 35 57.32x
Rastrick 35 17.07x
Holy Trinity 34 1.91x
Hoose 32 103.86x
Longwood 32 26.89x
Thurstonland 32 125.20x
Alverthorpe Cum Thornes 31 11.56x
Halifax 31 2.86x
Stayley 31 16.49x
Hackney London 29 0.69x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 29 8.45x
Worsbrough 29 13.41x
Pendleton In Salford 28 2.66x
Salford 28 1.08x
Everton 27 0.96x
Hipperholme Cum 27 8.32x
Holbeck 26 5.32x
South Crosland 26 33.44x
Hoyland Swaine 25 130.68x
Warrington 25 2.39x
West Derby 25 0.97x
Glossop Dale 24 4.39x
Crompton 23 9.14x
Hyde 23 4.74x
Upperthong 23 36.63x
Wooldale 22 17.57x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 526
Sarah 337
Elizabeth 250
Ann 165
Hannah 160
Emma 142
Jane 127
Martha 125
Annie 122
Eliza 109
Ellen 105
Emily 76
Alice 72
Harriet 67
Clara 62
Edith 54
Ada 51
Florence 46
Maria 46
Margaret 39
Louisa 31
Fanny 30
Caroline 29
Lucy 28
Ruth 27
Charlotte 26
Anne 23
Agnes 21
Lydia 21
Esther 20
Frances 20
Rachel 20
Amelia 19
Gertrude 19
Kate 18
Rebecca 18
Ethel 17
Isabella 17
Matilda 17
Amy 16
Nancy 16
Susannah 16
Betty 15
Eleanor 15
Susan 15
Selina 14
Minnie 13
Elizth. 12
Grace 12
Julia 11

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 452
William 320
George 278
Joseph 229
Thomas 192
James 179
Charles 94
Henry 85
Arthur 77
Harry 74
Walter 66
Benjamin 62
Fred 62
Edward 60
Herbert 58
Robert 58
Samuel 57
Alfred 50
Joe 48
Albert 47
David 47
Tom 41
Ernest 36
Richard 36
Frederick 35
Frank 34
Wm. 30
Joshua 27
Willie 24
Sam 23
Abraham 21
Edwin 19
Ben 17
Geo. 17
Allen 16
Thos. 15
Daniel 12
Amos 10
Isaac 10
Lewis 10
Percy 10
Wright 10
Edgar 9
Jonathan 9
Benjn. 8
Chas. 8
Matthew 8
Stephen 8
Jesse 7
Mark 7

FAQ

Armitage surname: questions and answers

How common was the Armitage surname in 1881?

In 1881, 7,647 people were recorded with the Armitage surname. That placed it at #557 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Armitage surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 8,193 in 2016. That gives Armitage a modern rank of #807.

What does the Armitage surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "hermitage" or "monastery" in Old French.

What does the Armitage map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Armitage 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.