UK surname

Knaggs

A locational surname derived from a place in North Yorkshire, England.

In the 1881 census there were 773 people recorded with the Knaggs surname, ranking it #4,791 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,055, ranked #5,529, down from #4,791 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Whitby, Gateshead and Leeds. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Selby, Stockton-on-Tees and Kingston upon Hull.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Knaggs is 1,160 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 36.5%.

1881 census count

773

Ranked #4,791

Modern count

1,055

2016, ranked #5,529

Peak year

1911

1,160 bearers

Map years

1851 to 2016

Key insights

• Knaggs had 773 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,791 surname in that year.
• The latest modern count shown here is 1,055 in 2016, ranked #5,529.
• Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,160 in 1911.
• The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Map

Knaggs surname distribution map

The map shows where the Knaggs surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Knaggs surname density by area, 1881 census.

Year

Loading map

Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Knaggs over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year	Period	Count	Rank
1851	historical	547	#4,625
1861	historical	537	#4,889
1881	historical	773	#4,791
1891	historical	847	#4,823
1901	historical	1,074	#4,497
1911	historical	1,160	#4,029
1997	modern	1,063	#5,222
1998	modern	1,107	#5,230
1999	modern	1,114	#5,242
2000	modern	1,085	#5,322
2001	modern	1,056	#5,345
2002	modern	1,086	#5,329
2003	modern	1,051	#5,371
2004	modern	1,061	#5,348
2005	modern	1,055	#5,312
2006	modern	1,051	#5,337
2007	modern	1,033	#5,466
2008	modern	1,037	#5,479
2009	modern	1,052	#5,543
2010	modern	1,049	#5,652
2011	modern	1,057	#5,554
2012	modern	1,044	#5,523
2013	modern	1,066	#5,528
2014	modern	1,064	#5,573
2015	modern	1,068	#5,492
2016	modern	1,055	#5,529

Geography

Where Knaggs' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Whitby, Gateshead, Leeds, Fylingdales and Flamborough. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Selby, Stockton-on-Tees and Kingston upon Hull. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank	Parish	Area
1	Whitby	Yorkshire, North Riding
2	Gateshead	Durham
3	Leeds	Yorkshire, West Riding
4	Fylingdales	Yorkshire, North Riding
5	Flamborough	Yorkshire, East Riding

Top modern areas

Rank	Area	District
1	Selby 002	Selby
2	Stockton-on-Tees 005	Stockton-on-Tees
3	Kingston upon Hull 010	Kingston upon Hull, City of
4	Kingston upon Hull 011	Kingston upon Hull, City of
5	Selby 004	Selby

Forenames

First names often paired with Knaggs

These lists show first names that appear often with the Knaggs surname in historical and recent records.

Historical female names

Mary Elizabeth Jane Sarah Ann Hannah Annie Margaret Ellen Emma

Historical male names

John William George Thomas Robert Joseph Richard James Henry Charles

Recent female names

Susan Margaret Sarah Claire Victoria Elizabeth Mary Helen Karen Julie

Recent male names

John David Michael Peter Paul James Andrew Christopher Robert Richard

Modern profile

Neighbourhood profile for Knaggs

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Knaggs, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Knaggs surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Knaggs household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Established Homeowners with Children

Within London, Knaggs is most associated with areas classed as Established Homeowners with Children, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly British-born residents are typically married/in civil partnerships and own the properties in which they are raising their children. Parents are typically over 45, and many other residents are beyond normal retirement age. Detached and semi-detached houses predominate and multiple car ownership is common.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Knaggs is most concentrated in decile 7 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Knaggs falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Knaggs is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate: White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Knaggs, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Origin

Meaning and origin of Knaggs

The surname Knaggs is of English origin, and it is believed to have originated in the county of Yorkshire during the medieval period. The name is thought to be derived from the Old English word "cnagga," which means "a knoll or a hill."

The earliest recorded reference to the name Knaggs can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Cnagga." This suggests that the name was already in use by the late 11th century. The Domesday Book entry is believed to refer to a location in Yorkshire, possibly a settlement situated on or near a hill.

During the Middle Ages, the name Knaggs underwent various spelling variations, such as Knagges, Knaggis, and Knagge. These variations were likely due to the inconsistencies in record-keeping and the lack of standardized spelling conventions at that time.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Knaggs was Robert Knaggs, who was born in Yorkshire around 1350. He is mentioned in the Yorkshire Charters of 1387 as a landowner and tenant farmer.

