Knowles
A surname originally meaning “at the knoll” — someone who lived by a small hill or hilltop.
The #1,239 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 10,848 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Knowles is a habitational or topographic surname from Middle English knoll, meaning a small hill, hilltop, or rounded rise. In older spelling, the final -s often reflects the common medieval habit of marking “at the knoll” or “of the knoll,” rather than a plural. The name was also written as Knoll, Knollys, and similar forms.
History
The surname is well attested in medieval England and later appears in several spelling variants, especially Knoll and Knollys. One famous bearer was Sir Robert Knollys, a 14th-century English captain whose prominence helped make the name familiar in historical records. The name has remained especially common in England and later spread widely to English-speaking countries.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Old surname books often glossed Knowles simply as “the top of a hill.”
From the historical record
“KNIGHTLEY. From Knight, and ley, a place or field. KNOWLES or KNOLL. The top of a hilL Knowl, in Cor. Br., is a promontory, hill, or eminence, a projection of hilly ground. KNOX. Local Gaelic, Onoc, a little hill; figuratively, a stout man. KREBS. Local A town in Upper Saxony, Germany. KYLE. Local From a district…”
— An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian NamesNotable people named Knowles
- Beyoncé (b. 1981)
- William Standish Knowles (1917–2012)
- Solange Knowles (b. 1986)
Sourced from Wikidata; linked to their Wikipedia page.