NameCensus.

UK surname

Knights

An occupational surname for a knight or a military servant.

In the 1881 census there were 2,619 people recorded with the Knights surname, ranking it #1,698 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,719, ranked #1,443, up from #1,698 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Hellesdon, St Mary in the Marsh, St Clement, St Martin at Oak, St Mary at Coslany, St Michael at Cos and Ipswich St Mary Stoke. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Suffolk Coastal and Waveney.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Knights is 4,964 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 80.2%.

1881 census count

2,619

Ranked #1,698

Modern count

4,719

2016, ranked #1,443

Peak year

1999

4,964 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Knights had 2,619 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,698 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,719 in 2016, ranked #1,443.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 4,665 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Knights surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Knights surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Knights 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 2,077 #1,400
1861 historical 2,011 #1,444
1881 historical 2,619 #1,698
1891 historical 3,271 #1,451
1901 historical 3,860 #1,462
1911 historical 4,665 #1,109
1997 modern 4,823 #1,362
1998 modern 4,931 #1,385
1999 modern 4,964 #1,385
2000 modern 4,940 #1,383
2001 modern 4,884 #1,364
2002 modern 4,959 #1,373
2003 modern 4,852 #1,364
2004 modern 4,755 #1,389
2005 modern 4,687 #1,390
2006 modern 4,634 #1,408
2007 modern 4,618 #1,425
2008 modern 4,643 #1,424
2009 modern 4,764 #1,430
2010 modern 4,872 #1,428
2011 modern 4,819 #1,428
2012 modern 4,716 #1,427
2013 modern 4,792 #1,428
2014 modern 4,800 #1,438
2015 modern 4,730 #1,440
2016 modern 4,719 #1,443

Geography

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Where Knights' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Hellesdon, St Mary in the Marsh, St Clement, St Martin at Oak, St Mary at Coslany, St Michael at Cos and Ipswich St Mary Stoke. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Suffolk Coastal and Waveney. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Hellesdon, St Mary in the Marsh, St Clement, St Martin at Oak, St Mary at Coslany, St Michael at Cos Norfolk
4 Ipswich St Mary Stoke Suffolk
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Suffolk Coastal 007 Suffolk Coastal
2 Waveney 006 Waveney
3 Waveney 003 Waveney
4 Waveney 012 Waveney
5 Waveney 004 Waveney

Forenames

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First names often paired with Knights

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Knights

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Knights surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Knights household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Knights 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

Knights 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

Knights falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Knights 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 Knights, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Knights

The surname KNIGHTS has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. The name is derived from the Old English word 'cniht', which referred to a young servant or attendant, particularly one who served a knight or a person of noble rank.

During the Norman Conquest of England in the 11th century, the term 'knight' took on a more specific meaning, referring to a mounted and armored soldier who served a feudal lord. As a result, the surname KNIGHTS likely originated from individuals who served in this capacity or were associated with the knightly class.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name KNIGHTS can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. This document mentions several individuals with variations of the name, such as 'Cnicht' and 'Kniht'.

In the 12th century, a notable figure bearing the name KNIGHTS was Richard de Knichte, a landowner in Gloucestershire mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of 1166. Another early record comes from the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire in 1279, which mentions a Richard le Knyght.

During the 14th century, the surname KNIGHTS started to appear more frequently in historical records. One example is John Knights, a member of Parliament for Sandwich in Kent in 1381. Another is Thomas Knights, a merchant and alderman of London who lived around 1400.

In the 15th century, there are records of a William Knights, a yeoman from Somerset who was involved in the Cornish Rebellion of 1497. Later, in the 16th century, a notable figure was Sir Edward Knights, a Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire who lived from 1538 to 1594.

As the surname spread across England, it also began to be associated with various place names, leading to variations such as Knightsbridge, Knighton, and Knightley. These place names often referred to areas where individuals with the surname KNIGHTS had settled or held land.

Throughout the centuries, the surname KNIGHTS has been borne by numerous individuals of historical significance, including explorers, artists, and military leaders. Some examples include Sir John Knights (1610-1660), an English royalist and Member of Parliament during the English Civil War, and Captain Thomas Knights (1737-1811), a British naval officer who served in the American Revolutionary War.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Knights families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Knights 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. Suffolk leads with 940 Knights' recorded in 1881 and an index of 30.15x.

County Total Index
Suffolk 940 30.15x
Norfolk 895 22.74x
Middlesex 132 0.52x
Cambridgeshire 131 8.08x
Surrey 104 0.83x
Essex 82 1.62x
Yorkshire 78 0.31x
Hertfordshire 49 2.78x
Huntingdonshire 43 8.46x
Kent 39 0.45x
Durham 23 0.30x
Lancashire 17 0.06x
Warwickshire 13 0.20x
Derbyshire 11 0.27x
Worcestershire 10 0.30x
Bedfordshire 8 0.60x
Nottinghamshire 7 0.20x
Somerset 7 0.17x
Lincolnshire 6 0.15x
Sussex 6 0.14x
Wiltshire 6 0.27x
Leicestershire 5 0.18x
Cornwall 2 0.07x
Cumberland 2 0.09x
Hampshire 2 0.04x
Staffordshire 2 0.02x
Channel Islands 1 0.13x
Glamorgan 1 0.02x
Gloucestershire 1 0.02x
Royal Navy 1 0.33x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Great Yarmouth in Norfolk leads with 108 Knights' recorded in 1881 and an index of 33.13x.