In the 16th century, the name Knaggs was found in several historical records from the county of Lancashire. John Knaggs, born in 1525, was a prominent merchant and landowner in the town of Preston. His son, William Knaggs (1560-1632), was a respected magistrate and served as the Mayor of Preston in 1610.

The name Knaggs also appears in the records of the English Civil War (1642-1651). Roger Knaggs (1620-1677) was a Puritan soldier who fought for the Parliamentarian forces under Oliver Cromwell. He was later granted lands in Nottinghamshire for his service.

Another notable figure with the surname Knaggs was Sir John Knaggs (1675-1742), a wealthy merchant and philanthropist from London. He endowed several charitable institutions and was a benefactor to several churches in the city.

During the 18th century, the Knaggs family had established themselves as influential landowners and industrialists in the north of England. Thomas Knaggs (1718-1789) was a successful coal mine owner and iron manufacturer in County Durham.

Throughout history, the surname Knaggs has been associated with various place names and locations, particularly in the northern counties of England. Examples include Knaggs Hill in Yorkshire, Knaggs Farm in Lancashire, and Knaggs Lane in Nottinghamshire.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Knaggs families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Knaggs surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Yorkshire leads with 584 Knaggs' recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.82x.

County	Total	Frequency	Index
Yorkshire	584	0.02%	7.82x
Durham	81	0.01%	3.61x
Lancashire	23	0.00%	0.26x
Middlesex	23	0.00%	0.31x
Kent	10	0.00%	0.39x
Northumberland	8	0.00%	0.71x
Renfrewshire	7	0.00%	1.20x
Gloucestershire	6	0.00%	0.41x
Surrey	6	0.00%	0.16x
Hampshire	5	0.00%	0.32x
Essex	4	0.00%	0.27x
Sussex	4	0.00%	0.31x
Cheshire	3	0.00%	0.18x
Lanarkshire	3	0.00%	0.12x
Derbyshire	2	0.00%	0.17x
Nottinghamshire	2	0.00%	0.20x
Devon	1	0.00%	0.06x
Midlothian	1	0.00%	0.10x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Flamborough in Yorkshire leads with 40 Knaggs' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1104.97x.

