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

Knierim, 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 Knierim surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Knierim in America

Knierim is the 25037th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Knierim surname appeared 992 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 Knierim.

We can also compare 2010 data for Knierim 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 Knierim

The surname Knierim is of German origin, with its roots tracing back to the 16th century in the southern regions of present-day Germany. The name is believed to derive from the Middle High German words "knie" meaning "knee" and "reim" meaning "rhyme" or "verse." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to a person who recited poems or verses while kneeling, possibly during religious ceremonies or bardic traditions.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Knierim can be found in the town records of Memmingen, a historic town in the Bavarian region of Germany, dating back to the late 1500s. The name is also found in various church records and legal documents from nearby towns and villages during this period, indicating its prevalence in the region.

In the 17th century, the Knierim surname appears in the records of the Thirty Years' War, a significant conflict that ravaged much of Central Europe. Some notable individuals bearing this name during this time include Hans Knierim, a soldier from Augsburg who fought in the war, and Katherina Knierim, a widow whose property was seized during the conflict.

As the centuries progressed, the Knierim name spread throughout Germany and neighboring regions. In the 18th century, Johann Knierim (1713-1787), a notable theologian and philosopher from Württemberg, gained recognition for his scholarly works on ethics and moral philosophy.

During the 19th century, the Knierim surname gained prominence in the field of education. Karl Knierim (1822-1899), a German educator and author, founded several schools and published numerous textbooks on subjects such as geography and natural sciences.

Another notable figure from this era was August Knierim (1856-1934), a German-American architect who designed several notable buildings in Chicago, including the Garfield Park Conservatory and the Humboldt Park Boathouse.

In the 20th century, the name Knierim continued to be associated with various fields, including sports. Aliona Knierim (born 1992) is a Russian-American figure skater who competed in the 2018 Winter Olympics, while her husband and skating partner, Chris Knierim (born 1987), is also a notable figure in the sport.

Throughout its history, the surname Knierim has maintained its German roots and has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions, contributing to the rich tapestry of cultural and historical significance associated with this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Knierim

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

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

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

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