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

Knaup, 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 Knaup surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Knaup in America

Knaup is the 48347th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Knaup surname appeared 437 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 Knaup.

We can also compare 2010 data for Knaup 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 Knaup

The surname Knaup is of German origin and dates back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old German word "knap," which means "servant" or "attendant." The earliest recorded instances of the Knaup surname can be traced back to the 13th century in the region of Bavaria, southern Germany.

In medieval times, surnames were often derived from occupations or personal characteristics. The name Knaup likely originated as a descriptive name for someone who worked as a servant or attendant in a noble household or a manor. The name may have also been given to someone who had a small or slender build, as the word "knap" could also mean "small" or "thin."

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the Knaup surname was Johannes Knaup, a burgher (citizen) in the city of Nuremberg, who was mentioned in municipal records in the year 1375. Another notable early bearer of the name was Heinrich Knaup, a skilled blacksmith who lived in the town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber in the late 15th century.

The Knaup surname also appears in various historical documents and records from other parts of Germany, including the regions of Saxony and Thuringia. Some variations of the spelling include Knaup, Knaupp, Knapp, and Knape.

Over the centuries, several individuals with the Knaup surname have achieved notable status. For example, Johann Knaup (1625-1694) was a German mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the field of celestial mechanics. Another notable figure was Johann Christian Knaup (1744-1825), a German Protestant theologian and author who wrote extensively on Christian ethics and morality.

In the 19th century, Carl Knaup (1804-1877) was a German-American architect and engineer who designed several prominent buildings in St. Louis, Missouri, including the Old Courthouse and the Old Cathedral. Additionally, Friedrich Knaup (1839-1904) was a German-American botanist and horticulturist who played a significant role in the development of the Missouri Botanical Garden.

It is worth mentioning that the Knaup surname is still relatively common in Germany, particularly in the regions where it originated, such as Bavaria and Saxony.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Knaup

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

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

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

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