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

Knightly, 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 Knightly surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Knightly in America

Knightly is the 42790th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Knightly surname appeared 506 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 Knightly.

We can also compare 2010 data for Knightly 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 Knightly

The surname Knightly is of English origin and can be traced back to the late 12th century. It is a locational surname, derived from the place name Knightley in Warwickshire. This place name is believed to have been formed from the Old English words "cniht" meaning a knight or servant, and "leah" meaning a meadow or clearing in a forest.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Knightly appears in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire in 1199, where a person named Roger de Knitteleg is mentioned. This spelling variation suggests the name's connection to the village of Knightley.

In the 13th century, the name was also recorded in various forms such as Knighteleye, Knitteleg, and Knytleye, reflecting the local pronunciation and spelling variations of the time.

The Knightly family was well-established in Warwickshire and played a significant role in the county's history. One notable member was Sir Richard Knightly (c. 1532-1615), a Member of Parliament and High Sheriff of Warwickshire. He was involved in the trial of Mary, Queen of Scots and was a close friend of Sir Walter Raleigh.

Another prominent figure was Sir Edmund Knightly (c. 1519-1615), a Member of Parliament and Lord Lieutenant of Warwickshire. He served as a Justice of the Peace and was knighted by Queen Elizabeth I in 1592.

In the 16th century, the name Knightly was also found in other parts of England, such as Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire. One example is Sir John Knightly (1560-1599), a Member of Parliament for Northamptonshire and a soldier who fought in the Netherlands.

The Knightly family continued to play a significant role in the region throughout the 17th and 18th centuries. Notable individuals include Sir Robert Knightly (1599-1668), a Member of Parliament and Royalist supporter during the English Civil War, and Sir Richard Knightly (1719-1812), a Member of Parliament and landowner in Warwickshire.

While the Knightly surname is still found today, the historical records and notable individuals mentioned above provide a glimpse into the origins and significance of this surname in English history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Knightly

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

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

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

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