Find out how popular the last name Knab is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Knab.

Knab, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Knab surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Knab in America

Knab is the 25356th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Knab surname appeared 976 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Knab.

We can also compare 2010 data for Knab to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Knab

The surname KNAB is believed to have originated in Germany during the Middle Ages. It is thought to be derived from the Old German word "knabe," which meant "boy" or "servant." This suggests that the name may have been given to a male servant or a young man working in a household.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae Regiae, a collection of documents from the Kingdom of Saxony dating back to the 12th century. In this text, a man named Konrad Knab is mentioned as a witness in a legal document from the year 1187.

In the 13th century, there are records of a family with the surname KNAB residing in the town of Augsburg, located in the region of Bavaria. This family is believed to have been among the earliest bearers of the name in Germany.

The name KNAB also appears in various medieval records and manuscripts from different parts of Germany, such as the Würzburger Urkundenbuch (Book of Charters of Würzburg) from the 14th century, which mentions a man named Heinrich Knab.

One notable individual with the surname KNAB was Johann Knab (1637-1699), a German Protestant theologian and author who served as a pastor in the city of Nuremberg. His works include several religious treatises and sermons.

Another person of historical significance was Friedrich Knab (1808-1867), a German-American artist and lithographer who emigrated to the United States in the mid-19th century. He is known for his landscapes and portraits, and his work can be found in various museums and collections across the country.

The name KNAB has also been associated with several place names in Germany, such as Knabenheim (meaning "home of the boys") and Knabenau (meaning "meadow of the boys"), which further reinforces the connection between the name and its potential meaning related to young men or servants.

Other notable individuals with the surname KNAB include Karl Knab (1880-1957), a German architect who designed several buildings in Berlin and other cities, and Johann Nepomuk Knab (1759-1828), a German Catholic priest and writer who authored several religious works.

While the surname KNAB is not as widespread as some other German names, it has a rich history and can be traced back to the Middle Ages, reflecting the cultural and linguistic traditions of various regions in Germany.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Knab

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Knab.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Knab was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Knab has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Knab was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Knab, please contact us.

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