NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcknight

A Scottish surname referring to a person who lived or worked at a knight's house or manor.

In the 1881 census there were 1,468 people recorded with the Mcknight surname, ranking it #2,844 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,248, ranked #2,095, up from #2,844 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to New Cumnock, Ayr Newton and St Quivox and Govan Combination. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Newton Stewart, Machars North and Dalbeattie.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcknight is 3,288 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 121.3%.

1881 census count

1,468

Ranked #2,844

Modern count

3,248

2016, ranked #2,095

Peak year

2014

3,288 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcknight had 1,468 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,844 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,248 in 2016, ranked #2,095.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,886 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Mcknight surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcknight surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mcknight 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 660 #3,927
1861 historical 814 #3,383
1881 historical 1,468 #2,844
1891 historical 1,569 #2,830
1901 historical 1,886 #2,796
1911 historical 895 #4,973
1997 modern 2,894 #2,235
1998 modern 3,015 #2,237
1999 modern 3,049 #2,219
2000 modern 3,043 #2,210
2001 modern 2,984 #2,208
2002 modern 3,099 #2,173
2003 modern 2,971 #2,215
2004 modern 2,999 #2,191
2005 modern 3,016 #2,146
2006 modern 3,047 #2,132
2007 modern 3,088 #2,122
2008 modern 3,132 #2,107
2009 modern 3,230 #2,097
2010 modern 3,285 #2,111
2011 modern 3,260 #2,101
2012 modern 3,181 #2,119
2013 modern 3,220 #2,129
2014 modern 3,288 #2,102
2015 modern 3,264 #2,091
2016 modern 3,248 #2,095

Geography

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Where Mcknights are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around New Cumnock, Ayr Newton and St Quivox, Govan Combination, London parishes and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Newton Stewart, Machars North, Dalbeattie, Doon Valley North and Copeland. 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 New Cumnock Ayr
2 Ayr Newton and St Quivox Ayr
3 Govan Combination Lanark
4 London parishes London 3
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Newton Stewart Dumfries and Galloway
2 Machars North Dumfries and Galloway
3 Dalbeattie Dumfries and Galloway
4 Doon Valley North East Ayrshire
5 Copeland 008 Copeland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mcknight

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mcknight

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Mcknight surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Mcknight household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Mcknight 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

Mcknight 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

Mcknight falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Mcknight 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Mcknight

The surname McKnight is of Scottish origin, derived from the Gaelic words "mac" meaning "son" and "naght" or "nacht," meaning "night." The name likely originated in the Scottish Highlands during the medieval period, indicating a person whose occupation involved working at night, such as a night watchman or a shepherd who tended to flocks at night.

The earliest recorded examples of the McKnight surname date back to the 16th century in Scottish records. One notable bearer of the name was John McKnight, who was born in Galloway, Scotland, in the late 16th century and served as a minister in the Church of Scotland.

In the 17th century, the McKnight surname appeared in various Scottish documents, including parish registers and legal records. One instance was the mention of Robert McKnight in the Regality of Dunfermline Court Book in 1642.

The McKnight surname has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the earliest was Sir James McKnight (1675-1755), a Scottish merchant and landowner who served as Lord Provost of Edinburgh from 1734 to 1737.

Another prominent figure was James McKnight (1738-1792), a Scottish-American Presbyterian minister who served as the first president of Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

In the 19th century, David McKnight (1820-1892) was a Scottish businessman and philanthropist who made significant contributions to the city of Glasgow.

Another noteworthy bearer of the McKnight surname was Charles McKnight (1851-1923), an American politician who served as the 17th Governor of Oregon from 1911 to 1915.

The McKnight surname has also been associated with various place names in Scotland, such as McKnightston in Ayrshire and McKnightburn in Lanarkshire, further solidifying its Scottish roots.

Overall, the surname McKnight has a rich history rooted in the Scottish Highlands, with connections to occupations, notable individuals, and place names that span several centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mcknight families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcknight 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. Lancashire leads with 56 Mcknights recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.81x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 56 3.81x
Warwickshire 13 4.16x
Cumberland 12 11.25x
Yorkshire 8 0.65x
Glamorgan 7 3.25x
Derbyshire 5 2.58x
Northumberland 5 2.71x
Staffordshire 5 1.20x
Middlesex 4 0.32x
Surrey 4 0.66x
Cheshire 3 1.10x
Devon 2 0.78x
Isle of Man 1 4.35x
Kent 1 0.24x
Sussex 1 0.48x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Everton in Lancashire leads with 19 Mcknights recorded in 1881 and an index of 40.56x.

Place Total Index
Everton 19 40.56x
Kirkdale 12 48.52x
Caldewgate 8 136.99x
Toxteth Park 8 16.07x
Cardiff St Mary 7 58.92x
Bootle Cum Linacre 5 42.84x
Glossop Dale 5 55.07x
Newcastle On Tyne St 5 52.36x
Sutton Coldfield 5 152.44x
Birmingham 4 3.84x
Bowling 4 32.89x
Coventry Holy Trinity 4 42.87x
Garsdale 4 1538.46x
Battersea 3 6.58x
Handsworth 3 29.10x
Walton On Hill 3 37.69x
West Derby 3 6.98x
Cleator 2 45.05x
East Stonehouse 2 39.37x
Preston 2 5.09x
St Giles Cripplegate 2 121.95x
Upton In Chester 2 645.16x
Brighton 1 2.37x
Cobham 1 101.01x
Eltham 1 40.32x
Great Little Marsden 1 14.86x
Hackney London 1 1.44x
Kirkandrews On Esk 1 277.78x
Layton With Warbreck 1 18.55x
Manchester 1 1.51x
Maughold 1 56.50x
Newton In Ashton Under 1 37.04x
Overton 1 714.29x
St Marylebone London 1 1.51x
Streethay 1 1111.11x
West Bromwich 1 4.18x
Whitehaven 1 17.61x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 16
Elizabeth 8
Margaret 6
Sarah 5
Jane 4
Agnes 3
Bridget 2
Martha 2
Alice 1
Ann 1
Anne 1
Annie 1
Carris 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Edith 1
Eliza 1
Esther 1
Evelleen 1
Fanny 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Helen 1
Kate 1
Laura 1
Margarite 1
Margret 1
Margt. 1
Maria 1
Nancy 1
Nellie 1
Selina 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Mcknight surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcknight surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,468 people were recorded with the Mcknight surname. That placed it at #2,844 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcknight surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,248 in 2016. That gives Mcknight a modern rank of #2,095.

What does the Mcknight surname mean?

A Scottish surname referring to a person who lived or worked at a knight's house or manor.

What does the Mcknight map show?

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