Armitage

Armitage - The surname Armitage is traditionally considered to be of English origin. A topographic name for someone who lived by a hermitage (h)ermitage, or habitation name from some place so named.[1]

Redmonds has shown that most if not all bearers of the surname Armitage and Armytage can be traced back to a family living at Hermitage Bridge in Almoindbury, near Huddersfield, in the 13th century; the name is still most common in Yorks. It was first taken to North America by Enoch Armitage (b.1677) of Wooldale, Yorks; other members of the family followed.[2]

Daniel was the first Armitage of this lineage to emigrate to America. He first settled in upstate New York where there were other Armitage families already established. The relationship with these Armitage families, or any other Armitage family isn't known. It would be safe however, to assume that some relationship did exist.

Daniel Armitage and his family moved to Chicago in the mid 1800 where some of his children survived the famous Chicago Fire of 1871. Dealia Elanor Salzer Temple (great grandaughter of Daniel Armitage) had a charred steamer trunk (through the early 1900's) she said was her mother's (Elmira Jane Armitage) and had been part of and survived the Chicago Fire. Delia also said that Armitage Avenue in Chicago, was named after her ancestor, who was Lord Armitage, and that they had lived on Armitage Avenue in a large "castle like" house on a corner. No evidance of this including Chicago Historical Society records can be found.[3]

Go here for details on early Armitage family naming traditions and customs.