Explore the Family Name Knisley
The meaning of Knisley
Americanized form of Swiss German Knüsli: from a Swabian-Alemannic diminutive of Knaus. Compare Kneisley, Knicely, Knisely, and Nicely. History: Most, if not all, of the Knisleys are descended from Antonius Knüsli, a Mennonite born in the canton of Bern, Switzerland, 1657, died in Lancaster County, PA, 1733. His father Hans was from the canton of Zurich, where the surname Knüsli is still most common. See also Nicely.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Knisley in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Knisley saw a slight decrease in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Knisley was ranked 9578 in terms of popular surnames but dropped to rank 9879 by 2010, a decline of 3.14%. However, the number of individuals with the Knisley surname actually increased during this period, rising from 3113 in 2000 to 3273 in 2010, an increase of 5.14%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #9,578 | #9,879 | -3.14% |
| Count | 3,113 | 3,273 | 5.14% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.15 | 1.11 | -3.48% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Knisley
In terms of ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data shows that the majority of individuals with the Knisley surname identified as White, although this proportion decreased slightly from 97.04% in 2000 to 95.42% in 2010. The percentage of those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander, Two or more races, Hispanic, and Black all increased over this decade. Notably, the proportion of people with the Knisley surname identifying as Black saw the most significant increase, rising from 0.26% to 0.76%, a change of 192.31%. Conversely, the proportion of those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native decreased, falling from 0.19% in 2000 to 0.15% in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 97.04% | 95.42% | -1.67% |
| Hispanic | 1.16% | 1.96% | 68.97% |
| Two or More Races | 1.06% | 1.31% | 23.58% |
| Black | 0.26% | 0.76% | 192.31% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.29% | 0.4% | 37.93% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.19% | 0.15% | -21.05% |