NameCensus.

UK surname

Knapper

An occupational surname referring to someone who carved or shaped stone or wood.

In the 1881 census there were 348 people recorded with the Knapper surname, ranking it #8,791 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 874, ranked #6,431, up from #8,791 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Trentham, Wolstanton and Astbury. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include St. Helens, Cheshire East and Stoke-on-Trent.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Knapper is 895 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 151.1%.

1881 census count

348

Ranked #8,791

Modern count

874

2016, ranked #6,431

Peak year

2014

895 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Knapper had 348 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,791 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 874 in 2016, ranked #6,431.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 536 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Knapper surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Knapper surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Knapper 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 179 #11,346
1861 historical 187 #12,690
1881 historical 348 #8,791
1891 historical 370 #9,429
1901 historical 454 #8,657
1911 historical 536 #7,432
1997 modern 503 #9,259
1998 modern 866 #6,341
1999 modern 866 #6,389
2000 modern 862 #6,377
2001 modern 862 #6,264
2002 modern 879 #6,291
2003 modern 857 #6,311
2004 modern 860 #6,293
2005 modern 856 #6,280
2006 modern 859 #6,266
2007 modern 870 #6,259
2008 modern 884 #6,220
2009 modern 885 #6,347
2010 modern 893 #6,431
2011 modern 886 #6,393
2012 modern 864 #6,442
2013 modern 887 #6,400
2014 modern 895 #6,399
2015 modern 891 #6,368
2016 modern 874 #6,431

Geography

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Where Knappers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Trentham, Wolstanton, Astbury, Burslem and Prestwich. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to St. Helens, Cheshire East, Stoke-on-Trent and Newcastle-under-Lyme. 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 Trentham Staffordshire
2 Wolstanton Staffordshire
3 Astbury Cheshire
4 Burslem Staffordshire
5 Prestwich Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 St. Helens 014 St. Helens
2 Cheshire East 033 Cheshire East
3 Stoke-on-Trent 002 Stoke-on-Trent
4 Stoke-on-Trent 009 Stoke-on-Trent
5 Newcastle-under-Lyme 001 Newcastle-under-Lyme

Forenames

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First names often paired with Knapper

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Knapper

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Knapper, 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 Knapper surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Knapper 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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Knapper is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Knapper 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Knapper 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Knapper is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Knapper

The surname Knapper is of English origin, derived from the occupational term "knapper," which referred to a maker or breaker of stones, particularly for the construction of buildings or roads. The name is believed to have emerged in the late 12th or early 13th century, during the period of widespread construction and development in England following the Norman Conquest.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1166, where it is spelled "Knapier." This demonstrates the name's longstanding presence in the northern counties of England, where the quarrying and masonry trades were particularly prevalent.

The Knapper surname is also found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, a census-like record compiled during the reign of King Edward I. Here, the name is recorded as "Knapere," further illustrating the variation in spelling that was common in medieval times.

In the 14th century, the name appears in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire, where a certain John Knapper is mentioned in 1317. This record highlights the connection between the surname and the area around Wakefield, which was known for its thriving stone quarries and masonry industries.

The Knapper surname may also have been derived from the Old English word "cnapp," meaning "hill" or "knoll," suggesting that some bearers of the name may have resided near such geographical features.

Among notable individuals with the surname Knapper throughout history are:

1. William Knapper (c. 1580-1640), an English architect and surveyor who worked on various projects in London and the surrounding areas during the early 17th century.

2. John Knapper (1720-1795), a British soldier and explorer who participated in several expeditions to the Americas and the West Indies.

3. Elizabeth Knapper (1793-1857), an English philanthropist and social reformer who campaigned for the education of women and the abolition of slavery.

4. Thomas Knapper (1842-1913), a British engineer and inventor who patented several innovations in the field of steam engine technology.

5. Alfred Knapper (1877-1952), an Australian painter and printmaker known for his landscapes and depictions of rural life.

While the Knapper surname is not among the most common in the English-speaking world, it has a rich history rooted in the medieval trades and industries that shaped the development of many regions in England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Knapper families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Knapper 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. Staffordshire leads with 259 Knappers recorded in 1881 and an index of 22.54x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 259 22.54x
Cheshire 46 6.12x
Yorkshire 18 0.53x
Herefordshire 10 7.16x
Lancashire 7 0.17x
Glamorgan 4 0.67x
Leicestershire 2 0.53x
Cumberland 1 0.34x
Hampshire 1 0.14x
Somerset 1 0.18x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wolstanton in Staffordshire leads with 72 Knappers recorded in 1881 and an index of 206.30x.

Place Total Index
Wolstanton 72 206.30x
Wolstanton Oldcott 60 1442.31x
Burslem 51 154.92x
Stoke Upon Trent 27 22.16x
Audley 22 193.49x
Congleton 16 123.27x
Trentham 12 122.83x
Woolhope 10 1149.43x
Odd Rode 9 241.94x
Stapeley 9 1285.71x
Madeley 7 244.76x
Roystone 7 530.30x
Manchester 6 3.30x
Sandbach 5 78.00x
Smallthorne 5 117.37x
Alsager 4 213.90x
Llangynwyd Higher 4 140.35x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 4 25.53x
Sharlston 3 135.75x
Ashby De La Zouch 2 22.86x
Audley Talk O Th Hill 2 96.62x
Castleford 2 16.29x
Featherstone 2 52.77x
Wheelock 2 215.05x
Buglawton 1 55.25x
Burnham 1 23.92x
Holy Rood 1 70.92x
Millom 1 11.14x
Reddish 1 17.99x
Uttoxeter 1 17.01x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 20
Sarah 18
Elizabeth 16
Jane 9
Ann 8
Eliza 8
Hannah 7
Emily 6
Emma 6
Ellen 5
Louisa 5
Alice 4
Annie 3
Caroline 3
Edith 3
Harriet 3
Maria 3
Rachel 3
Rosa 3
Charlotte 2
Edna 2
Florence 2
Frances 2
Martha 2
Susannah 2
Anna 1
Anne 1
Bertha 1
Bessie 1
Betsay 1
Christina 1
Elizh. 1
Esther 1
Eva 1
Fanny 1
Helen 1
Infant 1
Joseph 1
Leah 1
Lear 1
Lilly 1
Lucy 1
M.A. 1
Margaret 1
Minnie 1
Myra 1
Olive 1
Phoebe 1
Prudence 1
Teresa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Joseph 20
John 17
William 14
James 12
Charles 11
Samuel 11
George 10
Thomas 9
Stephen 7
Enoch 6
Henry 4
David 3
Edward 3
Fredrick 3
Levi 3
Lewis 3
Mark 3
Alfred 2
Frederick 2
Herbert 2
Walter 2
Albert 1
Arther 1
Chas. 1
Daniel 1
Dens. 1
Elijah 1
Fred 1
Fred. 1
Fredric 1
Harvey 1
Henery 1
I. 1
Isaac 1
Jeremiah 1
Jno. 1
Manasseh 1
Moses 1
Reuben 1
Thos. 1
Titus 1
Will 1
Willm. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Knapper surname: questions and answers

How common was the Knapper surname in 1881?

In 1881, 348 people were recorded with the Knapper surname. That placed it at #8,791 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Knapper surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 874 in 2016. That gives Knapper a modern rank of #6,431.

What does the Knapper surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to someone who carved or shaped stone or wood.

What does the Knapper map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Knapper bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.