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Armstrong Family History

Armstrong Name Meaning

English and Scottish (mainly Northumberland and the Scottish Borders): nickname from Middle English arm + strang for someone who was ‘strong in the arm’. Irish (Ulster): adopted as an English equivalent of Gaelic Ó Labhradha Tréan ‘strong O'Lavery’ or Mac Thréinfhir literally ‘son of the strong man’.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Strong, Alston, Aston, Armstong, Streng, String, Abston, Strang

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Armstrong family from?

You can see how Armstrong families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Armstrong family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Armstrong families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 4,215 Armstrong families living in Durham. This was about 20% of all the recorded Armstrong's in United Kingdom. Durham had the highest population of Armstrong families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Armstrong surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Armstrong ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Armstrong. 10% of Armstrong men worked as a General Labourer and 66% of Armstrong women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Armstrong were Builders Labourer and Housewife. .

View Census Data for Armstrong | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • General Labourer
    10%
  • Farmer
    4%
  • Incapacitated
    2%
  • Builders Labourer
    2%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    66%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Private Means
    2%
  • Housewife
    2%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Armstrong family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 1 million census records available for the last name Armstrong. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Armstrong census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Armstrong

Passenger Lists

There are 167,000 immigration records available for the last name Armstrong. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Armstrong immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 175,000 military records available for the last name Armstrong. For the veterans among your Armstrong ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Armstrong military records

You've only scratched the surface of Armstrong family history

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What is the average Armstrong lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Armstrong life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1942, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Armstrong in 1941 was 47, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Armstrong

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