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
Cotton Weaver 416
Living On Own Means 217
General Labourer 157
Farmer 131
Dress Maker 108
Scholar 98
General Servant Domestic 95
Coal Miner Hewer 90
Cotton Spinner 68
Domestic Servant 65
Agricultural Labourer 54
Housemaid Domestic 46
Cook Domestic 43
Cotton Winder 43
School 42
Carpenter 41
Charwoman 36
Dressmaker 35
House Keeper 35
Cotton C Weaver 34
Laundress Wash 32
Gardener Domestic 32
Stone Mason 32
House Painter 31
House Keeper Domestic 30

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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