Find out how popular the first name Armstrong has been for the last 23 years (from 1997 to 2019) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Armstrong by gender

Based on the last 23 years of data, Armstrong is exclusively a male name.

For the most recent data in 2019, there were 7 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Armstrong.

The history of the first name Armstrong

The name Armstrong has its origins in the Old English language and dates back to the 9th century. It is derived from the words "arm" meaning strength or vigor, and "strong" meaning powerful or mighty. The name was likely given to individuals who exhibited physical strength or a strong character.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Armstrong is found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of land and property ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears as "Armstrang" in this historical record.

In the 12th century, the name Armstrong was associated with a family of Norman origin who settled in the Scottish Borders region. The Armstrongs were known for their involvement in border raids and skirmishes between England and Scotland, earning them a reputation as skilled warriors and horsemen.

One notable historical figure with the name Armstrong was Johnnie Armstrong, a Scottish Border reiver (raider) who lived in the 16th century. He was famous for his daring exploits and was eventually captured and executed by King James V of Scotland in 1530.

Another famous bearer of the name was Neil Armstrong, the American astronaut who became the first person to walk on the moon during the Apollo 11 mission in 1969. His historic achievement and the iconic phrase "one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind" made him a household name worldwide.

Other notable individuals named Armstrong include Louis Armstrong (1901-1971), the legendary American jazz trumpeter and singer; Edwin Howard Armstrong (1890-1954), the American electrical engineer who invented FM radio; and Thomas Armstrong (1784-1868), an American settler and fur trader who established the city of Louisville, Kentucky.

The name Armstrong has also been associated with various literary and artistic works throughout history, including the novel "The Accidental" by Ali Smith, which features a character named Amber Armstrong, and the film "The Shawshank Redemption," where the character Andy Dufresne is played by actor Tim Robbins, whose real name is Timothy Armstrong.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Armstrong was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Armstrong, please contact us.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!