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Knock History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Motto Citations

Knock History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland
England

The Knock surname comes from the Old English word "cnocc," which meant a round topped hill. 1 The surname may have been taken on by someone who lived at such a place, or may have come from one of several places called Knock, in Scotland and Northern England. 2 3

Early Origins of the Knock family

The surname Knock was first found in Renfrewshire where the family is derived through the Crawfords "rom Adam son of Uchtred, who in the reign of Alexander II received from Walter the Steward the lands of Knock in the barony of Renfrew. The lands were named from the remarkable prominence there called "The Knock." The s is English plural. In 1234 the land of Cnoc in Renfrewshire was held under the abbot of Paisley by Duugallus filius Cristini and Matilda his spouse, who claimed lands in Kilpatrick as heirs of Dufgallus, the rector, brother of the earl of Lennox (RMP., p. 178). About 1260 John de Cnoc or Knoc witnessed a charter of the lands of Haldhingleston (Ingliston), Renfrewshire, and in 1272 he witnessed the gift which Sir Antonius Lombardus (Anthony the Lombard) made to Paisley of his right in the lands of Fulton to the Abbey of Paisley (ibid., p. 51, 58). In the following year he witnessed, along with William de Knoc, a grant of lands by Malcolm, earl of Lennox to the same Abbey." 4

Early History of the Knock family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Knock research. Another 449 words (32 lines of text) covering the years 1170, 1230, 1272, 1280, 1311, 1328, 1330, 1345, 1407, 1408, 1426, 1460, 1463, 1464, 1468, 1475, 1480, 1493, 1505, 1549, 1555, 1558, 1559, 1560, 1565, 1567, 1570, 1572, 1592, 1594, 1597, 1605, 1613, 1615, 1621, 1623, 1633, 1640, 1641, 1654, 1655, 1656, 1658, 1659, 1661, 1662, 1679, 1680, 1688, 1720, 1721, 1764, 1775, 1786, 1790, 1791, 1797, 1810, 1812, 1815, 1834, 1837, 1840, 1842, 1862, 1883 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Knock History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Knock Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Knox, Knock, Knocks and others.

Early Notables of the Knock family

Notable amongst the family name during their early history was John Knox (c.1505-1572), a Scottish religious reformer, a follower of John Calvin and the driving force behind the introduction and establishment of the Presbyterian Church in Scotland; and...
Another 38 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Knock Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Knock family to Ireland

Some of the Knock family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 110 words (8 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Knock migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Knock Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Johan Georg Knock, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1752 5
Peter Knock, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1753 5
Coenraad Knock, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1787 5
Joha Elisabeth Knock, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1787 5

Knock Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Friedr Knock, who landed in North America in 1832-1849 5
Richard Knock, who arrived in New York in 1834 5
Henry Knock, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1840 5
Catharina Knock, who landed in New York, NY in 1850 5
Andrew Knock, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1852 5
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Knock migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Knock Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Edward Knock who was convicted in Kent, England for life, transported aboard the "Bengal Merchant" on 4th August 1836, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 6
Mr. William Knock who was convicted in Kent, England for life, transported aboard the "Bengal Merchant" on 4th August 1836, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 6

Contemporary Notables of the name Knock (post 1700) +

Franklin Knock, American Republican politician, Candidate in primary for U.S. Representative from Michigan 17th District, 1932 7

The Knock Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Moveo et proficior
Motto Translation: I proceed and am more prosperous.

Citations +

Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 7th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/bengal-merchant
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 6) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html