Place	Total	Frequency	Index
Flamborough	40	2.85%	1104.97x
Whitby	25	0.26%	99.29x
Middlesbrough	24	0.06%	24.67x
Fylingdales	22	1.52%	591.40x
Guisbrough	22	0.35%	134.72x
Bridlington	20	0.30%	116.89x
Skelton In Guisbrough	19	0.24%	94.01x
Kirkleatham	17	0.43%	168.48x
Scarborough	17	0.06%	25.04x
Great Driffield	15	0.25%	97.85x
Hinderwell	15	0.61%	235.11x
Holy Trinity	14	0.02%	7.79x
Speeton	14	8.75%	3414.63x
Kilham	13	1.07%	414.01x
Nafferton	13	1.05%	407.52x
Hunslet	12	0.03%	10.30x
Ripon	12	0.18%	69.24x
Tudhoe	11	0.14%	56.04x
Bransdale West Side	10	5.13%	2000.00x
Easington In Guisbrough	10	1.55%	602.41x
Hartlepool	10	0.08%	31.37x
Lofthouse	10	0.23%	89.61x
Rosedale East Side	10	2.54%	990.10x
Egton	9	0.71%	274.39x
St Giles	9	0.17%	64.29x
St Pancras London	9	0.00%	1.48x
Castle Leavington	8	18.18%	7272.73x
Darlington	8	0.02%	9.24x
Hackness	8	3.83%	1481.48x
Cottingham	7	0.11%	43.48x
Hamsterley	7	1.42%	551.18x
West Greenock	7	0.02%	6.67x
Aismunderby Cum	6	0.73%	284.36x
Beverley St Mary	6	0.14%	55.00x
Bristol St John Baptist	6	1.13%	437.96x
Everton	6	0.01%	2.10x
Folkestone	6	0.03%	12.02x
Great Ayton	6	0.34%	131.00x
Hilderthorpe	6	0.41%	159.15x
Manchester	6	0.00%	1.49x
Oldham	6	0.01%	2.08x
Sculcoates	6	0.01%	5.07x
Skinningrove	6	0.34%	131.00x
Stranton	6	0.02%	7.94x
Wilton In Guisbrough	6	0.46%	179.64x
Barnby	5	2.55%	980.39x
Bilsdale Midcable	5	0.74%	285.71x
Brading	5	0.06%	24.34x
Chelsea London	5	0.01%	2.20x
Hornsea	5	0.27%	105.49x
Hunmanby	5	0.37%	143.27x
New Malton	5	0.14%	55.99x
Newton Mulgrave	5	6.25%	2380.95x
North Frodingham	5	0.73%	284.09x
Sherburn	5	0.19%	73.21x
Barrow In Furness	4	0.01%	3.29x
Beverley St Nicholas	4	0.17%	65.25x
Boltby	4	1.32%	512.82x
Brotton	4	0.11%	41.03x
Crook Billy Row	4	0.04%	13.92x
Elswick	4	0.01%	4.47x
Gransmoor	4	4.76%	1818.18x
Hastings St Mary In The	4	0.04%	14.75x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow	4	0.01%	4.12x
Huddersfield	4	0.01%	3.67x
Marton In Middlesbrough	4	0.38%	146.52x
Newington	4	0.05%	19.44x
Normanby In	4	0.05%	20.02x
Sewerby Cum Marton	4	0.73%	281.69x
Ulrome	4	2.04%	784.31x
Warter	4	0.66%	256.41x
West Ham	4	0.00%	1.22x
Westerdale	4	1.50%	579.71x
Wolsingham	4	0.05%	19.57x
Grindall	3	1.68%	652.17x
Haisthorpe	3	2.44%	937.50x
South Milford	3	0.28%	109.89x
Thwing	3	0.68%	263.16x
Tranmere	3	0.01%	4.90x
Whorlton	3	1.24%	483.87x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Knaggs surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name	Count
Mary	63
Elizabeth	44
Sarah	30
Jane	27
Hannah	25
Annie	18
Ann	17
Margaret	15
Alice	12
Ellen	11
Emma	7
Isabella	7
Ada	6
Eliza	6
Emily	6
Anne	4
Harriet	4
Kate	4
Louisa	4
Catherine	3
Dorothy	3
Edith	3
Eleanor	3
Esther	3
Martha	3
Rebecca	3
Susannah	3
Amelia	2
Amy	2
Dinah	2
Florence	2
Frances	2
Isabel	2
Laura	2
Minnie	2
Susan	2
Ader	1
Beatha	1
Beatrice	1
Bertha	1
Betsy	1
Blanch	1
Clara	1
Eliabeth	1
Elizth.A.	1
Elizth.J.	1
Georgiana	1
Gwendoline	1
Isabell	1
Zillah	1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Knaggs surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name	Count
John	59
William	54
Thomas	32
George	26
Joseph	19
Robert	19
Henry	16
Richard	12
James	11
Charles	8
Arthur	6
Francis	5
David	4
Samuel	4
Walter	4
Frederick	3
Harry	3
Robt.	3
Tom	3
Aaron	2
Edward	2
Ernest	2
Fred.	2
Geo.	2
Hy.	2
Mark	2
Matthew	2
Peter	2
Robinson	2
Stephen	2
Sydney	2
Wm.	2
Allan	1
Andrew	1
Barnby	1
Bateson	1
Chadwick	1
Chas.	1
Fewster	1
Flemmings	1
Frank	1
Fred	1
Frederich	1
Jas.	1
Johnson	1
Johon	1
Jonathan	1
Levi	1
Marshall	1
Zacharia	1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Knaggs households.

Occupation	Count
Scholar	144
Fisherman	13
Domestic Servant	8
Joiner	7
Housekeeper	6
Annuitant	5
Charwoman	5
Dressmaker	5
Farm Labourer	5
General Servant	5
Grocer	5
Ag Lab	4
Farm Servant (Indoor)	4
Fisherman Wife	4
Iron Miner	4
Wife	4
Agricultural Labourer	3
Farmers Son	3
Farmers Wife	3
General Labourer	3
General Serv	3
Labourer	3
Servant Domestic	3
Agricultural Laborer	2
Butcher	2
Coal Miner	2
Domestic Serv	2
Farmer Son	2
Fishermans Assistant	2
Fishermans Widow	2
Formerly Farmer	2
General Farm Servant	2
General Servant Domestic	2
Groom	2
Housework	2
Inn Keeper	2
Milliner	2
No Occupation	2
Painter	2
Railway Porter	2
Retired Farmer	2
Servant	2
Servant (Domestic)	2
Shoemaker	2
Stone Mason	2
Agricultural Lab	1
Cabt Maker & Parish Clerk (Employing 1 Man & 2 Boys)	1
Carpet Weaver	1
Cartwright	1
Yeast Merchant Brewer	1

FAQ

Knaggs surname: questions and answers

How common was the Knaggs surname in 1881?

In 1881, 773 people were recorded with the Knaggs surname. That placed it at #4,791 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Knaggs surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,055 in 2016. That gives Knaggs a modern rank of #5,529.

What does the Knaggs surname mean?