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

Knisely, 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 Knisely surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Knisely in America

Knisely is the 15763rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Knisely surname appeared 1,849 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 Knisely.

We can also compare 2010 data for Knisely 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 Knisely

The surname Knisely has its origins in the German language and can be traced back to the 16th century in central Europe. It is believed to have derived from the Old German word "knesin," which means "to rub" or "to massage." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to a profession or trade, possibly a masseur or someone who worked in a similar field.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Knisely name can be found in the town records of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, a small town in Bavaria, Germany, dating back to the late 1500s. The name appeared in various spellings, such as "Kniesele" and "Knisele," reflecting the regional dialects and variations in orthography at the time.

In the 17th century, the name began to appear in other parts of Germany, as well as in neighboring regions like Austria and Switzerland. Records from this period show that the Knisely family had established roots in areas like the Black Forest and the Palatinate region.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, as immigration to the Americas increased, the Knisely surname made its way across the Atlantic. One notable figure from this era was Johann Michael Knisely, a German immigrant who settled in Pennsylvania in the 1760s and became a prominent farmer and landowner.

Another notable individual with this surname was Friedrich Wilhelm Knisely, a German-born musician and composer who lived from 1811 to 1879. He gained recognition for his contributions to the development of military music and marching bands.

In the 20th century, the Knisely name continued to spread across various parts of the world. One noteworthy person was Albert Knisely, an American businessman and philanthropist born in 1891, who made significant contributions to the fields of education and healthcare.

Another individual of note was Elizabeth Knisely, a British author and historian who lived from 1923 to 2005. She wrote several books on the history of her hometown, Nottingham, and was recognized for her efforts in preserving local heritage.

While the Knisely surname may have evolved from its original meaning over the centuries, its rich history and widespread presence across different cultures and regions serve as a testament to the remarkable journeys and contributions of those who have carried this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Knisely

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

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

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

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