Explore the Family Name Knee
The meaning of Knee
1. English (Wiltshire and Gloucestershire): nickname from Middle English kne(i) ‘knee’ (Old English cnēow). The reference would most likely be to someone with a limp or a distinctive aspect to their knee(s), but the word was also used to describe a (missed?) step in a generation or pedigree. Alternatively, ‘knee’ could have a topographic sense and denote someone who lived by a sharp bend. 2. South German: variant of Knie ‘knee’ and, in North America, also an altered form (translation into English) of this.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Knee in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname "Knee" has seen a slight increase between 2000 and 2010. In the year 2000, Knee was ranked as the 18,153rd most popular surname in the United States, increasing to the 17,530th rank in 2010, marking a 3.43% change. The count of individuals bearing this surname also grew from 1,414 in 2000 to 1,606 in 2010, representing a 13.58% rise. The proportion per 100,000 people saw a minor uptick from 0.52 to 0.54 during this period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #18,153 | #17,530 | 3.43% |
| Count | 1,414 | 1,606 | 13.58% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.52 | 0.54 | 3.85% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Knee
When it comes to the ethnic identity associated with the surname "Knee," changes were observed in the Decennial U.S. Census data from 2000 to 2010. Notably, there was an increase in the percentage of those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and Hispanic, from 1.34% to 3.24% and 0.85% to 1.99% respectively. The number of individuals reporting two or more races also rose from 0.92% to 2.05%. However, there was a slight decrease in the percentage of white individuals with this surname, falling from 95.69% in 2000 to 92.15% in 2010. Unfortunately, the census could not provide data regarding the Black and American Indian and Alaskan Native populations for the year 2010 due to privacy considerations.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 95.69% | 92.15% | -3.7% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 1.34% | 3.24% | 141.79% |
| Two or More Races | 0.92% | 2.05% | 122.83% |
| Hispanic | 0.85% | 1.99% | 134.12% |
| Black | 0.5% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.71% | 0% | 0% |