Place Total Index
Great Yarmouth 108 33.13x
Lowestoft 106 71.97x
Kessingland 49 454.97x
Therfield 41 397.67x
Heigham 35 16.57x
Trimley St Martin 32 598.13x
Carlton Colville 30 262.47x
Ipswich St Mathew 30 34.34x
Beccles 29 57.79x
Attleborough 27 135.81x
Smallburgh 26 560.34x
Chelsea London 25 3.24x
Aldeburgh 23 124.66x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 23 19.47x
Old Newton 23 383.33x
Lambeth 22 0.99x
Oulton 21 199.43x
Newington 20 2.12x
Hemsby 19 334.51x
Pakefield 19 245.16x
Antingham 17 752.21x
Ipswich St Clement 17 21.45x
Leiston 17 79.40x
Snape 17 382.02x
Somerleyton 17 325.05x
Camberwell 16 0.98x
Ickleton 16 275.39x
Lakenham 16 28.61x
Ludham 16 229.56x
Ramsholt 16 1322.31x
West Ham 16 1.43x
Hammersmith London 15 2.38x
Norwich St Stephen 15 41.52x
Brandon 14 66.19x
Eye 14 69.51x
Martham 14 145.53x
Saxmundham 14 121.00x
Stratton St Mary 14 256.88x
Blaxhall 13 288.89x
Caistor Next Yarmouth 13 93.86x
Greenwich 13 3.19x
Islington London 13 0.52x
Middlesbrough 13 3.94x
North Walsham 13 45.81x
Stretham 13 112.07x
Blythburgh 12 166.44x
Kirkley 12 46.01x
St Neots 12 43.43x
Badwell Ash 11 282.05x
Birmingham 11 0.51x
Bungay Holy Trinity 11 68.75x
Campsea Ash 11 327.38x
Debach 11 1037.74x
Dilham 11 294.12x
East Donyland 11 90.39x
Finningham 11 298.91x
Hemingford Grey 11 141.39x
Horham 11 369.13x
Ipswich St Peter 11 26.21x
Norwich St Clement 11 24.11x
Redenhall 11 71.94x
Roughton 11 285.71x
Roydon In Guiltcross 11 205.22x
Thelnetham 11 320.70x
Toft Monks 11 316.09x
Watton 11 89.00x
Whittlesford 11 147.85x
Brome 10 436.68x
Ely Holy Trinity St Mary 10 14.14x
Haddiscoe 10 289.02x
Holt 10 74.35x
Horsford 10 163.67x
Horton In Bradford 10 2.52x
Mile End Old Town London 10 1.84x
Nacton 10 221.24x
Orford 10 99.50x
Ormesby 10 14.67x
Shepreth 10 313.48x
Thurlton 10 271.74x
Tunstall 10 185.19x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 134
Elizabeth 91
Sarah 86
Eliza 54
Emma 50
Ellen 44
Alice 43
Hannah 36
Harriet 35
Ann 32
Emily 30
Jane 30
Louisa 27
Maria 26
Edith 23
Martha 23
Annie 22
Florence 19
Caroline 18
Harriett 16
Kate 16
Margaret 15
Susan 15
Anna 14
Charlotte 12
Frances 12
Julia 12
Agnes 11
Anne 10
Rebecca 10
Ethel 9
Sophia 9
Clara 8
Fanny 8
Gertrude 8
Amelia 7
Laura 7
Lucy 7
Rosa 7
Rose 7
Susannah 7
Esther 6
Matilda 6
Ada 5
Amy 5
Catherine 5
Lydia 5
Bertha 4
Isabella 4
Jessie 4

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 154
John 117
George 115
James 101
Henry 71
Robert 68
Charles 58
Arthur 45
Samuel 40
Thomas 40
Edward 38
Alfred 31
Frederick 30
Walter 28
Herbert 21
Harry 20
Richard 20
Ernest 18
Albert 16
Daniel 12
David 10
Joseph 10
Benjamin 9
Wm. 8
Robt. 7
Thos. 7
Edmund 6
Horace 6
Chas. 5
Frank 5
Fredrick 5
Percy 5
Edgar 4
Elijah 4
Jacob 4
Matthew 4
Sidney 4
Stephen 4
Ephraim 3
Francis 3
Fredk. 3
Geo. 3
Harold 3
Isaac 3
Jas. 3
Mark 3
Phillip 3
Ambrose 2
Nathanuel 2
Philip 2

FAQ

Knights surname: questions and answers

How common was the Knights surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,619 people were recorded with the Knights surname. That placed it at #1,698 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Knights surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,719 in 2016. That gives Knights a modern rank of #1,443.

What does the Knights surname mean?

An occupational surname for a knight or a military servant.

What does the Knights map show?

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