The Anglo-Norman surname Armitage is of locative origin meaning someone that lived by a Hermitage, a place of learning. The name is derived from the French word " Hermite " meaning solitary and the Hermitage was a place where monks would live for long periods of time fasting and studying. The name is first recorded in English records in the 13th Century when Hugh de Hermityge is registered in Warwickshire in 1296. Today there are 4,000 people with the last name Armitage living in the United States.