The Archibald surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 8,359 people carried this name — #4,242 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 35,300 people counted. That is up 7% from 7,794 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Archibald surname

A surname originating as a patronymic.

From Anglo-Norman Arcebald, Arcenbald or Ercenbald, from Old French Archaunbault, from Proto-West Germanic *Erknabalþ, from *erkn (“pure, holy, genuine, precious”) + *balþ (“strong, bold”).

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Archibald» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a baptismal name, from a given name: ‘the son of Archibald’.

An early record he cites: Roger Arkebald, Cambridgeshire, 1273 — Hundred Rolls.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 58 · public domain.

In Ireland’s birth registers, 1890

Ireland registered 8 births for the Archibald name in 1890.

Most were registered in Ulster. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 400 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time. The Registrar-General’s note on the name: “Londonderry.”

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they were born, 1890

Ulster 7
Connacht 1

Registrar-General for Ireland, «Special Report on Surnames in Ireland» (R. E. Matheson, 1894), births index of 1890 — public domain.

In the Nordic population registers

21 people named Archibald is counted in Sweden.

Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published.

Counted, by country

Sweden (2022) 21

Own calculations based on data from Statistics Sweden (SCB), surnames with at least two bearers, 31 December 2022 — CC BY 4.0 (names with 20 or more bearers shown).

In Scotland’s registers today

Archibald was recorded 51 times in Scotland’s registers of births, marriages and deaths in 2025.

That made it the 513th most common name in those registers, shared with others on the same count. In 1975, the first year of the series, the count was 123. Each birth counts the child’s surname, each marriage both partners’ and each death the surname of the person who died — a yearly count of registrations, not of the people who live in Scotland.

National Records of Scotland, «Most Common Surnames, 2025» (published 26 May 2026): every surname recorded 10 or more times in the 2025 registers, and the series from 1975 · different spellings are counted separately — © Crown copyright 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

29 families named Archibald, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 168 people lived in those households, 5.8 to a family on average. The census counted these spellings together: Archibald, Archabald, Archabeld, Archbald, Archbill, Archbold, Archebᵈ, Archebald. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

Pennsylvania 9
North Carolina 7
Massachusetts 4
New Hampshire 3
New York 2
South Carolina 2
Maine 1
Maryland 1

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 227 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Archibald in American newspapers,
1898–1914.

Newspaper page from The Portland Daily Press carrying the name Archibald
The Portland Daily Press 1898-03-16
Newspaper page from Judith Gap Journal carrying the name Archibald
Judith Gap Journal 1912-08-30
Newspaper page from Daily Kennebec Journal carrying the name Archibald
Daily Kennebec Journal 1914-12-08

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 11,760 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Archibald in Australian newspapers,
1810s–2010s.

130,057 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Archibald. The most, 28,277, date from the 1910s. New South Wales has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in South Australia, at 1.6 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 32,881
Victoria 32,497
Queensland 25,568
South Australia 25,394
Western Australia 8,330
Tasmania 4,873
ACT (Canberra) 313
Northern Territory 63

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Archibald.

Who carried it

People named Archibald,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Samuel George William Archibald
    Samuel George William Archibald 1777–1846 · judge
  • Edward Mortimer Archibald
    Edward Mortimer Archibald 1810–1884 · lawyer
  • Evelyn Mary Paynter d. 1950
  • Emily Archibald d. 1881
  • Robert Archibald d. 1832
  • Samuel Archibald 1742–1780 · politician

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Archibald,
in the records of 7 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States1,303 records

1,303 records of the Archibald name in the United States
  • U.S. alien registration index, 1940–1955 319
  • Passenger arrivals in the United States, 1820–1912 282
  • Other U.S. records 702
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record John E. Archibald

    Born 1920 in Alabama. Enlisted 1941 at Chicago, Illinois; sawmill worker. U.S. Army Air Forces veteran of World War II; died 2000, buried at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery, Illinois.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Gary Michael Archibald

    Born 1947; from Huntington, Indiana. U.S. Army, infantryman; killed in action 1968 in Thua Thien, South Vietnam.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Rachael Archibald

    Arrived at New York in 1879 aboard the Devonia from Glasgow and Moville, aged 18; domestic. From Ireland.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 1,303 records for Archibald in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Canada2,091 records

2,091 records of the Archibald name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 1,962
  • Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 33
  • Other Canadian records 96
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record John Robinson Archibald

    Buried in 1972 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 51.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Christena Archibald

    Died 1960 in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  3. A Canadian First World War grave register card for a soldier who died of wounds in 1917
    Example: Canadian war grave register, 1917
    War record William James Archibald

    Died in service in 1941.

    Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada.

Showing 3 of 2,091 records for Archibald in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. · Contains information provided by the City of Waterloo under licence. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0).

Australia837 records

837 records of the Archibald name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 422
  • Queensland State Archives indexes 228
  • Other Australian records 187
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record James Archibald

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the David Malcolm, sailing from Downs in 1845. Native of Dundee, Angus.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Alex Archibald

    Arrived in Victoria in 1857 aboard the Champion of the Seas, aged 21; Scottish.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Sydney J. Archibald

    Retired of Epping, New South Wales; died 1972.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 837 records for Archibald in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

United Kingdom72 records

72 records of the Archibald name in the United Kingdom
  • Scottish rolls of honour, First World War 29
  • Stirling Council burial records 29
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 14
  1. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record Frederick Archibald

    Born 1879 at Bishopmill; stone mason. Served in the First World War. Named in the Morayshire roll of honour (1921).

    National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record John Archibald

    Buried in 1926 at Valley Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland, aged 42.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record William Archibald

    Born 1894 at Muir; gardener. Served in the First World War. Named in the Morayshire roll of honour (1921).

    National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain)

Showing 3 of 72 records for Archibald in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain) · Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0); Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

New Zealand18 records

18 records of the Archibald name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 12
  • Timaru and Mackenzie District cemetery records 3
  • Other New Zealand records 3
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Christina Margaret Archibald

    Died 1986, aged 68; buried at Fairhall Cemetery, Marlborough.

    Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Jane Thom Archibald

    Died 1961, aged 71; buried at Sydenham Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Alan Archibald

    Born 1932, died 1992; buried at Kaiapoi Public Cemetery, Canterbury.

    Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 18 records for Archibald in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Canterbury Maps (Environment Canterbury), Timaru and Mackenzie District Councils (CC BY 3.0 NZ) · Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Netherlands7 records

7 records of the Archibald name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 6
  • Dutch population registers 1
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Francina Archibald

    Married in 1782 in Bergen op Zoom.

    Open Archives, West Brabants Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record John Archibald

    Married in 1760 in Rotterdam.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Francina Archibald

    Buried in 1798 in Heusden.

    Open Archives, Streekarchief Langstraat Heusden Altena (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 7 records for Archibald in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

France3 records

3 records of the Archibald name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Henry Laurence Archibald

    Born 1912 in Paris; died 1975 in Vineuil-Saint-Firmin (Oise).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Joyce Buie Archibald

    Born 1959 in Great Britain; died 2000 in Rueil-Malmaison (Hauts-de-Seine).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 2 of 3 records for Archibald in France.

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Archibald.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Archibald is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

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