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

Knockum, 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 Knockum surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Knockum in America

Knockum is the 116201st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Knockum surname appeared 150 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 Knockum.

We can also compare 2010 data for Knockum 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 Knockum

The surname Knockum has its origins in the northern counties of England, particularly Yorkshire and Lancashire, where it first emerged in the late 13th century. Historians believe the name is derived from the Old English words "cnoc" meaning hill or hillock, and "ham" meaning homestead or village. Thus, Knockum likely referred to someone who lived near a prominent hill or knoll.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was Roger de Knockum, who was mentioned in the Lancashire Pipe Rolls of 1292. Another early example is John Knokham, whose name appears in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Returns of 1379. The variant spelling "Knokham" suggests the name was associated with a specific place called Knokham, though its exact location is uncertain.

By the 15th century, the surname had spread to other parts of England, as evidenced by records such as the 1455 entry for Thomas Knockum in the Oxfordshire Hearth Tax Rolls. Around this time, the name also began appearing in Scotland, with notable bearers including David Knockum, a merchant in Aberdeen mentioned in the city's guild records of 1487.

During the Tudor period, the Knockum family gained some prominence, with several members serving in positions of authority. Sir Robert Knockum (1510-1587) was a Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire and served as Sheriff of the county in 1573. His contemporary, William Knockum (1525-1602), was a noted scholar and theologian who served as the rector of St. Mary's Church in Nottingham.

In the 17th century, the Knockum name appeared in various colonial records as English settlers began establishing themselves in the New World. One such individual was John Knockum (1642-1712), a farmer who emigrated to Virginia in 1668 and became a prominent landowner in the colony.

Other notable bearers of the Knockum surname include:

• Mary Knockum (1712-1786), a renowned midwife in Boston, Massachusetts, who delivered thousands of babies over her long career.
• Captain James Knockum (1765-1842), a British naval officer who served with distinction during the Napoleonic Wars.
• Reverend Thomas Knockum (1798-1875), a influential Baptist minister and abolitionist in New York.
• Sir Arthur Knockum (1852-1927), a British diplomat who served as Ambassador to Russia from 1910 to 1917.
• Edith Knockum (1880-1963), a pioneering aviator and one of the first women to earn a pilot's license in the United Kingdom.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Knockum

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

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

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

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