2010
#148,347
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Knepprath
A surname derived from a German phrase meaning "thin path" or "narrow road."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 128 Americans carry the last name Knepprath. That puts it at #147,954 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,677,768 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Knepprath 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
128
1 in 2,677,768
Census rank
#147,954
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
112
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 112 bearers of the surname Knepprath in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147954th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Knepprath, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.4%. The next largest groups are Black (0.9%) and Hispanic (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Knepprath
The surname Knepprath has its origins in Germany, tracing back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old German words "Kneppe," meaning knob or button, and "Rath," which can be translated as counsel or advice. This combination suggests that the name may have originally referred to a person who was a craftsman or artisan, perhaps specializing in the production of buttons or similar items.
One of the earliest known references to the Knepprath name can be found in the records of the town of Koblenz, located in the Rhineland region of Germany, dating back to the 14th century. This suggests that the name may have originated in this area, which was historically a center of trade and craftsmanship.
In the 16th century, a notable figure bearing the Knepprath name was Hans Knepprath (1497-1567), a master blacksmith and metalworker from the city of Nuremberg. His work, which included intricate ironwork and decorative pieces, was renowned throughout the region and helped to establish the Knepprath name as a symbol of skilled craftsmanship.
As the centuries passed, the Knepprath name spread across various parts of Germany and into neighboring regions. In the 18th century, Johann Knepprath (1725-1803), a scholar and linguist from the town of Göttingen, gained recognition for his contributions to the study of ancient languages and manuscripts.
Another notable figure was Maria Knepprath (1839-1912), a philanthropist and social reformer from Berlin. She dedicated her life to improving the living conditions of impoverished families and establishing educational programs for underprivileged children. Her efforts earned her widespread admiration and helped to further the Knepprath name's association with service and compassion.
In the 20th century, the Knepprath name continued to be carried by individuals who made their mark in various fields. For example, Karl Knepprath (1901-1985) was a renowned architect known for his innovative designs and contributions to the modernist movement in Germany.
Throughout its history, the surname Knepprath has maintained a strong connection to its German roots, while also spreading to other parts of the world through migration and cultural exchange.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Knepprath
Among Census respondents with the surname Knepprath, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.4%. The next largest groups are Black (0.9%) and Hispanic (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Knepprath 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 Knepprath surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White96.4% · 108
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
- Hispanic or Latino0.9% · 1
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
- Two or more races0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Knepprath
Knepprath appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#147,954
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
+1 bearers (+0.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 393 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #148,347 | 111 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #147,954 | 112 | 0.04 | +1 bearers (+0.9%) | Up 393 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 Knepprath 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 | #148,347 | #147,954 | 0.3% |
| Count | 111 | 112 | 0.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -6.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Knepprath bearers went from 111 to 112 (+0.9% change). The surname moved up 393 positions in the national ranking, going from #148,347 to #147,954.
FAQ
Knepprath surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Knepprath?
Name Census estimates that about 128 living Americans carry the surname Knepprath. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,677,768 residents.
How common is Knepprath?
Knepprath ranks #147,954 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 112 people with the surname Knepprath. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (128), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Knepprath.
Has Knepprath become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Knepprath went from 111 recorded bearers to 112. That is an increase of 1 (+0.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #148,347 to #147,954.
What does the Census say about the background of Knepprath?
Among Census respondents with the surname Knepprath, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.4%. The next largest groups are Black (0.9%) and Hispanic (0.9%). 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 Knepprath in the 2020 Census, accounting for 96.4% (108 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Knepprath appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (96.4%), Black (0.9%), Hispanic (0.9%). 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 Knepprath (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 Knepprath mean?
A surname derived from a German phrase meaning "thin path" or "narrow road." 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 Knepprath (0.04 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 people have the last name Knepprath?
If you just want to know how many people have the last name Knepprath, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.