| ![Show Contents]() Knaack History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 Germany The surname Knaack derives from the Low German "Knoke" which means "bone" or in Modern German "Knochen." The name Knaack and its variants Knakenhower and Knokenhower were mainly used in the northern part of Germany and indicated someone who cut bones, a butcher. Alternatively the surname Knaack is of nickname origin. Nickname surnames are those names which derive their origin from a physical characteristic or personal attribute of the initial bearer. In this instance, the surnameKnaack derives from the Middle Low German "knarre" indicating a bony or haggard person. 1 Early Origins of the Knaack familyThe surname Knaack was first found in Northern Germany. Knaack and its variants Knagge and Knack date back to the thirteenth century, which make it one the earliest recorded surnames in Germany. Knoke was a resident of Rostock in the year 1288 and Rindsknoke was living in Hamburg in the year 1297. A resident of Hamburg bearing the name Knakeruegge was recorded in the thirteenth century. Records for the year 1645 indicate one Nathanael Knack as residing in Danzig, and Johann Knagge was residing in Labiau in eastern Prussia in the year 1656. Adolf Wilhelm Knacke was the owner of an estate in the Altmark in the nineteenth century. 1 Early History of the Knaack familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Knaack research. The years 1752 and 1817 are included under the topic Early Knaack History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Knaack Spelling VariationsIn the medieval era, many different cultural groups lived in the German states. There are thus many regional variations of German surnames from that era. Westphalians spoke Low German, which is similar to modern Dutch. Many German names carry suffixes that identify where they came from. Others have phrases attached that identify something about the original bearer. Other variations in German names resulted from the fact that medieval scribes worked without the aid of any spelling rules. The spelling variations of the name Knaack include Knecht, Knechtel, Knechtli, Knechtges, Knechte and many more. Early Notables of the Knaack familyMore information is included under the topic Early Knaack Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Knaack RankingIn the United States, the name Knaack is the 18,153rd most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 2
 Knaack migration to the United States | + |
The great European flow of migration to North America, which began in the middle of the 17th century and continued into the 20th century, was particularly attractive to those from the Rhineland who wished to escape either poverty or religious persecution. Many of those who left the Rhineland to seek their fortunes in the prosperous and free New World settled in the major urban centers of the United States and Canada. In the United States, the settlers from the Rhineland passed through immigration centers like that of Ellis Island, most of them moving on to Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas, Illinois, California, and New York. In Canada, the majority of Rhinelanders settled in Ontario and the prairie provinces. An examination of passenger and immigration lists has revealed many important settlers to North America bearing the name Knaack, or one of its variants above:
Knaack Settlers in United States in the 20th Century- Elsa Knaack, aged 25, who landed in America from Hamburg, Germany, in 1913
- Anna Knaack, aged 23, who immigrated to the United States from Bremen, Germany, in 1913
- Albert Knaack, aged 46, who landed in America from Reinickendorf, Germany, in 1922
- Anna Knaack, aged 45, who settled in America from Wustrow, Germany, in 1923
- Ella Knaack, aged 18, who immigrated to the United States from Reinickendorf, Germany, in 1923
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
| Contemporary Notables of the name Knaack (post 1700) | + |
- Donald Knaack, American Grammy Award nominated percussionist
- Ernst Knaack (1914-1944), German Communist and resistance fighter against the Nazi Germany régime
- Bahlow, Hans, Dictionary of German Names. translated by Edda Gentry, Wisconsin: The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System, 2002. Print. (ISBN 0-924119-35-7)
- "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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Knaack migration to the United States 
