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Knowlson Family History

Knowlson Surname Meaning

English:: most probably a patronymic from the Middle English personal name Noel + son. The spelling Kn- would be a borrowing from words like know in which /kn/ was shortened to /n/ by the 17th century. Compare Knowles.

Alternatively, it may be a variant of Nalson ‘son of Nall’, a Middle English pet form of Alice and possibly of other names in Al- such as Alan.

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


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Where is the Knowlson family from?

You can see how Knowlson families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Knowlson family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Knowlson families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1911 there were 14 Knowlson families living in Ontario. This was about 78% of all the recorded Knowlson's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Knowlson families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Knowlson surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Knowlson ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Builder and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Knowlson. 18% of Knowlson men worked as a Builder and 82% of Knowlson women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Knowlson were Builder contractor and Unpaid Domestic Dut.

View Census Data for Knowlson | 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.

England shown, Canada data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • Builder
    18%
  • Farmer
    18%
  • General Labourer
    14%
  • Builder contractor
    9%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    82%
  • Unpaid Domestic Duti
    5%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    4%
  • Unpaid Domestic Dut
    3%

What Knowlson family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 7,000 census records available for the last name Knowlson. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Knowlson census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Knowlson

Passenger Lists

There are 673 immigration records available for the last name Knowlson. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Knowlson immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 675 military records available for the last name Knowlson. For the veterans among your Knowlson ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Knowlson military records

You've only scratched the surface of Knowlson family history

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What is the average Knowlson lifespan?

Between 1965 and 2003, in the United States, Knowlson life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1984, and highest in 1988. The average life expectancy for Knowlson in 1965 was 81, and 91 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Knowlson

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Knowlson 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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