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

Knuth, 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 Knuth surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Knuth in America

Knuth is the 8415th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Knuth surname appeared 3,927 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 Knuth.

We can also compare 2010 data for Knuth 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 Knuth

The surname KNUTH is of German origin, originating in the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old German word "Knuth", which referred to a thick or bulky person. The earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the 13th century in various regions of Germany.

In the 14th century, the name KNUTH appeared in several historical documents and records, including the Codex Diplomaticus Brandenburgensis, a collection of charters and documents related to the Margraviate of Brandenburg. One notable bearer of the name during this time was Hermann Knuth, a landowner and nobleman in the region of Pomerania.

By the 15th century, the KNUTH name had spread to other parts of northern Germany, with records indicating families bearing the name in cities such as Hamburg and Lübeck. During this period, the name was also associated with certain place names, such as Knuthenburg, a town in the former duchy of Holstein.

The 16th century saw the emergence of several prominent figures with the KNUTH surname. One of the most notable was Reinhold Knuth, a German mathematician and astronomer born in 1544. He made significant contributions to the field of celestial mechanics and served as a professor at the University of Rostock.

In the 17th century, the KNUTH name gained recognition in the field of theology with the birth of Christian Knuth (1610-1676), a Lutheran theologian and author from Schleswig-Holstein. His works, such as "Conciliatoria Sacra" and "Concordia Discors", explored the reconciliation of religious differences.

The 18th century brought forth another notable figure, Johann Knuth (1701-1771), a German jurist and statesman. He served as the Chancellor of the Duchy of Holstein and played a significant role in the administration of the region.

In the 19th century, the KNUTH surname continued to be associated with prominent individuals, such as Eberhard Knuth (1838-1909), a German botanist and explorer who made significant contributions to the study of South American flora.

Throughout history, the KNUTH name has been carried by numerous individuals across various fields, including science, academia, politics, and the arts, making it a notable surname with a rich heritage rooted in the German language and culture.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Knuth

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

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

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

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