Surname Knauf - Meaning and Origin
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L. Knauf
read moreKnauf: What does the surname Knauf mean?
The last name Knauf is thought to have originated in Germany. It is a habitational name derived from places named Knauf and Knauff, which in turn come from the German root word knauf, meaning “knob” or “lump.” This is likely in reference to a geographical feature near where the original bearer of the name lived or worked.
Knauf is known to have multiple spelling variations, such as Knaus, Knause, Knauss, or Knauff. The name is common in the German-speaking lands, having been recorded in several Middle Age documents found throughout the German Empire. It can still be found in Germany today.
The name Knauf also appears in old records from areas outside of Germany, such as Austria, Switzerland, and parts of Eastern Europe. It is even known to have been used by some immigrants to the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
There is no specific meaning behind the name today, however, it is generally associated with Germanic roots, honoring the original bearer of the name and their heritage.
Order DNA origin analysisKnauf: Where does the name Knauf come from?
The last name Knauf is mainly concentrated in Germany and surrounding countries in central Europe. It is believed to originate from the Middle High German word “knauf”, meaning knuckle or knob, and was likely used as a nickname for someone who was short or chubby, or had a prominent knuckles.
In modern times, the primary area where this last name is common is in Germany. A study in 2017 found that the top four cities that contain the most Knauf's were Mannheim, Heidelberg, Freiburg and Hannover. In terms of states, Baden-Wuerttemberg had the highest concentration, with more than 10,000 people bearing the name. Other parts of Germany with significant numbers were Hamburg, Bavaria and Lower Saxony.
Knauf is also present in Belgium, Austria and Switzerland, as well as other surrounding regions. Around the world, the largest populations are in Germany, followed by the United States, meaning that outside of central Europe, Knauf is more likely to be found in the US than any other country.
Outside of Germany and the US, Knauf can be found in varying concentrations in Canada, France, Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Poland, Denmark, Luxembourg, Romania, Czech Republic, Lithuania, and South Africa. It is also found in small population centers around other parts of the world.
Variations of the surname Knauf
The surname Knauf is derived from the German word Knauf, which means "knob" or "knob of handle". The surname can also be found as Knouf, Knöf, Knof, Knob, Knoff, Knopf, Knoop, Knoupf, Knupf, Knupfer, and Knuppf, as well as a number of variants in German-speaking countries such as Knaus, Knawes, Knaij, Knaz, Knaiers, Knei, Knoe, Knoeff, Knoopel, and Knopale. Knauf is also used as a given name or surname in various countries including Norway, Netherlands, Switzerland, and United States.
In Germany, the most common spelling for the surname is Knauf, and in Switzerland, the spelling is Knopf. In Norway, it is commonly found as Knoff, Knawes, or Knopf. In the Netherlands, it can be spelled Knaij, Knaz, or Knaiers. In the United States, the most common spellings are Knauf, Knopf, and Knoupf.
Knauf can also be spelled as Knöf, Knoop, Knoupf, and Knupf, depending on the dialect and the German-speaking region in which it is used. The variants Knupfer and Knuppf are both derived from the German word Knopf, which means ‘button’. Knöf is an archaic variant of Knauf found in old German documents.
It’s worth noting that the surname Knauf is pronounced differently in various regions of the German-speaking world. For example, in Switzerland, it is pronounced “n-off”, and in Germany, it is pronounced “kn-owf”.
Famous people with the name Knauf
- Samuel Knauff: prominent German inventor known for creating a moisture meter for determining the moisture content of wood
- Peter Knauf: German playwright, columnist, and director of cultural affairs for the Die Zeit newspaper
- Erwin Knauf: professor of accounting and finance at the HHL Leipzig Graduate School of Management
- Frank Knauf: German professional footballer, playing as a centre-back for Eintracht Frankfurt
- Petra Knauff: German television actress best known for her leading roles in minor productions
- Lisa Knauf: German politician serving as the second Mayor of Ingolstadt since 2016
- Paul Knauff: German-born American World War I veteran, preacher and author of novels
- Bartlomiej Knauff: professor of pharmacy at the Technical University of Karlsruhe, Germany
- Thomas Knauf: Swiss-American journalist and entomologist specializing in agricultural pests and their natural predators
- Karl Knauf: Austrian chemist and university professor who made significant scientific contributions to the field of inorganic chemistry