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Kniffen Family History

Kniffen Surname Meaning

Altered form of English Knifton itself a variant of Kniveton: habitational name from Kniveton (Derbyshire) which is recorded as Cheniuetun in 1086 or Kneeton (Nottinghamshire) which is recorded as Kniveton in 1226.

The placenames derive from the Old English personal name Cēngifu + tūn ‘farmstead estate’.

Compare Kniffin and Sniffen.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


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Where is the Kniffen family from?

You can see how Kniffen families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Kniffen family name was found in the USA, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most Kniffen families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 21 Kniffen families living in New York. This was about 95% of all the recorded Kniffen's in USA. New York had the highest population of Kniffen families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Kniffen surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
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What did your Kniffen ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Kniffen. 29% of Kniffen men worked as a Farmer and 17% of Kniffen women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Kniffen were Painter and Saleslady.

View Census Data for Kniffen | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

United States shown, England data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Farmer
    29%
  • Laborer
    21%
  • Clerk
    6%
  • Painter
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housewife
    17%
  • Clerk
    17%
  • Teacher
    13%
  • Saleslady
    10%

What Kniffen family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 5,000 census records available for the last name Kniffen. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Kniffen census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Kniffen

Passenger Lists

There are 302 immigration records available for the last name Kniffen. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Kniffen immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Kniffen. For the veterans among your Kniffen ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Kniffen military records

You've only scratched the surface of Kniffen family history

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What is the average Kniffen lifespan?

Between 1957 and 2004, in the United States, Kniffen life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1957, and highest in 1969. The average life expectancy for Kniffen in 1957 was 52, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Kniffen

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Kniffen ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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