NameCensus.

UK surname

Armstrong

A surname of Scottish origin meaning someone with strong arms or a strong arm, likely an archer or warrior.

In the 1881 census there were 22,891 people recorded with the Armstrong surname, ranking it #148 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 37,562, ranked #139, up from #148 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, London parishes and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Northumberland, Allerdale and Carlisle.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Armstrong is 38,249 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 64.1%.

1881 census count

22,891

Ranked #148

Modern count

37,562

2016, ranked #139

Peak year

2010

38,249 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Armstrong had 22,891 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #148 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 37,562 in 2016, ranked #139.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 29,194 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Armstrong surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Armstrong surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Armstrong 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 14,731 #150
1861 historical 15,680 #140
1881 historical 22,891 #148
1891 historical 25,292 #138
1901 historical 29,194 #139
1911 historical 27,128 #149
1997 modern 36,104 #133
1998 modern 37,440 #133
1999 modern 37,833 #132
2000 modern 37,612 #133
2001 modern 36,738 #133
2002 modern 37,666 #134
2003 modern 36,504 #137
2004 modern 36,252 #138
2005 modern 35,715 #138
2006 modern 35,805 #137
2007 modern 36,047 #138
2008 modern 36,292 #138
2009 modern 37,299 #137
2010 modern 38,249 #137
2011 modern 37,652 #137
2012 modern 36,794 #138
2013 modern 37,680 #138
2014 modern 37,994 #138
2015 modern 37,669 #139
2016 modern 37,562 #139

Geography

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Where Armstrongs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, London parishes, Gateshead, Edinburgh and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Northumberland, Allerdale and Carlisle. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 London parishes London 3
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Northumberland 009 Northumberland
2 Northumberland 035 Northumberland
3 Northumberland 038 Northumberland
4 Allerdale 003 Allerdale
5 Carlisle 002 Carlisle

Forenames

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First names often paired with Armstrong

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Armstrong

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Armstrong, 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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Armstrong surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Armstrong household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Armstrong 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

Armstrong is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Armstrong falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Armstrong 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 Armstrong, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Armstrong

The surname Armstrong has its origins in the Scottish Borders region, along the English-Scottish border. It is derived from the Old English words "arm" meaning "arm" and "strong" meaning "strong." The name likely referred to someone of great physical strength or a skilled warrior.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname is found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which recorded those who swore fealty to King Edward I of England. The rolls mention Aleyn Armstrong and Laurence Armestrange, two early spellings of the name.

The Armstrong clan was particularly prominent in the Borders region during the 13th to 16th centuries. They were known as a powerful and formidable clan, often involved in conflicts along the border. The Armstrong stronghold was located at Mangerton Tower in Liddesdale.

In the 16th century, the Armstrongs were branded as outlaws by King James V of Scotland due to their involvement in cross-border raids and feuds. Many Armstrongs were subsequently hanged or exiled, leading to the dispersal of the clan throughout Scotland and Northern England.

One of the earliest recorded Armstrongs was Gilnockie Armstrong, also known as Johnnie Armstrong, a famous border reiver (cattle raider) from the late 15th century. He was eventually captured and executed in 1530 by King James V for his raiding activities.

Another notable figure was Archibald Armstrong, born around 1555, who served as the Court Fool or Jester to King James I of England. He was known for his wit and humor, and his role as a court jester was an esteemed position at the time.

In the 17th century, Sir Thomas Armstrong, born in 1633, was a prominent English soldier and politician. He was involved in the Rye House Plot to assassinate King Charles II and was later executed for treason in 1684.

The Armstrong name also has ties to the village of Cragside in Northumberland, England. William Armstrong, born in 1810, was a successful industrialist and inventor who built the grand Cragside Estate, which became the first house in the world to be lit by hydroelectric power.

Neil Armstrong, born in 1930, is perhaps the most famous Armstrong in modern history. He was an American astronaut and the first person to walk on the moon during the Apollo 11 mission in 1969, famously declaring, "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind."

