Knapik History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

The name Knapik comes from the German province known as the Rhineland. In pre-medieval times, the German people used only one name, but as the population increased, hereditary surnames became necessary for people to maintain unique identities. Knapik is a nickname surname, a style of name based on an eke-name, or added name, that described a characteristic of its original bearer. Knapik is a name for a young person or for a person who had a youthful appearance. The surname Knapik was originally derived from the German word "knappe," which means "young."

Early Origins of the Knapik family

The surname Knapik was first found in the Rhineland, where this family name became a prominent contributor to the development of the district from ancient times. Always prominent in social affairs, the name became an integral part of that turbulent region as it emerged to form alliances with other families within the Feudal System and the nation.

Early History of the Knapik family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Knapik research. Another 169 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1777, 1798, 1842 and 1926 are included under the topic Early Knapik History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Knapik Spelling Variations

One can encounter great variation in the spelling of surnames: in early times, spelling in general, and thus the spelling of names was not yet standardized; and later, spellings would change with branching and movement of families. Variations of the name Knapik include Knapp, Knap, Knappe, Knape, Knaap, Knaapp, Knapper, Knaper and many more.

Early Notables of the Knapik family

Another 32 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Knapik Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Knapik migration to the United States +

Hundreds of thousands of Europeans, including many Rhinelanders, made the voyage to North America between the 17th and 20th centuries. It was an escape from religious persecution and poverty and also an opportunity for people to start over and own their own land. Most landed at Ellis Island, off New York before moving on to the states of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas, Illinois, and California. Some also landed in Canada and settled in Ontario, while others headed west to the prairie provinces. A study of passenger and immigration lists has shown a number of people bearing the name of Knapik, or one of its variants, reaching North America shores very early:

Knapik Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Helena Knapik, aged 17, who landed in America from Sifinski, Galicy, in 1905
Antoni Knapik, aged 24, who landed in America from Lipnik, Austria, in 1907
Anna Knapik, aged 24, who landed in America from Karimas, Austria, in 1907
Anna Knapik, aged 6, who immigrated to America from Lubotin, Hungary, in 1907
Agata Knapik, aged 48, who landed in America from Glebolse, Galicia, in 1909
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Knapik (post 1700) +

Michael R. Knapik (b. 1963), American politician, Member of the Massachusetts Senate
Robert J. Knapik (b. 1970), American former professional wrestler who uses the ring name Robbie Rage
Michael R. Knapik, American Republican politician, Member of Massachusetts State Senate Second Hampden & Hampshire District 1
Matthew Knapik, American Republican politician, Candidate for New York State Assembly from Erie County 4th District, 1944 1
Daniel Knapik, American politician, Mayor of Westfield, Massachusetts, 2011 1
František Knapík (b. 1956), Mayor of the Slovak city of Košice
Eugeniusz Knapik (b. 1951), Polish pianist and composer of classical music

Citations +

The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 6) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html