NameCensus.

UK surname

Knill

An English surname derived from a place name referring to a hillock or knoll.

In the 1881 census there were 375 people recorded with the Knill surname, ranking it #8,345 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 443, ranked #10,921, down from #8,345 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Barnstaple, Bishops Tawton and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Powys and North Devon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Knill is 575 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 18.1%.

1881 census count

375

Ranked #8,345

Modern count

443

2016, ranked #10,921

Peak year

1911

575 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Knill had 375 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,345 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 443 in 2016, ranked #10,921.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 575 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Knill surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Knill surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Knill 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 302 #7,606
1861 historical 277 #9,025
1881 historical 375 #8,345
1891 historical 428 #8,377
1901 historical 499 #8,065
1911 historical 575 #7,063
1997 modern 479 #9,615
1998 modern 478 #9,940
1999 modern 483 #9,932
2000 modern 485 #9,853
2001 modern 474 #9,847
2002 modern 474 #10,027
2003 modern 454 #10,222
2004 modern 442 #10,459
2005 modern 424 #10,691
2006 modern 423 #10,765
2007 modern 428 #10,766
2008 modern 433 #10,776
2009 modern 451 #10,649
2010 modern 438 #11,140
2011 modern 429 #11,197
2012 modern 416 #11,372
2013 modern 437 #11,090
2014 modern 438 #11,149
2015 modern 447 #10,873
2016 modern 443 #10,921

Geography

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Where Knills are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Barnstaple, Bishops Tawton, London parishes, Ilfracombe and Molton, South. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Powys and North Devon. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 Barnstaple, Bishops Tawton Devon
3 London parishes London 3
4 Ilfracombe Devon
5 Molton, South Devon

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Powys 013 Powys
2 North Devon 003 North Devon
3 North Devon 012 North Devon
4 Powys 012 Powys
5 North Devon 001 North Devon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Knill

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Knill

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

Knill is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy end of the index.

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

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Knill 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 Knill 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 Knill, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Knill

The surname KNILL is believed to have originated in England, with roots tracing back to the 13th century. It is thought to derive from the Old English words "cnyll" or "cnolle," meaning a hill or knoll, suggesting that the name was likely borne by someone who lived near a prominent hill or elevated land feature.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the KNILL surname can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, which documented landowners and taxpayers in various counties across England. This document mentions a Robert de Knyll, who held lands in Wiltshire at the time.

The KNILL name appears to have been particularly concentrated in the southwestern regions of England, such as Devon and Cornwall, where many early records of the surname can be found. For instance, in the 14th-century Lay Subsidy Rolls of Devon, there are entries for individuals named John Knolle and Walter Knolle.

During the 16th century, the KNILL surname began to appear in various parish records and historical documents across different counties in England. One notable figure from this period was Robert Knill, a wealthy merchant and landowner who lived in Plymouth, Devon, in the late 16th century.

Another prominent individual bearing the KNILL surname was Sir John Knill (1614-1687), a wealthy merchant and politician who served as Mayor of Bristol and represented the city in Parliament. He played a significant role in the economic and civic affairs of Bristol during the 17th century.

In the 18th century, the KNILL family established a significant presence in the British East India Company, with several members holding influential positions. One such figure was Richard Knill (1733-1817), who served as a senior administrator and was instrumental in the Company's operations in India.

Another notable KNILL was Samuel Knill (1772-1857), a Baptist missionary who dedicated his life to spreading Christianity in India and Russia. He was instrumental in establishing several missionary societies and played a crucial role in promoting education and social reform in the regions where he worked.

The KNILL surname has also been associated with various place names throughout England, such as Knill Court in Herefordshire, which was once owned by a branch of the Knill family in the 17th century, and Knill's Monument in St. Austell, Cornwall, which was erected in honor of John Knill, a local philanthropist and benefactor.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Knill families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Knill 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. Devon leads with 162 Knills recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.28x.

County Total Index
Devon 162 21.28x
Glamorgan 33 5.18x
Herefordshire 30 20.00x
Middlesex 26 0.71x
Surrey 24 1.35x
Gloucestershire 15 2.09x
Radnorshire 15 50.83x
Lancashire 13 0.30x
Staffordshire 12 0.97x
Worcestershire 12 2.51x
Somerset 9 1.53x
Warwickshire 8 0.87x
Durham 6 0.55x
Cheshire 2 0.25x
Shropshire 2 0.63x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.45x
Lanarkshire 1 0.08x
Monmouthshire 1 0.38x
Norfolk 1 0.18x
Roxburghshire 1 1.51x
Suffolk 1 0.22x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barnstaple in Devon leads with 42 Knills recorded in 1881 and an index of 351.46x.