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Armstrong families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Armstrong 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. Durham leads with 3,702 Armstrongs recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.57x.

County Total Index
Durham 3,702 5.57x
Northumberland 3,163 9.52x
Cumberland 2,786 14.49x
Lancashire 2,557 0.97x
Yorkshire 1,481 0.67x
Middlesex 1,050 0.47x
Lanarkshire 973 1.35x
Dumfriesshire 685 13.89x
Surrey 505 0.46x
Midlothian 413 1.38x
Staffordshire 375 0.50x
Lincolnshire 373 1.04x
Cheshire 348 0.71x
Nottinghamshire 302 1.00x
Roxburghshire 293 7.24x
Ayrshire 255 1.53x
Kent 241 0.32x
Leicestershire 222 0.90x
Renfrewshire 205 1.18x
Westmorland 190 3.87x
Suffolk 174 0.64x
Hampshire 152 0.33x
Derbyshire 147 0.42x
Warwickshire 141 0.25x
Dunbartonshire 131 2.18x
Bedfordshire 130 1.12x
Stirlingshire 109 1.32x
Kirkcudbrightshire 93 2.88x
Somerset 91 0.25x
Worcestershire 90 0.31x
Shropshire 89 0.46x
Sussex 85 0.23x
Essex 83 0.19x
Berkshire 80 0.48x
Hertfordshire 75 0.49x
Angus 73 0.35x
Selkirkshire 66 3.27x
Perthshire 65 0.65x
Norfolk 63 0.18x
Gloucestershire 57 0.13x
Wigtownshire 50 1.69x
Devon 48 0.10x
Sutherland 46 2.68x
Glamorgan 42 0.11x
Berwickshire 38 1.41x
Huntingdonshire 37 0.83x
Northamptonshire 34 0.16x
Buckinghamshire 32 0.24x
Cornwall 32 0.13x
Fife 30 0.23x
Peeblesshire 26 2.48x
Argyllshire 25 0.40x
Aberdeenshire 24 0.12x
East Lothian 24 0.81x
Royal Navy 23 0.86x
Cambridgeshire 22 0.16x
Caernarfonshire 21 0.23x
Clackmannanshire 19 1.03x
West Lothian 19 0.57x
Isle of Man 16 0.39x
Caithness 15 0.49x
Banffshire 14 0.30x
Wiltshire 14 0.07x
Denbighshire 13 0.15x
Flintshire 13 0.22x
Monmouthshire 13 0.08x
Dorset 12 0.08x
Herefordshire 10 0.11x
Pembrokeshire 9 0.13x
Morayshire 8 0.23x
Rutland 8 0.49x
Anglesey 7 0.18x
Channel Islands 7 0.11x
Brecknockshire 5 0.11x
Cardiganshire 4 0.07x
Oxfordshire 4 0.03x
Buteshire 2 0.15x
Inverness-shire 2 0.03x
Merionethshire 2 0.05x
Montgomeryshire 2 0.04x
Orkney 2 0.08x
Ross-shire 2 0.03x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.01x
Kinross-shire 1 0.18x
Radnorshire 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Gateshead in Durham leads with 322 Armstrongs recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.47x.

