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

Knowles, 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 Knowles surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Knowles in America

Knowles is the 1239th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Knowles surname appeared 28,460 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 10 people would have the surname Knowles.

We can also compare 2010 data for Knowles 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 Knowles

The surname Knowles originated in England, and it dates back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "cnolle" and "hyll," which mean "hill" or "knoll." The name was likely adopted as a descriptive surname for someone who lived on or near a hill or knoll.

The Knowles surname is believed to have emerged in various parts of England, including Lancashire, Cheshire, and Yorkshire. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Cnoll."

In the 13th century, the name was spelled in various ways, such as "Knolle," "Knolles," and "Knollys." The spelling "Knowles" became more common in the 16th century.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Knowles was Sir Robert Knowles, a renowned English military commander who lived from around 1310 to 1407. He played a significant role in the Hundred Years' War between England and France.

Another notable figure with the Knowles surname was John Knowles, a British politician and landowner who lived from 1619 to 1684. He served as a Member of Parliament and was involved in the English Civil War.

In the literary world, James Knowles (1759-1840) was an English playwright and actor who wrote several popular plays, including "The Beggar's Daughter of Bethnal Green."

The Knowles family also had connections to place names. For example, the village of Knollys in Shropshire, England, was named after the Knowles family, who owned land in the area.

Reverend James Knowles (1798-1884) was an American clergyman and author who wrote several books on theology and religious topics. He was born in Massachusetts and played a significant role in the development of the Unitarian church in the United States.

Overall, the surname Knowles has a rich history that can be traced back to medieval England, with connections to various regions, place names, and notable individuals throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Knowles

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

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

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

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