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
Scholar 3,024
Cotton Weaver 439
Coal Miner 222
Agricultural Labourer 148
Dress Maker 124
Domestic Servant 123
General Labourer 111
General Servant 93
House Keeper 92
Labourer 80
Annuitant 67
Cotton Spinner 63
Laundress 50
Farm Labourer 50
Grocer 47
Charwoman 43
General Servant Domestic 43
Hat Trimmer 43
Cotton Winder 43
Stone Mason 42
Carter 42
Joiner 39
No Occupation 39
Farmers Son 38
Worsted Spinner 38

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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