Contents [hide]

McKnight History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Ireland United States Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Motto Suggested Reading Citations

McKnight History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland

Early Origins of the McKnight family

The surname McKnight was first found in Kirkcudbright, where they held a family seat from early times and their first records appeared on the early census rolls taken by the early Kings of Britain to determine the rate of taxation of their subjects.

Early History of the McKnight family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our McKnight research. Another 60 words (4 lines of text) covering the year 1890 is included under the topic Early McKnight History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McKnight Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: MacKnight, MacKnyght, MacNaught, MacNaight, MacKnaught, MacKnaight, MacNight and many more.

Early Notables of the McKnight family

More information is included under the topic Early McKnight Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McKnight Ranking

In the United States, the name McKnight is the 754^th most popular surname with an estimated 39,792 people with that name. 1

Migration of the McKnight family to Ireland

Some of the McKnight family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 68 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McKnight migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

McKnight Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

John McKnight, who landed in Maryland in 1668 2

McKnight Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Margaret McKnight, who arrived in South Carolina in 1772 2
Jane McKnight, who arrived in South Carolina in 1772 2
Thomas McKnight, who arrived in America in 1773 2

McKnight Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

William McKnight, who landed in Somerset County, Pennsylvania in 1802 2
Samuel McKnight, who landed in Charleston, South Carolina in 1825 2
Mary McKnight, who landed in New York, NY in 1849 2
Elizabeth McKnight, aged 21, who landed in New York, NY in 1849 2
James McKnight, who landed in Alabama in 1858 2
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

McKnight migration to Australia +

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

McKnight Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Miss Mary Ann Mcknight, (b. 1811), aged 18, Irish servant who was convicted in Ireland for 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Edward" on 1st January 1829, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 3
Mr. Richard Mcknight, (b. 1821), aged 22, English plumber who was convicted in London, England for 15 years for larceny transported aboard the "Forfarshire" on 24th June 1843, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land), he died in 1844 4
George McKnight, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Candahar" in 1851 5
Mr. Alexander McKnight, (Morris), Scottish convict who was convicted in Edinburgh, Scotland for life, transported aboard the "Clara" on 28th January 1864, arriving in Western Australia, Australia 6

McKnight migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

McKnight Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

John McKnight, aged 19, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Constance" in 1862
Mr. Robert Mcknight, (b. 1862), aged 9 months, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Echunga" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 24th December 1862 7
Mr. George Mcknight, (b. 1837), aged 25, British farm labourer travelling from London aboard the ship "Echunga" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 24th December 1862 7
Mrs. Mary Mcknight, (b. 1841), aged 21, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Echunga" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 24th December 1862 7
John McKnight, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Excelsior" in 1870 8
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name McKnight (post 1700) +

William McKnight (1842-1914), United States Navy sailor, recipient of the Medal of Honor ror his actions in the American Civil War
William L. McKnight (1887-1978), American businessman in the 3M corporationand; a philanthropist who founded the McKnight Foundation in 1953
Tony Mark McKnight (b. 1977), American retired Major League Baseball pitcher who played from 2000 to 2001
Thomas McKnight (1787-1865), Virginia-born, American pioneer, businessman, and politician; he pioneered in Dubuque County, Wisconsin Territory
Rear Admiral Terence Edward "Terry" McKnight, former American naval officer in the United States Navy; he commanded a multi-national naval force assigned to confront piracy activities off the coast of Somalia
Timothy Eric "Tim" McKnight, American biologist, a key developer of a cell transfecting method using vertically aligned carbon nanofibers
Marian McKnight (b. 1936), American beauty pageant winner, Miss America 1957, Miss South Carolina 1956
Jeff McKnight (1963-2015), American Major League Baseball utility man who played for the New York Mets and Baltimore Orioles
Jame Arthur "Jim" McKnight (1936-1994), American Major League Baseball player who played 63 games for the Chicago Cubs (1960-1962)
DeWayne "Blackbyrd" McKnight (b. 1954), American guitarist, member of The Headhunters, a jazz-funk fusion band from 1975 through 1978
... (Another 19 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the McKnight family +

North Sea Flood

John McKnight, British worker aboard the ferry "Princess Victoria" who survived the North Sea Flood, a major storm surge in 1953

The McKnight 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: Nil durum volenti
Motto Translation: Nothing is difficult for the willing.

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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 19th November 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/edward
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 20th October 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/forfarshire
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) CANDAHAR 1851. Retrieved http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1851Candahar.htm
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 16th February 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/clara
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 4th November 2011). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html