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

Knabb, 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 Knabb surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Knabb in America

Knabb is the 57101st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Knabb surname appeared 357 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 Knabb.

We can also compare 2010 data for Knabb 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 Knabb

The surname Knabb is of German origin, with the earliest records dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have originated in the southern regions of Germany, particularly in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. The name is thought to be derived from the Old German word "knabe," meaning "boy" or "lad."

One of the earliest known references to the name Knabb can be found in the records of the city of Ulm, located in the German state of Baden-Württemberg. In 1572, a record mentions a certain Hans Knabb, a merchant residing in the city. This suggests that the name was already established in the region by the late 16th century.

In the 17th century, the Knabb surname appears in various church records and census documents across southern Germany. For instance, in 1623, the birth of Johann Knabb was recorded in the town of Kirchheim unter Teck, located in the present-day state of Baden-Württemberg.

As the name spread throughout Germany, variations in spelling emerged, including Knab, Knabe, and Knabben. These variations were likely due to regional dialects and the inconsistent spelling practices of the time.

One notable individual with the Knabb surname was Johann Knabb (1637-1699), a Lutheran theologian and author from Nuremberg. He wrote several works on religious subjects and served as a pastor in various churches across southern Germany.

Another prominent figure was Christian Knabb (1752-1818), a German-born soldier who fought in the American Revolutionary War. He enlisted in the Hessian forces and was captured by the Continental Army at the Battle of Trenton in 1776. After the war, he settled in Pennsylvania and became a farmer.

In the 19th century, the Knabb name appeared in various parts of Europe, including Austria and Switzerland. One example is Johann Georg Knabb (1805-1875), a Swiss politician and lawyer who served as a member of the Swiss Federal Council, the country's executive body, from 1863 to 1864.

As German immigrants began to arrive in North America in the 18th and 19th centuries, the Knabb surname also found its way to the United States and Canada. One early immigrant was Johann Knabb (1720-1785), who settled in Pennsylvania in the mid-18th century and worked as a farmer.

Another notable American with the Knabb surname was Charles Knabb (1860-1932), a businessman and politician from Illinois. He served as the mayor of Rockford, Illinois, from 1909 to 1913 and played a significant role in the city's development during the early 20th century.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Knabb

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

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 Knabb 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 Knabb 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 Knabb was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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