Knowles Name Origin, Meaning and Family History

Knowles Name Meaning: Name given to someone who lived at the top of a hill, taken from the plural form of Middle English 'knoll'. Or name given to people who lived in the many places thus named.

Believed to be found first in Yorkshire, where records show an ancient seat held before the Norman Conquests.

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Surname Distribution

Census frequency by county

Name Concentrations Within England and Wales

Knowles Surname Statistics


Top Professions for the Knowles family

Profession Census Frequency
School 1,719
Cotton Weaver 248
Coal Miner Hewer 177
Private Means 141
Labourer 123
Weaver 117
Farmer 111
General Labourer 98
Farm Labourer 98
None 95
General Servant (domestic) 86
Domestic Servant 70
Dressmaker 68
Housekeeper 68
Clerk 66
Assisting In The Business 60
House Keeper 59
Weaver Cotton 56
House Painter 54
At Home 52
Scholar 52
Shop Assistant 50
Carter 47
No Occupation 38
General Servant Domestic 36

Knowles Surname Variants Ranking

Rank Surname Match Census Frequency
1 Knowles 100% 104,699
2 Knowls 86% 1,892
3 Knowels 71% 425
4 Noles 71% 220
5 Knoles 86% 168

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The surname Knowles is the most popular version of all its varients

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