Surname Kneipp - Meaning and Origin

Kneipp: What does the surname Kneipp mean?

The last name Kneipp is a German surname that has its origins in the Middle Ages. It emerged as a habitation or nicknamic surname, derived from a place-name, most probably one that took its name from Kneipp stream, a stream located near the city of Salzburg in Austria.

The surname Kneipp became popular in the late 19th century due to the prominence of Father Sebastian Kneipp, a Bavarian priest and author who is known as the founder of the modern naturopathic medicine movement. His holistic health regimen is based on the use of hydrotherapy, herbs, massage and exercise.

Kneipp’s name was also adopted by a Bavarian company which produced bath treatments, liniments, mixtures and spa therapies. This gave even more popularity to the surname.

Today, the surname Kneipp is a widely distributed name, mainly in the countries of Austria, Germany and the United States of America. It is a reminder of our heritage and of our past. It is also a reminder of our connection to nature and our appreciation of holistic approaches to health.

Kneipp: Where does the name Kneipp come from?

The last name Kneipp is most strongly associated with the small town of Bad Kneipp in the German state of Bavaria, on the banks of the River Isar. Another town with the same name, and also home to many people with the Kneipp name, is the much smaller hamlet of Kneipphof in the Austrian state of Tyrol.

Today, people with the last name Kneipp live in many European countries, as well as in the United States, Canada, Australia and South Africa, with the most significant concentrations in the United States, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Luxembourg and the Netherlands.

The Kneipp family name is thought to derive from either an old German word, ‘Knipf’, or an old Dutch word, ‘Knipp’, meaning ‘corner’. It is thought to have originated in the region of Bavaria and Tyrol, and then spread across Europe during the medieval period.

The Kneipp name is most commonly associated with the 19th-century German priest and healer, Father Sebastian Kneipp, who developed a system of hydrotherapy, herbal remedies and nutrition known as Kneipp Therapy. His teachings were popularised in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, which led to the formation of Kneipp Associations across Europe and the founding of Kneipp Schools and Thermal baths.

September 5 of each year now marks Kneipp Day in Germany, a public holiday dedicated to his practice and achievements in introducing modern Naturopathy.

Variations of the surname Kneipp

The surname Kneipp is an Austrian and German patronymic surname, meaning son of Kneipp. It is derived from either the Cognate of Norwegian Knut, from which the Old German ‘Kneipp’ is derived, or from the word Kneipe, meaning tavern. Variants of the surname Kneipp include Knaebel, Kneibel, Kniebel, Knoppel, Knippel, Knupel, Knaubel, Kneib, Knaebel, Knopel, Knippel, Kneip, Knepel, Kniepel, Kneubel, Kahn, Koppel, Kupel, Knopf, Knuppel, Knopfler and Knaepper. Surnames with similar etymological origins, including Kneipp, Knoop, Knup, Kneup, Knüpfel and Knipl, are also found in Austria, Germany and Switzerland.

In Austria and Germany, Knoop and Kneip are the most common variants of the surname Kneipp. Knoop is derived from the Middle High German word ‘knopf’, meaning button or knob, and Kneip is derived from the German word ‘Kneipe’, meaning pub or inn. In Switzerland, the most common variant of the surname is Kneubel, derived from the German word ‘Knecht’, meaning servant. In Poland, the surname is spelled as Kniepel, while in Lithuania, the surname is spelled as Knupelis. In the United States, the surname is sometimes spelled as Knaebel, Kneebel or Knebel.

Famous people with the name Kneipp

• Sebastian Kneipp: German priest and naturopath widely regarded as the father of modern hydrotherapy
• Joseph Kneipp: German Catholic priest and physician, known for his use of hydrotherapy
• Anna Kneipp: First wife of Sebastian Kneipp
• Kurt Kneipp: Former Chief of the US Air Force
• Irene Kneipp: Austrian figure skater
• Steve Kneipp: Former Professional Footballer
• Jennifer Kneipp: Australian actress
• Steve Kneipp: British racing driver
• Jonas Kneipp: German actor
• Chris Kneipp: Professional mountain biker
• Bernhard Kneipp: Austrian alpinist and mountain photographer
• Helmut Kneipp: German mountaineer and climber
• Klaus Kneipp: German theologian
• Günter Kneipp: German opera singer
• Markus Kneipp: Former German ski jumper
• Karl Kneipp: German sportswriter
• Ferdinand Kneipp: Austrian zoologist and botanist
• Wilma Kneipp: Austrian swimmer
• Josef Kneipp: former German boxer
• Dennis Kneipp: American singer, songwriter and producer

Other surnames

Kneip