Place Total Index
Gateshead 322 6.47x
Barony 317 1.73x
Westgate 264 12.83x
Bishopwearmouth 248 4.35x
Elswick 242 9.13x
Glasgow 216 1.68x
Liverpool 199 1.24x
Govan 195 1.09x
Canonbie 186 88.74x
Caldewgate 175 16.61x
Newbiggin In Morpeth 166 156.24x
St Cuthbert W O 165 17.61x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 155 5.39x
Manchester 155 1.30x
Westoe 150 3.98x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 148 7.46x
Tanfield 146 18.48x
Leeds 145 1.16x
Brampton 144 54.63x
Newcastle On Tyne St 136 7.90x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 134 1.11x
Byker 124 7.55x
Winlaton 122 19.14x
Salford 120 1.54x
West Derby 118 1.52x
Stranton 112 5.01x
Everton 106 1.26x
Oldham 102 1.19x
St Pancras London 102 0.57x
Tynemouth 101 5.68x
Langholm 100 28.21x
Workington 100 9.08x
Wolverhampton 99 1.71x
Wetheral 96 37.70x
Heworth 95 7.26x
Alston 89 25.12x
Blackburn 89 1.26x
Allendale 87 28.24x
Haswell 86 18.06x
Islington London 84 0.39x
Crosscanonby 83 13.05x
Rickergate 82 20.16x
Lambeth 81 0.42x
Toxteth Park 79 0.88x
Penrith 78 10.98x
Farlam 75 61.98x
Hackney London 75 0.60x
Kirkdale 75 1.68x
Whickham 74 12.11x
Castleton 71 40.86x
Preston 70 0.99x
St Marylebone London 70 0.59x
Medomsley 69 22.27x
Wigan 69 1.86x
Middlebie 67 45.27x
Paddington London 67 0.82x
Hexham 65 12.64x
Bishop Auckland 64 7.18x
Stockton On Tees 64 2.00x
Birmingham 63 0.34x
Cleator 63 7.87x
Hartlepool 63 6.67x
Hulme 62 1.12x
Portsea 62 0.69x
Broughton In Salford 59 2.44x
Haltwhistle 59 36.60x
Kensington London 59 0.48x
Benfieldside 57 13.05x
New Kilpatrick 57 9.99x
Newington 57 0.69x
Wallsend 57 5.41x
Bradford 56 1.05x
Henshaw 56 147.10x
Hetton Le Hole 56 6.65x
Hawick 55 6.08x
Bewcastle 54 79.46x
Harborne 54 2.24x
Leicester St Margaret 54 0.89x
Camberwell 53 0.37x
Wolsingham 52 8.59x
Chirton 51 6.78x
Chorlton On Medlock 51 1.21x
North Shields 51 7.69x
Poplar London 51 1.21x
Southwark St George Martyr 51 1.13x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 1,646
Elizabeth 884
Sarah 658
Jane 655
Margaret 588
Ann 442
Isabella 289
Annie 276
Hannah 242
Ellen 219
Eliza 173
Alice 155
Emma 151
Catherine 126
Martha 118
Emily 110
Agnes 87
Frances 87
Maria 83
Edith 78
Ada 67
Caroline 67
Eleanor 66
Harriet 65
Louisa 65
Anne 60
Kate 57
Florence 56
Charlotte 54
Fanny 51
Esther 49
Margt. 42
Susan 42
Barbara 41
Dorothy 40
Jessie 37
Eliz. 35
Elizth. 35
Lucy 35
Ruth 35
Harriett 30
Rachel 30
Janet 29
Margret 29
Clara 28
Amelia 26
Rebecca 26
Grace 25
Bridget 24
Matilda 24

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 1,606
William 1,269
Thomas 848
George 615
James 611
Robert 530
Joseph 518
Henry 277
Charles 194
Edward 192
Richard 121
Samuel 100
Walter 93
Alfred 86
Arthur 77
David 76
Frederick 75
Wm. 73
Francis 69
Matthew 65
Ralph 61
Andrew 58
Albert 57
Isaac 57
Frank 56
Thos. 56
Harry 51
Herbert 42
Christopher 40
Robt. 38
Peter 37
Hugh 33
Geo. 32
Tom 32
Benjamin 31
Alexander 29
Adam 28
Anthony 27
Ernest 26
Michael 25
Edwin 23
Jonathan 23
Nicholas 21
Stephen 21
Jno. 19
Mark 19
Mathew 19
Daniel 18
Fred 18
Percy 18

FAQ

Armstrong surname: questions and answers

How common was the Armstrong surname in 1881?

In 1881, 22,891 people were recorded with the Armstrong surname. That placed it at #148 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Armstrong surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 37,562 in 2016. That gives Armstrong a modern rank of #139.

What does the Armstrong surname mean?

A surname of Scottish origin meaning someone with strong arms or a strong arm, likely an archer or warrior.

What does the Armstrong map show?

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