Kniffin History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland

The name Kniffin arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Kniffin family lived in Kniveton, which is a parish in Derbyshire near Ashbourn. The name is pronounced Nifton.

Early Origins of the Kniffin family

The surname Kniffin was first found in Derbyshire at Kniveton, a parish, in the hundred of Wirksworth where "the manor of 'Cheniveton,' so called in the Domesday Survey, was from a very early period the property of the Kniveton family. " 1

"The extinct Baronet family descended from Sir Matthew de Knivetone, who flourished in that county temp. Edward I. " 2

The place name literally means "farmstead of a woman called Cengifu," derived from the Old English personal name + "tun." 3 "The manor of 'Merchenestune' [Mercaston] was for many generations the property and seat of a younger branch of the Knivetons, of Bradley, who were seated here as early as the reign of Edward III. William Kniveton was one of the baronets created by James I. on the institution of the order in 1611. " 1

"The incumbent resides in the Hall [of Ashwelthorpe in Norfolk], an ancient residence of the Knyvett family, moated on three sides." 1

Early History of the Kniffin family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Kniffin research. Another 390 words (28 lines of text) covering the years 1066, 1290, 1440, 1471, 1480, 1485, 1486, 1500, 1510, 1512, 1515, 1535, 1536, 1539, 1543, 1544, 1549, 1558, 1569, 1579, 1591, 1600, 1605, 1616, 1622, 1649, 1652, 1655, 1671, 1685, 1687, 1689, 1690, 1693 and 1699 are included under the topic Early Kniffin History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Kniffin Spelling Variations

A multitude of spelling variations characterize Norman surnames. Many variations occurred because Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England also had a pronounced effect, as did the court languages of Latin and French. Therefore, one person was often referred to by several different spellings in a single lifetime. The various spellings include Knifton, Kniveton, Knyveton, Nifton, Knyvet, Knyveton and many more.

Early Notables of the Kniffin family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Sir Matthew de Kniveton; Sir William Knyvett (c. 1440-1515), English politician, High Sheriff of Norfolk and Suffolk in 1480 and 1471; Sir Anthony Knyvett (c. 1486-1549), English politician who held the office of Black Rod in the English Parliament from 1536 to 1543; Sir Thomas Knyvett (also Knevitt or Knivet or Knevet), of Buckenham, Norfolk (c. 1485-1512), an English nobleman who was a close associate of King Henry VIII shortly after that monarch came to the throne participating in the jousts and pageants and was rewarded by being appointed Master of the Horse...
Another 140 words (10 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Kniffin Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Kniffin migration to Canada +

Many English families left England, to avoid the chaos of their homeland and migrated to the many British colonies abroad. Although the conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and some travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute, once in the colonies, many of the families prospered and made valuable contributions to the cultures of what would become the United States and Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Kniffin or a variant listed above:

Kniffin Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Mr. Kniffin David U.E. who settled in Bell Vue, Beaver Harbour, Charlotte County, New Brunswick c. 1783 4

The Kniffin 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: In domino confido
Motto Translation: I trust in the Lord.

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X