2000
#8,067
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,788
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.40
Rare Last name
Knepp
Derived from the Middle High German word "knepe," meaning a hill or mound, likely referring to a person who lived near one.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 5,214 Americans carry the last name Knepp. That puts it at #7,094 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.52 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 65,737 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Knepp surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
5.2K
1 in 65,737
Census rank
#7,094
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.5
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.5K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,547 bearers of the surname Knepp in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.52 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 7094th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Knepp, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.2%) and Two or More Races (1.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Knepp
The surname Knepp is of German origin and dates back to the 13th century. It is believed to have originated from the Middle High German word "knepp," which means "servant" or "retainer." The name was likely used to refer to a person who worked as a servant or retainer for a noble or wealthy family.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Knepp can be found in the Würzburg Archives, which date back to the late 13th century. The name is also mentioned in the Codex Diplomaticus Brandenburgensis, a collection of historical documents from the Margraviate of Brandenburg, in the 14th century.
The surname Knepp is closely associated with the town of Knepp in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt. This town was first mentioned in historical records in 1348, and it is possible that the surname originated from this place name.
In the 16th century, there are records of a Johann Knepp (1521-1585) who was a prominent German theologian and reformer. He was a follower of Martin Luther and played a significant role in the Protestant Reformation.
Another notable person with the surname Knepp was Johann August Knepp (1778-1844), a German composer and music teacher. He was born in Kleinschmalkalden, Germany, and is best known for his compositions for piano and chamber ensembles.
In the 19th century, there was a Friedrich Knepp (1810-1885), a German politician and lawyer who served as a member of the Reichstag (the German parliament) from 1871 to 1874.
Another prominent figure with the surname Knepp was Hans Knepp (1885-1968), a German artist and sculptor. He is best known for his sculptures and monuments in public spaces, many of which can still be seen in various German cities.
The surname Knepp was also found in other parts of Europe, such as the Netherlands and Austria. In the Netherlands, there are records of a Willem Knepp (1620-1694), a Dutch painter and engraver who was active in the 17th century.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Knepp
Among Census respondents with the surname Knepp, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.2%) and Two or More Races (1.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Knepp bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Knepp surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.7% · 4,350
- Hispanic or Latino2.2% · 100
- Two or more races1.5% · 68
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.4% · 18
- Black or African American0.2% · 7
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Knepp
Knepp appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#7,559
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,398
+610 bearers (+16.1%)
Per 100,000 1.49
Rank movement Up 508 places
2020
#7,094
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,547
+149 bearers (+3.4%)
Per 100,000 1.52
Rank movement Up 465 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #8,067 | 3,788 | 1.40 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #7,559 | 4,398 | 1.49 | +610 bearers (+16.1%) | Up 508 places |
| 2020 | #7,094 | 4,547 | 1.52 | +149 bearers (+3.4%) | Up 465 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Knepp surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #7,559 | #7,094 | 6.2% |
| Count | 4,398 | 4,547 | 3.4% |
| Per 100K | 1.49 | 1.52 | 2.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Knepp bearers went from 4,398 to 4,547 (+3.4% change). The surname moved up 465 positions in the national ranking, going from #7,559 to #7,094.
FAQ
Knepp surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Knepp?
Name Census estimates that about 5,214 living Americans carry the surname Knepp. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 65,737 residents.
How common is Knepp?
Knepp ranks #7,094 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.52 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 4,547 people with the surname Knepp. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (5,214), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.52 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.52 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Knepp.
Has Knepp become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Knepp went from 4,398 recorded bearers to 4,547. That is an increase of 149 (+3.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #7,559 to #7,094.
What does the Census say about the background of Knepp?
Among Census respondents with the surname Knepp, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.2%) and Two or More Races (1.5%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Knepp in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.7% (4,350 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Knepp appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (95.7%), Hispanic (2.2%), Two or More Races (1.5%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Knepp (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Knepp mean?
Derived from the Middle High German word "knepe," meaning a hill or mound, likely referring to a person who lived near one. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Knepp (1.52 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many Americans have the surname Knepp?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.