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

Knoy, 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 Knoy surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Knoy in America

Knoy is the 73005th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Knoy surname appeared 266 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 Knoy.

We can also compare 2010 data for Knoy 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 Knoy

The surname KNOY has its origins in the German language and can be traced back to the 13th century. It is believed to have originated in the northern regions of Germany, particularly in the areas around modern-day Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia. The name is thought to be derived from the Old German word "kno", which meant "knee" or "knob".

One of the earliest recorded instances of the KNOY surname can be found in a medieval document from the town of Lüneburg, dated around 1270. This document mentions a certain "Johannes Knoy", who was a local landowner and farmer. Another early reference to the name comes from the town records of Münster, where a "Heinrich Knoy" is listed as a member of the town council in the year 1312.

During the 14th and 15th centuries, the KNOY surname began to spread across various regions of Germany, as well as into neighboring countries such as the Netherlands and Denmark. In these areas, the name was sometimes spelled slightly differently, such as "Knoi" or "Knöy", reflecting local linguistic variations.

One notable figure from this period was Hans Knoy, a German merchant and trader who lived in the city of Bremen from around 1420 to 1482. He is recorded as having established several successful trading routes throughout the Hanseatic League, and his name appears in various commercial documents from that time.

In the 16th century, the KNOY surname is found in records from the town of Emden, in East Frisia. Here, a certain Gerhard Knoy (c.1520-1589) was a prominent local figure, serving as a magistrate and town councilor for many years.

As the centuries passed, the KNOY name continued to spread throughout Germany and beyond. Notable individuals with this surname include the 18th-century German philosopher and theologian Johann Knoy (1700-1768), and the 19th-century Dutch painter Theodorus Knoy (1822-1893).

Another historical figure of note was Wilhelm Knoy (1857-1923), a German theologian and academic who specialized in the study of early Christian literature and manuscripts. He made significant contributions to the field of biblical scholarship and served as a professor at the University of Bonn.

Overall, the surname KNOY has a rich and diverse history, with its roots firmly planted in the linguistic and cultural traditions of northern Germany. Despite its humble origins, the name has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including scholars, artists, and community leaders, over the course of many centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Knoy

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

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

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

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