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

Knowlton, 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 Knowlton surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Knowlton in America

Knowlton is the 4354th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Knowlton surname appeared 8,157 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Knowlton.

We can also compare 2010 data for Knowlton 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 Knowlton

The surname Knowlton originated in England, and its roots can be traced back to the Anglo-Saxon era. It is derived from the Old English words "cnoll," meaning a hill or hilltop, and "tun," meaning a town or settlement. The earliest recorded spelling of the name was "Cnolletun," found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror.

The name Knowlton is believed to have originated as a place name, referring to a settlement or dwelling located on a hilltop. This geographic association is common among many English surnames, as they often referred to the location where a person or family resided. The name is thought to have been initially used to identify individuals from the village of Knowlton, which is now located in the county of Kent.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Robert de Knowlton, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1203. Another early record is of William de Knolton, who was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Staffordshire in 1327. The spelling variations found in historical documents include Knolton, Knollton, and Knowleton, reflecting the evolution of the name over time.

In the 14th century, Sir Robert Knowlton was a prominent figure who served as a Member of Parliament for Kent. He was born around 1320 and played a significant role in local politics during his lifetime.

During the English Civil War in the 17th century, Thomas Knowlton (1691-1782) was a noted military leader who fought for the Parliamentary forces. He was born in Berkshire and is remembered for his bravery and strategic leadership in several battles.

Another notable bearer of the name was Samuel Knowlton (1734-1776), an American military officer who served in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. He was born in Massachusetts and played a crucial role in the Battle of Bunker Hill, where he lost his life while leading his troops.

The name Knowlton has also been associated with several place names throughout England, such as Knowlton Court in Kent, Knowlton Hanger in Wiltshire, and Knowlton Village in Dorset. These locations likely derived their names from the original settlement or individuals who bore the surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Knowlton

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

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

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

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