Explore the Family Name Knecht
The meaning of Knecht
German and Swiss German; Dutch (also De Knecht): occupational name for a journeyman, from Middle High German kneht, Middle Low German, Middle Dutch knecht ‘knight’s assistant’, also ‘lad, servant’. This surname is also found in France (mainly Alsace), Poland, and Czechia, where it is of German origin, and in Belgium.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Knecht in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname "Knecht" slightly decreased in the United States between 2000 and 2010. The rank of the surname fell from 5937 to 6267, reflecting a change of -5.56%. However, the actual count of individuals with the surname increased from 5336 in 2000 to 5452 in 2010, marking a growth of 2.17%. Nevertheless, the proportion per 100,000 people dropped by 6.57% during the same period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #5,937 | #6,267 | -5.56% |
| Count | 5,336 | 5,452 | 2.17% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.98 | 1.85 | -6.57% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Knecht
According to the ethnic identity data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the majority of individuals with the Knecht surname identified as White both in 2000 and 2010, although there was a slight decrease of 1.52% over this decade. The Hispanic population saw a significant increase of 43.88%, while those identifying as Black also grew by 66.67%, albeit from a very small base. Individuals who identified as Asian/Pacific Islander also rose by 19.61%. Those identifying as belonging to two or more races experienced an increase of 59.57%. Similarly, American Indian and Alaskan Native identities saw a rise of 53.85%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 96.81% | 95.34% | -1.52% |
| Hispanic | 1.39% | 2% | 43.88% |
| Two or More Races | 0.94% | 1.5% | 59.57% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.51% | 0.61% | 19.61% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.26% | 0.4% | 53.85% |
| Black | 0.09% | 0.15% | 66.67% |
Knecht ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Knecht is French & German, which comprises 44.2% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are British & Irish (31.4%) and Eastern European (7.0%). Additional ancestries include Ashkenazi Jewish, Italian, Scandinavian, Spanish & Portuguese, and Indigenous American.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| French & German | 44.2% |
| British & Irish | 31.4% |
| Eastern European | 7.0% |
| Other | 17.4% |
Possible origins of the surname Knecht
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Knecht have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 79.20% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 79.20% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 79.20% |
| West Yorkshire, United Kingdom | 78.50% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 78.50% |
What Knecht haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Knecht is R-L2, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-L2 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-U152 and R-Z195, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Lombardi, Kuhn, Rust, Langley, Dumas, Heilman, Galli, Foss, Schuler, Ferrari.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Knecht surname are: H1, J1c, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Knecht have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Knecht" Surname 48.8%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Knecht" Surname 18.9%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Knecht" Surname 22.6%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Knecht" Surname 16.9%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Knecht?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Knecht are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition