NameCensus.

UK surname

Knuckey

An English surname derived from a diminutive of the male given name 'Kin'.

In the 1881 census there were 259 people recorded with the Knuckey surname, ranking it #10,808 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 175, ranked #21,383, down from #10,808 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Stithians, Illogan and Perran Arworthal. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Knuckey is 273 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 32.4%.

1881 census count

259

Ranked #10,808

Modern count

175

2016, ranked #21,383

Peak year

1851

273 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Knuckey had 259 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,808 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 175 in 2016, ranked #21,383.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 273 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Knuckey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Knuckey surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Knuckey 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 273 #8,212
1861 historical 193 #12,371
1881 historical 259 #10,808
1891 historical 188 #15,609
1901 historical 216 #14,426
1911 historical 193 #15,294
1997 modern 172 #19,371
1998 modern 169 #20,104
1999 modern 169 #20,233
2000 modern 176 #19,698
2001 modern 174 #19,562
2002 modern 179 #19,598
2003 modern 164 #20,483
2004 modern 160 #20,926
2005 modern 158 #21,052
2006 modern 167 #20,447
2007 modern 173 #20,243
2008 modern 174 #20,385
2009 modern 167 #21,383
2010 modern 166 #21,941
2011 modern 165 #21,829
2012 modern 156 #22,645
2013 modern 172 #21,575
2014 modern 175 #21,477
2015 modern 176 #21,291
2016 modern 175 #21,383

Geography

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Where Knuckeys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Stithians, Illogan, Perran Arworthal, Redruth and Truro St Mary. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall. 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 Stithians Cornwall
2 Illogan Cornwall
3 Perran Arworthal Cornwall
4 Redruth Cornwall
5 Truro St Mary Cornwall

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 044 Cornwall
2 Cornwall 050 Cornwall
3 Cornwall 049 Cornwall
4 Cornwall 046 Cornwall
5 Cornwall 032 Cornwall

Forenames

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First names often paired with Knuckey

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Knuckey

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Knuckey 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

Knuckey is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Knuckey falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Knuckey

The surname Knuckey is believed to have originated in England, specifically in the county of Devon. It likely emerged during the medieval period, between the 11th and 15th centuries. The name is derived from the Old English words "cnuc" or "cnucca," meaning "hill" or "hillock," suggesting that the earliest bearers of this name may have lived near a prominent hill or resided in a hilly region.

One of the earliest recorded references to the Knuckey name can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Devon from the 14th century. These rolls were tax records that documented landowners and their holdings. The presence of the name in these rolls indicates that the Knuckeys were established landowners in the region during that time.

In the 16th century, the Knuckey surname appeared in various parish records and manorial documents across Devon. For instance, a John Knuckey was recorded as a resident of the parish of Sampford Courtenay in the year 1565. This provides evidence of the name's continuous presence in the area over several centuries.

The Knuckey name has also been associated with certain place names in Devon, such as Knuckey's Hill and Knuckey's Farm, further reinforcing the connection between the surname and the region's topography.

Among the notable individuals bearing the Knuckey surname throughout history are:

1. William Knuckey (1585-1662), an English merchant and landowner who held significant properties in Devon during the 17th century. 2. John Knuckey (1720-1789), a prominent farmer and landowner in the village of Stoke Canon, Devon. 3. Elizabeth Knuckey (1745-1822), an influential member of the Society of Friends (Quakers) in Devon, known for her philanthropic work. 4. Thomas Knuckey (1810-1892), a renowned horticulturist and nurseryman from Devon, who introduced several new plant varieties. 5. Reverend Henry Knuckey (1845-1920), an Anglican clergyman and author who served as the vicar of Walkhampton in Devon for over three decades.

While the Knuckey surname may have originated in Devon, it has since spread to other parts of England and beyond, carried by individuals who migrated from the region over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Knuckey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Knuckey 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. Cornwall leads with 224 Knuckeys recorded in 1881 and an index of 78.32x.

County Total Index
Cornwall 224 78.32x
Yorkshire 9 0.36x
Cumberland 7 3.22x
Devon 7 1.33x
Lancashire 5 0.17x
Durham 4 0.53x
Middlesex 3 0.12x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Stithians in Cornwall leads with 57 Knuckeys recorded in 1881 and an index of 3607.59x.

Place Total Index
St Stithians 57 3607.59x
Wendron 27 680.10x
Gwennap 26 481.48x
Illogan 26 343.46x
St Austell 16 163.60x
Perranarworthal 15 1562.50x
St Gluvias Penryn 13 567.69x
Skinningrove 9 584.42x
St Blazey 8 318.73x
Millom 7 104.95x
Truro St Mary 6 250.00x
Camborne 5 42.41x
Habergham Eaves 5 18.25x
Mylor 5 260.42x
Plymouth St Andrew 5 12.34x
Budock 4 186.05x
Kenwyn 4 53.48x
Tudhoe 4 60.79x
Falmouth 3 29.64x
Madron Penzance 3 28.85x
Redruth 3 37.08x
St Gluvias 3 187.50x
Kensington London 2 1.42x
Bovey Tracey 1 54.35x
Islington London 1 0.41x
Tormoham 1 4.49x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 22
Elizabeth 16
Jane 12
Eliza 9
Ann 7
Bessie 7
Caroline 6
Grace 6
Sarah 6
Beatrice 4
Emma 4
Emily 3
Louisa 3
Martha 3
Minnie 3
Susan 3
Annie 2
Elizth. 2
Ellen 2
Hannah 2
Harriet 2
Lucy 2
Nanny 2
Sophia 2
Amelia 1
Edith 1
Elizth.Jane 1
Emmiline 1
Ester 1
Fanny 1
Hetty 1
James 1
Jecholeak 1
Jenefer 1
Jenifer 1
Josephine 1
Julia 1
Laura 1
Lena 1
Lilia 1
Lottie 1
Loveday 1
M. 1
Mahala 1
Pamlaw 1
Prudance 1
Rosie 1
Rosina 1
Thirza 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 22
Thomas 20
John 17
James 8
Richard 5
Hugh 4
Alfred 3
Charles 3
Joseph 3
Francis 2
Ishmael 2
Samuel 2
Anthony 1
Arthur 1
Bennett 1
E.W. 1
Edward 1
Edwin 1
George 1
Leslie 1
Nicholas 1
Simon 1
T.C.N. 1
Wesley 1
Willie 1

FAQ

Knuckey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Knuckey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 259 people were recorded with the Knuckey surname. That placed it at #10,808 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Knuckey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 175 in 2016. That gives Knuckey a modern rank of #21,383.

What does the Knuckey surname mean?

An English surname derived from a diminutive of the male given name 'Kin'.

What does the Knuckey map show?

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