Knyfton History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Knyfton is a name that was brought to England by the ancestors of the Knyfton family when they migrated to the region after the Norman Conquest in 1066. The Knyfton family lived in Kniveton, which is a parish in Derbyshire near Ashbourn. The name is pronounced Nifton.

Early Origins of the Knyfton family

The surname Knyfton 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 Knyfton family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Knyfton 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 Knyfton History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Knyfton Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence in the eras before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate regularly changed the spellings of their names as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Knyfton have been found, including Knifton, Kniveton, Knyveton, Nifton, Knyvet, Knyveton and many more.

Early Notables of the Knyfton 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 Knyfton Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Knyfton family

For many English families, the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. For such families, the shores of Ireland, Australia, and the New World beckoned. They left their homeland at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. Many arrived after the long voyage sick, starving, and without a penny. But even those were greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. Numerous English settlers who arrived in the United States and Canada at this time went on to make important contributions to the developing cultures of those countries. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Knyfton were among those contributors: John Kniveton settled in Virginia in 1738 (he also spelled his name Knifton).

The Knyfton 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)