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

Kniffen, 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 Kniffen surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kniffen in America

Kniffen is the 26025th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kniffen surname appeared 942 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 Kniffen.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kniffen 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 Kniffen

The surname Kniffen is believed to have originated in England, likely during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "cnif," which means "knife" or "dagger." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to a person who made or sold knives, or perhaps someone who bore a knife as a symbol of their occupation or status.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kniffen can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire, a compilation of records from the late 13th century. In this document, a person named Walter Knyfwyne is mentioned, which is likely an early variation of the name Kniffen.

In the 14th century, the name appears in various forms, including Knyven, Knyffen, and Kniffen, in records from counties such as Suffolk, Norfolk, and Essex. This suggests that the name was particularly prevalent in the eastern regions of England during this time.

One notable individual bearing the surname Kniffen was Sir John Kniffen, a landowner and member of Parliament who lived in the 16th century. He was born in Gloucestershire around 1515 and served as a Member of Parliament for the borough of Cricklade in 1553.

Another individual with this surname was William Kniffen, a merchant and alderman who lived in London in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. He was involved in the city's government and served as an alderman for the Dowgate Ward from 1602 to 1628.

In the 17th century, the name Kniffen can be found in records from various parts of England, including Lincolnshire, Yorkshire, and Gloucestershire. One notable bearer of the name during this period was John Kniffen, a prominent Quaker who was born in Gloucestershire in 1621 and became a respected minister and writer within the Quaker community.

Another individual of note was Thomas Kniffen, a British military officer who served in the American Revolutionary War. He was born in Northamptonshire in 1739 and served as a lieutenant in the British Army during the war, participating in several battles against the American forces.

In the 19th century, the name Kniffen can be found in records from various parts of the United States, indicating that individuals with this surname had immigrated to America from England. One notable bearer of the name during this period was Hiram Kniffen, an American politician and lawyer who served as a member of the New York State Assembly in the 1840s.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kniffen

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

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

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

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