Explore the Family Name Knightly
The meaning of Knightly
English (Middlesex and Cambridgeshire): variant of Knightley, a habitational name from Knightley in Gnosall (Staffordshire). The placename derives from Old English cniht ‘knight, young man, retainer’ (genitive plural cnihta) + lēah ‘woodland clearing’. This is the usual spelling of the name in Ireland, where it has been establishes since the 17th century.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Knightly in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Knightly showed a slight increase in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it was ranked as the 42,912th most common surname in the United States, with 475 individuals carrying this name. By 2010, Knightly moved up to 42,790th place with 506 bearers, marking a 6.53% increase in count. However, its proportion per 100,000 people slightly dropped by 5.56%, indicating that while the absolute number of individuals with this surname increased, its share within the overall population diminished.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #42,912 | #42,790 | 0.28% |
| Count | 475 | 506 | 6.53% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.18 | 0.17 | -5.56% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Knightly
Turning towards ethnic identity, the Decennial U.S. Census data shows a majority of those bearing the surname Knightly identified as White in both 2000 and 2010. However, there was a small decrease from 99.37% in 2000 to 96.64% in 2010. During the same period, there was a noticeable emergence of more diversity among people with this surname. While no one identified as Hispanic, Black, Asian/Pacific Islander, or American Indian and Alaskan Native in 2000, some shifts were observed in 2010. The data revealed 1.78% identified as Hispanic, and 1.19% reported belonging to two or more races. For privacy reasons, data for other ethnicities like Black, Asian/Pacific Islander, and American Indian and Alaskan Native was suppressed in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 99.37% | 96.64% | -2.75% |
| Hispanic | 0% | 1.78% | 0% |
| Two or More Races | 0% | 1.19% | 0% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |