NameCensus.

UK surname

Kneath

In the 1881 census there were 88 people recorded with the Kneath surname, ranking it #21,211 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 102, ranked #30,722, down from #21,211 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bishopston, Nicholaston, Ilston and Cardiff St John and St Mary. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Swansea and Wealden.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kneath is 130 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 15.9%.

1881 census count

88

Ranked #21,211

Modern count

102

2016, ranked #30,722

Peak year

1901

130 bearers

Map years

5

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Kneath had 88 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #21,211 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 102 in 2016, ranked #30,722.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 130 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Kneath surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Kneath surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Kneath 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 79 #19,712
1861 historical 67 #25,342
1881 historical 88 #21,211
1891 historical 102 #23,719
1901 historical 130 #19,649
1911 historical 127 #19,749
1997 modern 84 #29,106
1998 modern 84 #29,537
1999 modern 92 #28,833
2000 modern 83 #29,809
2001 modern 83 #29,617
2002 modern 97 #28,383
2003 modern 98 #28,046
2004 modern 97 #28,455
2005 modern 96 #28,671
2006 modern 101 #28,125
2007 modern 96 #29,339
2008 modern 98 #29,355
2009 modern 101 #29,445
2010 modern 101 #30,078
2011 modern 99 #30,218
2012 modern 98 #30,612
2013 modern 99 #30,934
2014 modern 100 #31,033
2015 modern 101 #30,816
2016 modern 102 #30,722

Geography

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Where Kneaths are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bishopston, Nicholaston, Ilston, Cardiff St John and St Mary, St John near Swansea and Swansea. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Swansea and Wealden. 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 Bishopston, Nicholaston Glamorganshire
2 Ilston Glamorganshire
3 Cardiff St John and St Mary Glamorganshire
4 St John near Swansea Glamorganshire
5 Swansea Glamorganshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Swansea 020 Swansea
2 Swansea 030 Swansea
3 Wealden 008 Wealden
4 Swansea 014 Swansea
5 Swansea 019 Swansea

Forenames

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First names often paired with Kneath

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Kneath

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Kneath, 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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Kneath surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Kneath household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Kneath is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Kneath is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Kneath falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Kneath 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.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

1881 census detail

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Kneath families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kneath 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. Glamorgan leads with 71 Kneaths recorded in 1881 and an index of 47.51x.

County Total Index
Glamorgan 71 47.51x
Herefordshire 5 14.21x
Monmouthshire 5 8.06x
Gloucestershire 3 1.78x
Hampshire 1 0.57x
Pembrokeshire 1 3.67x
Surrey 1 0.24x
Sussex 1 0.69x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Swansea Town in Glamorgan leads with 22 Kneaths recorded in 1881 and an index of 179.59x.

Place Total Index
Swansea Town 22 179.59x
Swansea Lower 9 1184.21x
Ilston 8 10000.00x
St John Near Swansea 8 432.43x
Penmaen 6 15000.00x
Nicholaston 5 16666.67x
Roath 5 73.64x
Trevethin 5 85.32x
Whitney 5 6250.00x
Margam 3 179.64x
Clifton 2 23.50x
Oystermouth 2 172.41x
Swansea St Thomas 2 133.33x
Alverstoke 1 15.70x
Bishopston Lower 1 909.09x
Horfield 1 59.17x
Horsted Keynes 1 294.12x
Lambeth 1 1.34x
Wiston 1 476.19x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 13
Elizabeth 6
Jane 3
Anne 2
Annie 2
Emily 2
Phillis 2
Ruth 2
Alice 1
Amy 1
Ann 1
Clara 1
Esther 1
Evetta 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Louisa 1
Margaret 1
Martha 1
Sarah 1
Sarrah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Thomas 7
David 6
William 6
John 5
Andrew 3
Henry 3
Morgan 2
Philip 2
Wm. 2
Henery 1
Ivor 1
Mathew 1
Phillip 1
R.E. 1
Robert 1

FAQ

Kneath surname: questions and answers

How common was the Kneath surname in 1881?

In 1881, 88 people were recorded with the Kneath surname. That placed it at #21,211 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Kneath surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 102 in 2016. That gives Kneath a modern rank of #30,722.

What does the Kneath map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Kneath 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.