Find out how popular the last name Armstrong is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Armstrong.
A habitational name for someone from a place meaning "strong-arm" or "strong on the arm."
Armstrong, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Armstrong surname is from the 2010 census data.
Armstrong is the 93513th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.
The Armstrong surname appeared 196 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Armstrong.
We can also compare 2010 data for Armstrong to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.
| 2010 | 2000 | Change (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | 93513 | 78326 | 17.68% |
| Count | 196 | 227 | -14.66% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.07 | 0.08 | -13.33% |
The surname Armstrong is of English origin, dating back to the 12th century in the counties of Cumberland and Westmorland (now part of Cumbria). It is derived from the Old English words "ærm" meaning arm and "strong" meaning strong or vigorous, indicating someone with a strong arm or physical strength.
During the Middle Ages, the name was often recorded as Armestrang or Armestrong in various historical records. One of the earliest known references to the surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Cumberland in 1195, where a John Armstrang is mentioned.
In the 13th century, the Armstrong clan established themselves as a prominent Border Reiver family, known for their involvement in the perpetual feuds and raids across the Anglo-Scottish border regions. The Armstrongs were particularly active in the Liddesdale area of the Scottish Borders.
The Armstrong name appears in several notable historical manuscripts, including the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which recorded individuals who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. One such entry is for Gilbert de Armstrang, a landowner from Cumbria.
In the 16th century, the Armstrongs were notorious for their participation in the Border Reivers' activities, and their exploits were chronicled in the ballads and folk tales of the time. One of the most famous members of the clan was Johnnie Armstrong of Gilnockie, who was executed in 1530 by King James V of Scotland for his reiving activities.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals bearing the Armstrong surname, including:
William Armstrong (1810-1900), an English engineer and industrialist who invented the hydraulic accumulator and founded the Armstrong Whitworth manufacturing company.
Neil Armstrong (1930-2012), the American astronaut who became the first person to walk on the Moon during the Apollo 11 mission in 1969.
Lance Armstrong (born 1971), the American former professional road cyclist who won the Tour de France a record seven consecutive times from 1999 to 2005, before being stripped of his titles due to doping allegations.
Samuel Armstrong (1839-1893), an American educator and founder of the Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute, now known as Hampton University, which was one of the first historically black colleges and universities in the United States.
Louis Armstrong (1901-1971), the legendary American jazz trumpeter, singer, and actor, considered one of the most influential figures in jazz history.
We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Armstrong.
The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:
For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Armstrong was:
| Race/Ethnicity | Percentage | Total Occurrences |
|---|---|---|
| Non-Hispanic White Only | 53.06% | 104 |
| Non-Hispanic Black Only | 37.76% | 74 |
| Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only | (S)% | (S) |
| Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native | (S)% | (S) |
| Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races | 3.06% | 6 |
| Hispanic Origin | 4.59% | 9 |
Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.
Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Armstrong has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.
| 2010 | 2000 | Change (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 53.06% | 57.27% | -7.63% |
| Black | 37.76% | 35.24% | 6.90% |
| Asian and Pacific Islander | (S)% | 0.00% | (S)% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | (S)% | 3.96% | (S)% |
| Two or More Races | 3.06% | (S)% | (S)% |
| Hispanic | 4.59% | (S)% | (S)% |
The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.
The history and meaning of the name Armstrong was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.
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