Surname Knot - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'K'
Knot: What does the surname Knot mean?
The last name Knot is thought to have originated in the Middle Ages as a descriptive word for a person's or family's connection to an estate or manor near a knotted tree, such as an oak. It may also be derived from the Middle English word "not,” which means knot or knob.
The Knot surname is believed to be of English and possibly Norse origin, and spellings include Knott, Knotts, Knough, Nott, and Naught. It was popular as both a personal name and a surname across Europe.
The first known Knots were Duke Matilda of Saxony, who married King Henry the Fowler of Germany in 929, and Grand Duke Vladimir of Russia in 970. The name was also common in parts of Britain, especially in Wales and Scotland.
The Knot surname is associated with numerous renowned people. John Knotts was an early settler of Virginia and a founder of the well-known Knotts Island in Currituck County. Among other famous Knots are the Englishman Abraham Knot (1767-1845), the American Revolutionary War veteran Richard Knotts (1763-1832), and Richard Victor Knotts (1878-1967), an Australian soldier who was awarded the Victoria Cross in 1908.
Today, Knot is a common surname around the world. It is also thought to be related to other surnames, such as Knotts, Nott, Knott, and Naught.
Order DNA origin analysisKnot: Where does the name Knot come from?
The surname Knot is historically of Anglo-Saxon origin, and is believed to originate from north-central England. Knot family name is most commonly associated with the city of Manchester, but it is also found in Yorkshire and throughout the Midlands region of England. Today, Knot is most commonly found in England, particularly in the Midlands and North West regions, as well as in other parts of the United Kingdom.
The Knot family is also found in Australia, particularly in Victoria, as well as in the United States, Canada, and South Africa. In the United States, the Knot family name is especially common in the states of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and California. The presence of the Knot family in the United States may be due to early emigration in the 19th century, when many English settlers moved to the newly-formed United States for economic and political reasons.
The Knot family is also found in Ireland, where the name is believed to have come to the Emerald Isle through Irish emigrants to England in the 19th century. The name is particularly common in Cork and Waterford.
In recent years, Knot has become less common as a surname, as people have chosen to Anglicize their names or have adopted a non-specific, anglicized surname in order to create a unique identity. This trend is even more pronounced in North America, where the majority of Knot family members have Anglicized their names. Overall, the surname Knot is still found in certain areas, but is becoming increasingly rare.
Variations of the surname Knot
Knot is an English surname derived from the Old English word cnotta or cnytt, both of which mean knot or knitted, as in a knotted rope. The earliest recorded record of the surname appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, spelled Knete. Knot has many variants and spellings including Knott, Knote, Knotee, Knotte, Knitt, Knite, Knitee, Nott, Note, Notte, Nite, and Nitee. All of these spelling variations could be found in records dating back to medieval times, with early recorded occurrences found in Yorkshire England.
Other surnames of similar origin include Knotner, Knoter, Knother, Knothers, Knutson, and Knutsson. All of these surnames have the same root and could have been formed by the combination of the both the original name, meaning "knot," and the suffix "er," meaning occupant of the place with the particular name.
Other surnames derived from the same root include Ancutt, Anctil, Ansell, Anselle, and Ancil. These surnames derived from the Norman-French term "ancitell," which derived from the same root as Knot. The French term for knot is noue, and when combined with the suffix "-el" to denote either a small or young version of something, the result is ancitel or Ansell.
In addition, Knot can also be found with the German spelling of Knuet, with variants such as Knved, Knue, Knuee, Knuut, and Knaeut, all with the same root of Knot.
Finally, there are some additional surnames of related origins, such as Cutt, Cutte, Cuter, Cuteroo, Cutton, and Cutcliffe, all variations of the same root. All of these surnames have some connection to knot.
Famous people with the name Knot
- Mathilde Knot, Danish actress
- Magnolia Knot, American television personality
- Willem Knot Jr., Dutch economist
- Jan Knot, Dutch painter
- Robert Knot, French stage and film actor
- Hugo Knot, Dutch theater, film and television actor
- Marie Knot, Danish musician
- Brad Knot, American record producer
- Bob Knot, English poet
- Henk Knot, Dutch actor