Armstrong

An Irish surname of Antrim. In the 2010 US census it was carried by 135,044 people, the 213th most common surname in the country.

Armstrong is the anglicised form of two distinct Irish names. Some you can hear in the English name; others look and sound nothing like it, and were simply swapped for it.

Ó Labhradha Tréan

Tréanlámhach

Where the name comes from

Armstrong is often a mistake, and a good one. Ó Labhradha Tréan means Strong O'Lavery, and it was anglicised Trin-Lavery, Tryn-Lavery and Trim-lavery. Somebody then read tréan as strong and lám as a hand or an arm, and Armstrong is what came out. The erroneous supposition stuck.

Tréanlámhach, the other form on record, is the reverse traffic: doubtless a translation of the English Armstrong going the other way.

The Giant's Causeway at twilight with wet hexagonal basalt columns stretching to the sea and long exposure blurred waves
The Giant's Causeway, Co. Antrim

Antrim, photographed

Photographs made in Antrim.

Antrim

The Antrim coast road runs about 25 miles between the cliffs and the sea, with nine glens coming down to it. The rock is basalt, the same flow that formed the Giant's Causeway. Scotland is 12 miles off at the narrowest point and visible on a clear day.

The iconic Dark Hedges beech tree tunnel near Armoy in County Antrim with intertwined branches forming a brooding canopyThe Dark Hedges, Co. Antrim Co. Antrim Long exposure of Pan's Rock with its footbridge at dawn on the Antrim Causeway Coast, silky water and blurred clouds, Rathlin Island on the horizonPan's Rock, Co. Antrim Co. Antrim Sunrise over Colliery Bay with Fair Head cliffs and mountains, Co. Antrim, fine art landscape photograph by Peter CoxColliery Bay & Fair Head, Co. Antrim Co. Antrim Dunluce Castle on coastal cliffs with long exposure sea, Co. Antrim, fine art landscape photograph by Peter CoxDunluce Castle, Co. Antrim Co. Antrim Black and white photograph of a rainstorm sweeping across the Skerries islands off the North Antrim coast near PortrushRainstorm, the Skerries, Co. Antrim Co. Antrim Sunset over Bengore Head with waves rolling over rocks, Co. Antrim, Ireland — fine art landscape photograph by Peter CoxBengore Head, Co. Antrim Co. Antrim Sunset over the Skerries coast in County Antrim with warm light reflecting on wet sand and rock formationsThe Skerries, Co. Antrim Co. Antrim

All Antrim prints

Notable bearers

Neil Armstrong (1930-2012), university teacher, astronaut, and aircraft pilot.

Louis Armstrong (1901-1971), actor, writer, and singer.

Lance Armstrong (born 1971), autobiographer, sport cyclist, and podcaster.

Billie Joe Armstrong (born 1972), film actor, television actor, and singer.

Karen Armstrong (born 1944), writer, university teacher, and theologian.

About this page

The counties on this page are where the name was thickest on the ground in Ireland a century and a half ago, not a claim about any one family. Names moved around inside the country as much as they left it. The photographs are mine, made in the counties named.

More Irish surnames: Smith · Brown · Miller · Wilson · Anderson · Thomas · Taylor · Moore · Jackson · Martin · Lee · Thompson

How common the name was

In 1890, 140 births were registered under Armstrong in Ireland, most of them in Antrim, Cavan, Fermanagh, and Tyrone.

Ulster 110
Leinster 15
Connacht 13
Munster 2
Ireland 140

Cavan, Fermanagh, and Tyrone are the ones I haven't worked in.