Surname Knust - Meaning and Origin

Knust: What does the surname Knust mean?

The last name Knust is a German surname derived from a location-based name. It is believed to come from a settlement near the modern-day city of Hannover, in Lower Saxony. The village, once known as “Knust," is first mentioned in records dating to the 12th century and is still an active settlement today.

The surname Knust likely came from the name of the village, meaning it indicates that someone with this last name either lived there or was descended from someone who did. It may also simply be an adoption of the village’s name as a surname, in order to identify a person’s family or origin.

The exact meaning of the name is not definitively known; however, it is likely derived from an old German word meaning “knot" or “bundle"—a reference to the woven texture of this small village’s cobblestone streets.

Though the name Knust is rare, it likely spread across Germany as people moved out of the village. Today, it may be found in much of Germany and in some other parts of the world.

Knust: Where does the name Knust come from?

The surname Knust is most commonly encountered today in Germany and Austria, with the highest frequency of the surname reported in Germany. According to Forebears, an international surname database, the surname Knust is reported to have a population of 744 in Germany and 128 in Austria.

It is believed the surname Knust originated in Germany and transliterated from the old German term 'Konrad', which is a given name or forename. Alternatively, the surname Knust may also have derived from the German words 'Knaus' or 'Knecht', which both translate to 'servant'. Furthermore, the surname Knust likely indicates a patronymic origin, meaning its bearers likely descend from someone with the given name Konrad or a similar variant thereof.

Outside of Germany and Austria, the Knust surname is also relatively common in the Netherlands, with a population of 413 reported in 2019, as well as other countries with small populations, including the United States, Switzerland, Canada, and Suriname. Additionally, Multinational Surname Database suggests the surname Knust exists in other countries such as Brazil, Colombia, Russia, and South Africa.

Overall, the location with the most recognizable population of Knust surname holders is Germany, followed closely by Austria and the Netherlands.

Variations of the surname Knust

The German surname Knust is derived from the Middle High German word “knust”, meaning “bend, twist”. This surname can be found in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria and is most often found among ethnic German families from these countries.

Most variants of the surname Knust are spelled the same way, however some variations do exist. These variants range from “Knuest”, “Knuste”, “Knaust”, “Knueste”, and “Knusel” to “Knuddel”, “Knopp”, and “Knopf”.

Variations of the surname can also be found in other European countries such as Slovakia where the variant “Knušt” is found; in Denmark and Norway where “Knudsen” is found; and in the Netherlands where the form “Knus” is used.

In the United States, the most common variant is “Knust.” Additionally, other variants such as “Knouse”, “Knuth”, and “Knutsen” are also found.

The surname Knust is also found in other parts of the world, such as South Africa and Australia. In South Africa, the surname appears as “Knust”, “Knöpf”, and “Knutsen”, while in Australia the surname appears as “Knuzzi” and “Knopp.”

Overall, the surname Knust can be seen in many forms and given the redundancy of the surnames’ variants it’s possible that many forms have been overlooked over the centuries. Finally, although the origin for the surname remains unknown, it has been found that the surname has spread to many parts of the world where it has further diversified and taken new forms.

Famous people with the name Knust

• Brad Knust: A professional golfer who played for the Stanford Golf Team and Asian Tour.
• Dan Knust: A former professional wrestler who is best known for his work in the National Wrestling Alliance and World Championship Wrestling.
• Dave Knust: An American football coach and former professional American football player who played safety for eight seasons in the National Football League.
• George Knust: A former Major League Baseball player who played for the Cincinnati Reds and Cleveland Indians.
• Jack Knust: An American illustrator, art director and comic book artist.
• Jackie Knust: An American scientist and astronomer.
• John Knust: An American musician and vocalist.
• Kipp Knust: An American landscape photographer and filmmaker.
• Martin Knust: A German painter and illustrator.
• Max Knust: A German cheat and motivational speaker.
• Scott Knust: An American media producer and director.
• Tim Knust: A Canadian Children's music artist.

Other surnames

KnusliKnussli