Show ContentsKnarr History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The surname Knarr is a name that originated in Thuringia, which is located between Hessen and Lower Saxony in the west and Saxony in the east. By and large, hereditary surname were formed in Germany when areas of Thuringia, and most of the German states, were a part of the Holy Roman Empire. At this time, as the population of Europe swelled and travel became easier, people began to encounter others sharing their own name and they avoided confusion by adopting a second name. A common form of surname found in Thuringia are those that are derived from nicknames. Nickname surnames were derived from an eke-name, or added name. They usually reflected the physical characteristics or attributes of the first person that used the name. The surname Knarr was a name for a hunchback. The distinguished name Knarr is derived from the German word "knorre," which means "lump" or "outgrowth."

Early Origins of the Knarr family

The surname Knarr was first found in Thuringia, where the name could be considered to have made a great contribution to the feudal society which became the backbone of modern Europe. The name became prominent in local affairs and branched into many houses which played important roles in the local and national conflicts in which groups sought power and status in an ever changing territorial profile.

Early History of the Knarr family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Knarr research. Another 101 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1535, 1600, 1636, 1681, 1689, 1726, 1728, 1803, 1830, 1853, 1859, 1888, 1889, 1916 and 1921 are included under the topic Early Knarr History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Knarr Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Knor, Knorre, Knore, Knoarr, Knoare and others.

Early Notables of the Knarr family

Notable members of the surname Knarr in this period were Christian Knorr von Rosenroth (1636-1689), an alchemist who wrote religious poems, one of which is still well known today. Iwan Knorr (1853-1916)...
Another 32 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Knarr Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Knarr Ranking

In the United States, the name Knarr is the 17,703rd most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1

Migration of the Knarr family

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: Johann Georg Knorr, who came to Germantown, Pennsylvania in 1734. He was followed by Johannes Knorr, who came to Philadelphia in 1751; and Johann Michael Knorr (1786). Andreas Knorr came to Philadelphia in 1862.



  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/


Houseofnames.com on Facebook