NameCensus.

UK surname

Knifton

In the 1881 census there were 174 people recorded with the Knifton surname, ranking it #14,042 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 263, ranked #16,210, down from #14,042 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Duffield and Ibstock. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North West Leicestershire, Doncaster and Hinckley and Bosworth.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Knifton is 277 in 2004. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 51.1%.

1881 census count

174

Ranked #14,042

Modern count

263

2016, ranked #16,210

Peak year

2004

277 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Knifton had 174 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,042 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 263 in 2016, ranked #16,210.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 271 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Knifton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Knifton surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Knifton 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 117 #15,456
1861 historical 121 #18,148
1881 historical 174 #14,042
1891 historical 188 #15,609
1901 historical 271 #12,462
1911 historical 269 #12,300
1997 modern 255 #15,077
1998 modern 271 #14,883
1999 modern 271 #14,954
2000 modern 274 #14,796
2001 modern 267 #14,839
2002 modern 272 #14,930
2003 modern 266 #14,987
2004 modern 277 #14,644
2005 modern 272 #14,742
2006 modern 262 #15,255
2007 modern 258 #15,554
2008 modern 254 #15,903
2009 modern 261 #15,926
2010 modern 264 #16,163
2011 modern 256 #16,383
2012 modern 260 #16,090
2013 modern 266 #16,098
2014 modern 268 #16,111
2015 modern 268 #16,007
2016 modern 263 #16,210

Geography

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Where Kniftons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Duffield, Ibstock, London parishes and Horsley. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North West Leicestershire, Doncaster and Hinckley and Bosworth. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 Duffield Derbyshire
3 Ibstock Leicestershire
4 London parishes London 3
5 Horsley Derbyshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North West Leicestershire 010 North West Leicestershire
2 North West Leicestershire 009 North West Leicestershire
3 Doncaster 005 Doncaster
4 North West Leicestershire 011 North West Leicestershire
5 Hinckley and Bosworth 004 Hinckley and Bosworth

Forenames

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First names often paired with Knifton

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Knifton

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Knifton, 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 Knifton surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Knifton 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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Knifton is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Knifton is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Knifton falls in decile 7 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Knifton is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

1881 census detail

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Knifton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Knifton 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. Derbyshire leads with 56 Kniftons recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.07x.

County Total Index
Derbyshire 56 21.07x
Leicestershire 37 19.66x
Staffordshire 21 3.67x
Nottinghamshire 19 8.30x
Durham 16 3.17x
Middlesex 15 0.88x
Cheshire 4 1.07x
Bedfordshire 3 3.41x
Lancashire 1 0.05x
Warwickshire 1 0.23x
Yorkshire 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wymeswold in Leicestershire leads with 23 Kniftons recorded in 1881 and an index of 4259.26x.

Place Total Index
Wymeswold 23 4259.26x
Conside Knitsley 14 356.23x
Horsley 14 875.00x
Stapleford 11 591.40x
Duffield 9 430.62x
Ibstock 9 656.93x
Nottingham St Mary 8 13.52x
Wolstanton 7 40.23x
Litchurch 6 56.13x
Shoreditch London 6 8.15x
Morton 5 980.39x
Acton 4 40.20x
Burton Upon Trent 4 29.85x
Foston Scropton 4 1290.32x
Sutton In Macclesfield 4 102.83x
Church Gresley 3 70.92x
Hulland Ward 3 1304.35x
Luton 3 19.72x
St Pancras London 3 2.20x
Tutbury 3 214.29x
West Bromwich 3 9.15x
Claylane 2 54.20x
Derby St Alkmund 2 25.13x
Gilroes 2 10000.00x
Holbrook 2 333.33x
Hugglescote 2 72.20x
Little Eaton 2 363.64x
Muggington 2 1818.18x
Sandiacre 2 210.53x
Alderwasley 1 454.55x
Alfreton 1 12.39x
Altofts 1 53.76x
Bethnal Green London 1 1.36x
Codnor Loscoe 1 47.62x
Derby St Werburgh 1 6.52x
Gateshead 1 2.64x
Kensington London 1 1.06x
Monkwearmouth Shore 1 10.14x
Nuneaton 1 20.16x
Staunton Harold 1 714.29x
West Derby 1 1.70x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 13
William 13
James 8
Thomas 7
George 5
Charles 3
Edwin 3
Samuel 3
Arthur 2
Curtis 2
Edward 2
Francis 2
Frederick 2
Joseph 2
Robert 2
Wm. 2
Benjamin 1
David 1
Enoch 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
Fredrick 1
Geo. 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Jesse 1
Laurence 1
Percy 1
Reuden 1

FAQ

Knifton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Knifton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 174 people were recorded with the Knifton surname. That placed it at #14,042 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Knifton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 263 in 2016. That gives Knifton a modern rank of #16,210.

What does the Knifton map show?

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