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

Knerr, 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 Knerr surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Knerr in America

Knerr is the 17752nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Knerr surname appeared 1,578 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Knerr.

We can also compare 2010 data for Knerr 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 Knerr

The surname KNERR has its origins in Germany, dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Middle High German word "knerren," meaning "to growl" or "to snarl." This suggests that the name may have initially been a nickname for someone with a gruff or harsh demeanor.

The earliest recorded instances of the name KNERR can be found in various German records and documents from the 16th and 17th centuries. One notable mention is in the Kirchenbücher (church records) of the town of Neckarzimmern, located in the modern-day state of Baden-Württemberg, where the name appears in entries from the late 1500s.

In the 17th century, the name KNERR is found in records from the Palatinate region of Germany, particularly in the areas around Heidelberg and Mannheim. This suggests that the name may have been more prevalent in southwestern Germany during this period.

One of the earliest known individuals bearing the surname KNERR was Hans Knerr, born in 1612 in the village of Neckarelz, located in the present-day district of Mosbach, Baden-Württemberg. He was a farmer and is mentioned in various local records of the time.

Another notable figure was Johann Knerr, a Protestant theologian and author who lived from 1641 to 1702. He was born in Schwäbisch Hall, Württemberg, and served as a pastor in several German towns before publishing his most well-known work, "Institutio Theologiae Dogmaticae" (Introduction to Dogmatic Theology), in 1691.

In the 18th century, the name KNERR began to appear in records from other parts of Europe, likely as a result of migration and immigration. One example is Jacob Knerr, born in 1725 in the town of Heidenburg, East Prussia (now Zheleznodorozhny, Russia). He was a merchant and is mentioned in local trade records from the time.

Another individual of note is Maria Knerr, born in 1762 in the town of Altstätten, Switzerland. She was a renowned weaver and is mentioned in local guild records for her exceptional skill in textile production.

In the 19th century, the name KNERR began to appear in records from the United States, likely due to German immigration during this period. One such individual was Johann Knerr, born in 1812 in the village of Siebeldingen, Palatinate, Germany. He immigrated to the United States in 1832 and settled in Pennsylvania, where he worked as a farmer and is mentioned in local census records.

While the surname KNERR has its origins in Germany, it has since spread to various parts of the world, particularly in regions with significant German immigration. However, the name remains rooted in its historical German heritage and the linguistic origins of the Middle High German word "knerren."

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Knerr

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

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

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

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