Explore the Family Name Armstrong
The meaning of Armstrong
1. English and Scottish (mainly Northumberland and the Scottish Borders): nickname from Middle English arm + strang, for someone who was ‘strong in the arm’. 2. Irish (Ulster): adopted as an English equivalent of Gaelic Ó Labhradha Tréan ‘strong O’Lavery’ or Mac Thréinfhir, literally ‘son of the strong man’. History: This surname was brought to PA, NJ, and NH in the 18th century by several different families of northern Irish and northern English Protestants. One such was James Armstrong, who emigrated from Fermanagh to Cumberland County, PA, in 1745; another was John Armstrong (1720–95), who settled in Carlisle, PA, c.1748.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Armstrong in the United States?
The Armstrong surname's popularity saw a slight decline in the first decade of the 21st century, according to data from the Decennial U.S. Census. In 2000, it was ranked as the 204th most popular surname, but by 2010, it had dropped to the 213th position. This represents a decrease of 4.41 percent. However, despite this drop in rank, the absolute number of people with the Armstrong surname increased from 129,982 in 2000 to 135,044 in 2010, an increase of 3.89 percent. The proportion per 100,000 also saw a minor decrease from 48.18 to 45.78.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #204 | #213 | -4.41% |
| Count | 129,982 | 135,044 | 3.89% |
| Proportion per 100k | 48.18 | 45.78 | -4.98% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Armstrong
In terms of ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals some interesting shifts between 2000 and 2010. While the majority of individuals with the Armstrong surname identified as White in both years (74.96 percent in 2000 and 72.39 percent in 2010), there was a slight decrease of 3.43 percent over the decade. Meanwhile, those identifying as Black saw a small increase, moving from 20.30 percent to 21.01 percent. The largest percentage change occurred within the Hispanic group, which saw a significant growth from 1.76 percent to 2.79 percent, a rise of 58.52 percent. There were also increases in the percentages of Armstrongs identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander (from 0.47 percent to 0.58 percent) and those identifying as two or more races (from 1.64 percent to 2.31 percent). The number of Armstrongs identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native also rose slightly from 0.86 percent to 0.93 percent.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 74.96% | 72.39% | -3.43% |
| Black | 20.3% | 21.01% | 3.5% |
| Hispanic | 1.76% | 2.79% | 58.52% |
| Two or More Races | 1.64% | 2.31% | 40.85% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.86% | 0.93% | 8.14% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.47% | 0.58% | 23.4% |
Armstrong ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Armstrong is British & Irish, which comprises 54.7% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (21.9%) and Eastern European (3.8%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Italian, Nigerian, Spanish & Portuguese, and Ghanaian, Liberian & Sierra Leonean.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 54.7% |
| French & German | 21.9% |
| Eastern European | 3.8% |
| Other | 19.5% |
Possible origins of the surname Armstrong
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Armstrong have recent ancestry locations in United Kingdom and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 85.90% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 85.70% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 85.60% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 85.50% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 85.50% |
What Armstrong haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Armstrong is R-P311, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-P311 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-L51 and R-L21, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Ryan, Chamberlain, Baer, Winn, Plummer, Gaines, Main, Baca, Trevino, Card.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Armstrong surname are: T2b, H1, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Armstrong have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Armstrong" Surname 42.4%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Armstrong" Surname 27.5%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Armstrong" Surname 21.3%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Armstrong" Surname 17.8%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Armstrong?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Armstrong are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition