NameCensus.

UK surname

Knock

A surname derived from the Gaelic word "cnoc," meaning a hill or hillock.

In the 1881 census there were 568 people recorded with the Knock surname, ranking it #6,114 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 657, ranked #8,108, down from #6,114 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hitcham, Brettenham, London parishes and Bildeston or Bilston, Naughton, Nedging. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Ryedale and Mid Suffolk.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Knock is 818 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 15.7%.

1881 census count

568

Ranked #6,114

Modern count

657

2016, ranked #8,108

Peak year

1911

818 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Knock had 568 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,114 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 657 in 2016, ranked #8,108.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 818 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Knock surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Knock surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Knock 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 395 #6,095
1861 historical 377 #6,777
1881 historical 568 #6,114
1891 historical 630 #6,141
1901 historical 756 #5,902
1911 historical 818 #5,384
1997 modern 701 #7,240
1998 modern 735 #7,218
1999 modern 749 #7,153
2000 modern 730 #7,259
2001 modern 721 #7,194
2002 modern 736 #7,212
2003 modern 713 #7,268
2004 modern 701 #7,391
2005 modern 713 #7,218
2006 modern 710 #7,273
2007 modern 686 #7,549
2008 modern 663 #7,792
2009 modern 695 #7,682
2010 modern 702 #7,761
2011 modern 676 #7,906
2012 modern 663 #7,943
2013 modern 681 #7,908
2014 modern 686 #7,905
2015 modern 676 #7,943
2016 modern 657 #8,108

Geography

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Where Knocks are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hitcham, Brettenham, London parishes, Bildeston or Bilston, Naughton, Nedging, Litcham and Bedwelty. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Ryedale and Mid Suffolk. 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 Hitcham, Brettenham Suffolk
2 London parishes London 3
3 Bildeston or Bilston, Naughton, Nedging Suffolk
4 Litcham Norfolk
5 Bedwelty Monmouthshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Ryedale 007 Ryedale
2 Mid Suffolk 008 Mid Suffolk
3 Mid Suffolk 005 Mid Suffolk
4 Mid Suffolk 009 Mid Suffolk
5 Mid Suffolk 011 Mid Suffolk

Forenames

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First names often paired with Knock

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Knock

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Knock, 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 Knock surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Knock 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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Knock is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Knock 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

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

Meaning and origin of Knock

The surname Knock is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "cnoc," which means "hill" or "hillock." This suggests that the name was initially given to someone who lived near or on a hill.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Knock can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Cnoc." This entry refers to a landowner or tenant in the county of Somerset. The name is also found in various other medieval records, such as the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from the 12th century.

In the 13th century, the surname Knock was spelled in various ways, including "Knok," "Knokke," and "Knokker." These variations likely reflect regional dialects and the way the name was pronounced in different parts of England. During this period, the name was concentrated in the counties of Somerset, Gloucestershire, and Wiltshire.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Knock was John Knock, who was born around 1350 in Somerset. He was a landowner and farmer who held property in the village of Nettlecombe. Another notable figure was William Knock, born in 1420 in Gloucestershire, who served as a tax collector for the Crown.

In the 16th century, the Knock family established a presence in the town of Cricklade, Wiltshire. One of the most prominent members of this branch was Thomas Knock (1525-1592), who was a wealthy merchant and served as a member of the town council.

Another significant individual was Richard Knock (1620-1677), who was born in Somerset and later settled in the American colonies. He was a Quaker and played a role in the early settlement of Pennsylvania.

Throughout the centuries, the surname Knock has been associated with various place names, such as Knockhill in Somerset, Knockmills in Gloucestershire, and Knockdown in Wiltshire. These places likely derived their names from the Old English word "cnoc," further reinforcing the connection between the surname and its geographical origins.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Knock families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Knock 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 156 Knocks recorded in 1881 and an index of 23.08x.

County Total Index
Suffolk 156 23.08x
Kent 78 4.12x
Middlesex 67 1.21x
Norfolk 56 6.56x
Essex 45 4.11x
Surrey 43 1.59x
Yorkshire 21 0.38x
Monmouthshire 18 4.49x
Durham 14 0.85x
Lancashire 14 0.21x
Berkshire 12 2.88x
Cambridgeshire 10 2.84x
Staffordshire 9 0.48x
Warwickshire 8 0.57x
Wiltshire 4 0.81x
Cheshire 2 0.16x
Gloucestershire 2 0.18x
Leicestershire 2 0.33x
Shropshire 2 0.42x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.19x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.30x
Cornwall 1 0.16x
Hampshire 1 0.09x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.13x
Royal Navy 1 1.51x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hitcham in Suffolk leads with 30 Knocks recorded in 1881 and an index of 1764.71x.

Place Total Index
Hitcham 30 1764.71x
West Ham 22 9.10x
Hundon 17 1005.92x
Great Welnetham 14 1666.67x
Ipswich St Margaret 14 61.03x
Reymerstone 14 2413.79x
Wye 14 477.82x
Lavenham 13 367.23x
Aberystruth 12 33.93x
Swaffham 11 158.50x
Battersea 10 4.90x
Litcham 10 653.59x
Murston 10 598.80x
Newington 10 4.88x
Ashford 9 48.81x
Bildeston 9 604.03x
Camberwell 9 2.54x
Clewer 9 52.72x
Lambeth 9 1.86x
March 9 76.47x
Nedging 9 2727.27x
St Pancras London 9 2.01x
Gateshead 8 6.47x
Ipswich St Clement 8 46.57x
Sheffield 8 4.57x
Shenfield 8 281.69x
Bury St Edmunds St Mary 7 55.16x
Combs 7 309.73x
Gorton 7 11.31x
Tonbridge 7 10.25x
Acton 6 18.44x
Battisford 6 722.89x
Chiswick 6 19.78x
Dartford 6 30.99x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 6 23.42x
Mile End Old Town London 6 5.08x
Sculcoates 6 6.88x
Sedgley 6 8.62x
Semer 6 952.38x
Bethnal Green London 5 2.07x
Bilsington 5 684.93x
Clerkenwell London 5 3.82x
Great Bolton 5 5.73x
Hanwell 5 50.81x
Harwich St Nicholas 5 59.10x
Hunslet 5 5.83x
Shoreditch London 5 2.08x
Coventry St Michael 4 8.90x
Greenwich 4 4.53x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 4 5.59x
Highworth 4 63.69x
Islington London 4 0.74x
Lexden 4 90.91x
Trevethin 4 10.56x
Beeston With Bittering 3 312.50x
Birmingham 3 0.64x
Charlton 3 23.85x
Charlton Next Woolwich 3 15.19x
Fincham 3 200.00x
Hornsey 3 4.27x
Margate St John Baptist 3 8.65x
North Elmham 3 144.93x
Walsall Foreign 3 3.10x
Wetheringsett Cum 3 153.06x
Abergavenny 2 13.31x
Bermondsey 2 1.21x
Birkenhead 2 2.05x
Bristol St James St Paul 2 5.51x
Bury St Edmunds St James 2 11.07x
Darlington 2 3.14x
Great Finborough 2 256.41x
Milton In Gravesend 2 7.04x
Norwood 2 15.76x
Southwark St George Martyr 2 1.79x
Sproughton 2 169.49x
St Marylebone London 2 0.67x
St Peters 2 22.83x
Tottenham 2 2.26x
Wattisham 2 571.43x
Wigston Magna 2 24.51x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 36
Ann 15
Sarah 15
Ellen 14
Elizabeth 13
Emily 13
Alice 12
Kate 12
Emma 8
Hannah 8
Ada 7
Eliza 7
Maria 7
Lucy 6
Annie 5
Caroline 5
Susannah 5
Edith 4
Harriet 4
Harriett 4
Jane 4
Louisa 4
Susan 4
Anna 3
Charlotte 3
Frances 3
Martha 3
Abigail 2
Agnes 2
Amelia 2
Anne 2
Belinda 2
Bertha 2
Catherine 2
Fanny 2
Hephzibah 2
Matilda 2
Rachael 2
Rebecca 2
Ruth 2
Barbara 1
Bious 1
E.M. 1
Egiela 1
Elizth. 1
Hester 1
Hilda 1
Hobe 1
Julia 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 29
George 27
John 25
James 23
Thomas 14
Charles 13
Henry 11
Alfred 9
Arthur 8
Robert 8
Walter 8
Frederick 7
Harry 7
Joseph 6
Edward 5
Fredk. 5
Francis 3
Fred 3
Abraham 2
Benjamin 2
Elijah 2
Elisha 2
Frank 2
Herbert 2
Isaac 2
Richard 2
Robt. 2
Samuel 2
Simon 2
Willie 2
Ashley 1
Charley 1
Chas. 1
Daniel 1
Dennis 1
Edgar 1
Emmanuel 1
Ernest 1
Freddy 1
Fredrick 1
Jas. 1
Jesse 1
Jno. 1
Joel 1
Martin 1
Norman 1
Randolph 1
Reuben 1
Shadreck 1
Zechariah 1

FAQ

Knock surname: questions and answers

How common was the Knock surname in 1881?

In 1881, 568 people were recorded with the Knock surname. That placed it at #6,114 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Knock surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 657 in 2016. That gives Knock a modern rank of #8,108.

What does the Knock surname mean?

A surname derived from the Gaelic word "cnoc," meaning a hill or hillock.

What does the Knock map show?

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