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

Knopf, 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 Knopf surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Knopf in America

Knopf is the 12188th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Knopf surname appeared 2,556 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 Knopf.

We can also compare 2010 data for Knopf 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 Knopf

The surname Knopf originates from the German language and has its roots in the country of Germany. It is believed to have emerged during the Middle Ages, sometime between the 12th and 15th centuries. The name is derived from the German word "Knopf," which means "button" or "knob," and was likely an occupational surname given to a maker of buttons or knobs.

Knopf is found in several historical records and documents from various regions of Germany. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hanseatic League's records, dating back to the 14th century. The Hanseatic League was a powerful commercial and defensive confederation of merchant guilds and market towns in Central and Northern Europe.

In the 16th century, a notable figure bearing the Knopf surname was Johannes Knopf, a German theologian and reformer who lived from 1509 to 1563. He was a prominent figure during the Protestant Reformation and actively supported the teachings of Martin Luther.

Another historical figure with the Knopf surname was Johann Gottfried Knopf, a German composer and organist who lived from 1742 to 1808. He is known for his contributions to the development of organ music and compositions for the instrument.

The surname Knopf can also be traced back to various place names in Germany, such as Knopflingen, a town in the state of Baden-Württemberg, and Knopfmühle, a village in the state of Saxony-Anhalt. These place names likely derived from the word "Knopf" and may have influenced the surname's development.

In the 19th century, a notable individual with the Knopf surname was Alfred A. Knopf, an American publisher who founded the prestigious Alfred A. Knopf publishing house in 1915. He was born in 1892 in St. Louis, Missouri, to German-American parents, and his publishing company became known for its literary excellence and influential authors.

Another prominent figure with the Knopf surname was Walter Knopf, a German-American film producer and screenwriter who lived from 1906 to 1989. He was known for his work on several notable films, including "The Pride of the Yankees" (1942) and "Sabrina" (1954).

While the surname Knopf may have evolved over time and taken on various spellings in different regions, its origins can be traced back to the German language and its connection to the occupation of button or knob making during the Middle Ages.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Knopf

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

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

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

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