Armour
A surname for an armourer, or in some cases a later spelling form tied to the same trade name.
The #4,366 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 37,934 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Armour is generally explained as an occupational surname from Middle English armourer, 'one who makes or sells armor.' The form reflects the same root as modern English armor/armour, ultimately from French and Latin words for protective equipment. Some sources treat Armour as a shortened or altered spelling of Armourer rather than a wholly separate origin.
History
Historical surname dictionaries note Armour as a variant or corruption of Armourer, and the trade surname appears in medieval records in forms like Armer, Armor, and Armour. Because spelling was fluid for centuries, the shorter form could stabilize as a hereditary surname in its own right. The name is found in Britain and later in North America, with the US census showing a modest modern presence.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Older surname collections sometimes list Armour right alongside Armorer, showing how easily medieval occupational names could shed or gain endings over time.
From the historical record
“ARMORER. The occupation. ARMOUR. A corruption of Armourer. ARMSTRONG. Doubtless from strength of limb, as displayed in war and athletic sports. Armstrang is the same, and Strongi'th'arm, a cognate surname. The well-known border clan of Armstrong were of old a truly armipotent race, and Johnnie A., their chief, the…”
— Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United Kingdom