Around 15 years ago, in January 2001, the Association began a quest to reunite an Armstrong family Bible with it's rightful owners.  

The search began in response to an article in the Eskdale and Langholm Advertiser which read:

We couldn't trace any living descendants at the time but, 15 years later with the benefit of current internet search aids, we have traced descendants of the family to Canada, the USA and the UK.  We've been fortunate to make contact with one living descendant of this family, but none bearing the Armstrong name so the quest continues.

​The full story is published in The Armstrong News 82, including details of the various family lines that we're researching.  Any help or information from Armstrongs in Canada, America or the UK would be appreciated.
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Issue 82 of The Armstrong News is now available to members on our website.  This issue includes a variety of articles, ranging from possible Pictish origins to stories of Armstrongs who made the local news nearly 200 years ago.  

You'll also find details of the venue for our 2017 Armstrong Clan Gathering, and an update on some new ideas for 2017.  We'll be gathering at Lockerbie in the Scottish Borders, from Fri 14th to Sun 16th July 2017.  We'd love to welcome you to our Gathering, so join us and make it another great weekend to remember.  

Seasonal Greetings to all Association members across the globe and the many Armstrongs who visit the site as our welcome “guests”. Why be a guest? Why not join us? Full details are elsewhere on the site.

Have you looked at Discussion Forum? That’s new this year.

Exciting things have happened with our DNA searches this year and a clearer positive view is appearing of our real ancestral roots.

Read about the 2015 Gathering? If so maybe you should start thinking about attending the next one in 2017 details of which will be appearing on the website soon. Don’t forget 2019 too – that’s our Golden Jubilee!!

Our success is due to all those members who help the Association in so many ways. Perhaps you have a talent that you could offer too?

Have a great Christmas and a Peaceful and Prosperous New Year.

Some DNA tests can reveal your deep ancestry.  Other DNA tests may help you connect to distant cousins, to share information that could help your family history research.  They may even prove some parts of your family tree that you've often doubted.  

DNA testing prices have fallen considerably in recent years, bringing these tests within reach of many amatur genealogists.  A number of special Christmas promotions have made these tests even more attractive.  However, to get value for money you need to choose a test that will help you achieve your goals.  Choose the wrong test and you may be disappointed. 

There's a discussion in the members forum about the different tests available, and what each testing service is aiming to achieve.  Members can click here to request an invitation to join the forum.  Once you've signed up, you'll have access to our private members-only discussion area where you can ask questions and get help to choose the best testing option for your needs.

Alternatively, non-members can click here to read our DNA Project page.  The page has been updated to include special Christmas prices for the Armstrong Project at FamilyTreeDNA.com and ScotlandsDNA.com who have also issued a press release "Calling all Armstrongs" for their own research project.

If you're thinking about taking a DNA test, these Christmas promotions make the idea more attractive than ever.

Two young Armstrongs have just made their mark in the world of dingy sailing.  Brothers Daniel & Finley Armstrong (15 & 13 yrs) became British Champions in two events during June 2015.  In July they represented Team GB (Youth) in the World Championships in Germany, where they finished joint first on points and were awarded silver.  They're progressing towards Olympic class boats, so there could be Armstrongs in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.  More details for members in News 81.

On 8 June 1935, the local paper in Kroonstad, South Africa reported the Mr & Mrs John Armstrong were celebrating their Golden Wedding Anniversary, having married at Jagersfontein 50 years earlier.  The report says that John Armstrong was born in Victoria, Australia about 1860 and went to South Africa with his parents around 1864.

The report includes fascinating details of his involvement in the Zulu wars and the South African diamond mines.  His knowledge of diamonds was even called upon in a Scotland Yard investigation, and helped "in laying the thief by the heels."  That's an expression you don't hear every day.

The newspaper report is reproduced for members in issue 81 of the Armstrong news, and if anyone knows the story of John Armstrong's Australian roots then we'd like to hear from you.

Genetic evidence and more rigorous research methods are currently challenging the origin myths & legends of several clan surnames.  We continue to explore this theme with more remarkable results from the Armstrong Y-DNA project reviewed alongside published academic works.

Many historians claimed the Viking occupation of the remote Orkney and Shetland Islands in the 9th century had largely supplanted the indigenous population.  However, recent "People of the British Isles" research found that only 25% of Orcadian DNA was of Viking origin.   

So, what does a Y-DNA testee in the Orkney Islands have in common with the Armstrong Clan?  They share a specific genetic marker, or SNP, that suggests a direct paternal line to a common ancestor who seems likely to have lived during, or pre, the Iron Age (about 700BC).  Is this more evidence that our clan's ancestors were of ancient indigenous Scottish stock?  Association members can read the whole story in the Armstrong News 81.

The first official Armstrong Clan Gathering for nearly 400 years was held on 21 July 1979 at Tourneyholm,
Kershopefoot site of the Truce Days.  That was the 10th anniversary of Neil Armstrong's moon landing, the event that inspired Ted Armstrong to revive the clan and form the Association. Appropriately, the occasion was marked by a personal gift from Neil Armstrong himself - a surprise memento of his moon walk.

36 years later the Gatherings are still going, stronger than ever.  The 2015 Gathering was held in July at Lockerbie, Scotland and was a great success.  Gilnockie Tower was opened especially for the occasion, and Neil Armstrong's surprise gift was on display.  Our original members are not as young as they were back in 1969, and one of our most hard-working and active members was organising this Gathering when, sadly, he passed away earlier in the year. Fortunately, the baton wasn't dropped and several volunteers came forward to keep the Association moving forward.

The Association's next Gathering will be in the Scottish Borders from 14th to the 16th July 2017.  Meanwhile, members can read about Gatherings past and present in Armstrong News issue 81 and join our discussion forum for an online-Gathering.