KNOX

Knox is a surname with roots in both England and Scotland, belonging to the Celtic linguistic heritage of the British Isles. The name has been recorded in the Gaelic and Old English languages, reflecting the cultural intermingling of these regions during medieval times.

Scholars trace the etymology of Knox to the Old English word cnocc, denoting a small hill or hillock, and its Gaelic counterpart cnoc, meaning a round-topped hill. Consequently, the surname is understood as a topographical or locational identifier for individuals who inhabited or resided near such natural features. It is also linked to several place names, for instance the various settlements called Knock found throughout Scotland and Northern England, from which the name may have been adopted.

The earliest known uses of the name appear in the 13th century. Records such as the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire in 1279 mention a Nicholas Knok, while the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1296 contain a reference to Thomas atte Knocke. These entries confirm that the surname was already established across different parts of England. In Scotland, a charter witness named John de Cnoc (also recorded as Knoc) appears in the lists of Renfrewshire charters in 1260, representing perhaps the earliest written instance of the name in that country.

In ecclesiastical register books of London, further evidence of the surname’s presence is found. For example, Katheryne Nockes was recorded as having married Arthur Lloide on 25 May 1576 at St. James Clerkenwell, and a child named Joseph Knock was christened on 15 December 1691 in St. Giles Cripplegate. These entries demonstrate the spread of the name into urban religious communities during the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries.

Perhaps the most renowned bearer of the surname is John Knox (1505–1572), a Scottish clergyman and leading figure in the Protestant Reformation. His prominence has ensured that the name Knox is frequently associated with religious reform and the historical developments of the Scottish Reformation. While the surname itself is old and widespread, its association with John Knox has given it a lasting place in the annals of British history.

Typical given names associated with the Knox surname

Male

• Andrew
• David
• James
• John
• Michael
• Paul
• Richard
• Robert
• Thomas
• William

Female

• Ann
• Anne
• Catherine
• Christine
• Elizabeth
• Helen
• Karen
• Lesley
• Margaret
• Mary
• Patricia
• Sarah
• Susan

Similar and related surnames

Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.

How to communicate the surname Knox in...

Braille

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Morse

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Semaphore

Origin: Celtic

Region of origin: British Isles

Country of origin: Scotland

Religion of origin: Christian

Language of origin: Gaelic

Famous people named Knox

• Rob Knox - Actor (1989 to 2008)
• Barbara Knox - Actress
• Amanda Knox - American wrongly convicted of murder
• Robert Knox - Scottish physician, anatomist, zoologist and ethnologist (1791 to 1862)
• Ronald Knox - Priest and theologian (1888 to 1957)
• Dilly Knox - Cryptographer (1884 to 1943)
• Archibald Knox - Manx artist (1864 to 1933)
• Knox - Punk artist
• Russell Knox - Golfer
• Alfred Knox - Politician (1870 to 1964)
• Tim Knox - Art historian
• Daniel Knox, 6th Earl of Ranfurly - Bahamian colonial govenror (1913 to 1988)
• Matthew Knox - Football player
• James Knox - Cyclist
• E. V. Knox - Poet (1881 to 1971)
• Cecil Leonard Knox - Recipient of the Victoria Cross (1889 to 1943)
• Uchter Knox, 5th Earl of Ranfurly - Colonial administrator (1856 to 1933)
• Bernard Knox - Classical scholar (1914 to 2010)
• Edmund Knox - Bishop (1847 to 1937)
• Steven Knox - Scottish cricketer

Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.

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