Place Total Index
Barnstaple 42 351.46x
Pilton 39 1553.78x
Ilfracombe 30 382.65x
Knighton 14 585.77x
South Molton 14 334.93x
Lambeth 11 3.45x
Pipe Lyde 8 2666.67x
Swansea Town 8 15.32x
Ystradyfodwg 8 14.32x
Bristol St James In 7 66.35x
Little Lever 7 126.13x
West Bromwich 7 9.90x
Bromsgrove 6 37.31x
Cardiff St Mary 6 17.10x
Exeter St Sidwell 6 34.40x
North Molton 6 405.41x
Redditch 6 61.98x
St Pancras London 6 2.04x
Stoke Prior 6 882.35x
West Teignmouth 6 103.09x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 5 7.40x
Holmer 5 185.19x
Kingskerswell 5 396.83x
Roath 5 17.28x
Southwark Christchurch 5 29.17x
Accrington 4 10.14x
Amblecote 4 113.64x
Aston 4 1.57x
Birmingham 4 1.30x
Hackney London 4 1.95x
St George Hanover 4 8.38x
Westoe 4 6.48x
Aymestrey 3 370.37x
Bathwick 3 46.01x
Bedminster 3 5.42x
Bridgewater 3 18.77x
Cheldon 3 3333.33x
Cradley 3 136.99x
East Teignmouth 3 96.15x
Exeter Bedford Circus 3 1666.67x
Rotherhithe 3 6.64x
Swansea Lower 3 92.31x
Bampton 2 85.84x
Chelsea London 2 1.81x
Clun 2 89.29x
Croydon 2 2.02x
Leominster 2 32.21x
Mile End New Town 2 40.08x
St Martin In Fields 2 9.13x
Swansea St Thomas 2 31.25x
Warrington 2 3.89x
Wotton St Mary 2 53.76x
Barony 1 0.33x
Bishopwearmouth 1 1.07x
Devonport 1 11.43x
Docklow 1 416.67x
Great Yarmouth 1 2.15x
Hawick 1 6.74x
Instow 1 121.95x
Kingswinford 1 2.23x
Ledbury 1 19.42x
Llandaff 1 4.72x
Llanfihangel Beguildy 1 80.65x
Mile End Old Town 1 1.73x
Ross 1 16.75x
Southwark St John 1 8.94x
Spitalfields London 1 3.64x
St Marylebone London 1 0.51x
St Paul Covent Garden 1 27.32x
Stayley 1 10.83x
Stockport Etchells 1 58.14x
Sunderland 1 5.20x
Sutton 1 7.75x
Tormoham 1 3.10x
Tottenham 1 1.72x
Upper Llanvrechva 1 24.33x
Westbury On Trym 1 4.12x
Westminster St James 1 2.66x
Woking 1 9.31x
Wycombe 1 6.06x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 29
Elizabeth 19
Emma 9
Sarah 9
Annie 8
Maria 8
Eliza 7
Susan 7
Jane 5
Margaret 5
Alice 4
Ann 4
Emily 4
Grace 4
Bessie 3
Caroline 3
Ellen 3
Frances 3
Hannah 3
Lucy 3
Ada 2
Beatrice 2
Edith 2
Eva 2
Florence 2
Georgina 2
Harriet 2
Kate 2
Marian 2
Martha 2
Maud 2
Prudence 2
Alma 1
Amelia 1
Betsy 1
Charity 1
Elizth.A. 1
Ethel 1
Fanny 1
Francess 1
Henrietta 1
Isabella 1
Isbella 1
Levinia 1
Lillie 1
Lilly 1
Louisa 1
Lydia 1
Margarette 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 29
John 18
George 14
Thomas 12
Alfred 9
Charles 9
James 8
Henry 7
Edwin 4
Francis 4
Frederick 4
Richard 4
Robert 4
Albert 3
Samuel 3
Arthur 2
Ernest 2
Frank 2
Isaac 2
Mathew 2
Peter 2
Richd. 2
Abraham 1
Alexander 1
Caleb 1
Christopher 1
Daniel 1
Edwd. 1
Fred 1
Fred. 1
Fredk.G. 1
Fredrick 1
Geo. 1
Gilbert 1
Herbert 1
Herbt.H. 1
Hopkin 1
Hy.H. 1
Joshua 1
Lewis 1
Louis 1
Noah 1
Owen 1
Percival 1
Percy 1
Philip 1
Reginal 1
Sidney 1
Thos. 1
Will.Thos.Ashton 1

FAQ

Knill surname: questions and answers

How common was the Knill surname in 1881?

In 1881, 375 people were recorded with the Knill surname. That placed it at #8,345 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Knill surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 443 in 2016. That gives Knill a modern rank of #10,921.

What does the Knill surname mean?

An English surname derived from a place name referring to a hillock or knoll.

What does the Knill map show?

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