Armistead is an uncommon given name of English origin. It derives from the surname Armistead, which itself comes from the Old English personal name 'Ermenred', composed of the elements 'ermin' meaning 'universal' and 'rēd' meaning 'counsel'. The name was initially used as a surname in England before being adopted as a given name.
The name Armistead experienced a notable peak during the late teens to early twenties of the 20th century with an average of 6-7 births per year from 1919 to 1924, reaching a high of 9 in 1926. However, there was a significant decline afterwards, with only two occurrences in the latter half of the century (both in 1957). Overall, Armistead saw 62 births over this period.