Explore the Family Name Knez
The meaning of Knez
1. Slovenian and Croatian: from knez, a title meaning ‘prince’, but also used for markgraves and other counts. It was probably applied as an ironic nickname, or as a metonymic occupational name for someone in the service of a markgrave or count. In Croatia, it could also be a status name for the headman of a village. 2. Czech (Kněz and Kněž): nickname from kněz ‘priest’ (in old Czech ‘prince’). The homonymous Sorbian cognate, Kněz, is apparently found in Germanized forms, only (see Knies and Kniess). Some characteristic forenames: Croatian and Slovenian Srecko.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Knez in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Knez ranked at 53,420 in terms of popularity in 2000 and slipped slightly to a rank of 57,639 in 2010, marking a 7.9% decrease. In real numbers, there were around 363 individuals with the Knez surname in 2000, which marginally declined to 353 in 2010, a drop of approximately 2.75%. The proportion of people with this surname per 100,000 was 0.13 in 2000, which fell to 0.12 by 2010, a change of -7.69%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #53,420 | #57,639 | -7.9% |
| Count | 363 | 353 | -2.75% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.13 | 0.12 | -7.69% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Knez
The ethnic identity associated with the Knez surname saw some changes between 2000 and 2010 according to the Decennial U.S. Census. The most prevalent ethnicity is White, comprising 90.91% in 2000 and marginally increasing to 91.22% in 2010. The Hispanic representation within this surname also increased from 6.06% to 7.08% over the decade. Interestingly, there was a small emergence of Asian/Pacific Islander identity within this surname group in 2010, while the percentage of those identifying as two or more races went from 1.65% in 2000 to zero in 2010. No individuals identified as Black or American Indian and Alaskan Native in either census year.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 90.91% | 91.22% | 0.34% |
| Hispanic | 6.06% | 7.08% | 16.83% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 1.7% | 0% |
| Two or More Races | 1.65% | 0% | -100% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |