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.

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.

Popularity of Armstrong in America

Armstrong is the 213th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Armstrong surname appeared 135,044 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 46 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.

The history of the last name 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."

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Armstrong

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:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Armstrong was:

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.

Data source

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.

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

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