i) Local 'at the knot,' the summit of a rocky hill, from residence thereon; compare Knapp, Knaggs, and Knoll, all of similar origin, (a) Bapt. 'the son of Cnut' (Canute). (3) Nick.; v. Nott.

Richard Knotte, London, 1273. Hundred Rolls.

Peter Cnotte, Salop, ibid.

Robertus Knotte, 1379: Poll Tax of Yorkshire.

Ricardus Notte, 1379: ibid.

Isabella Notte, 1379: ibid.

Thomas Knot, 1379: ibid.

1662. Married — James Rokeby and Judith Knott: St. Dionis Backchurch.

KNOUT: A ship of Knut the wealthy, citizen of Berwick, was carried off by Erlind, earl of Orkney, in 1156 (Orkneyinga Saga, Edinburgh, 1873, p. 161). Hugo Cnot granted an annual-rent of two shillings to the Priory of Inchcolm, c. 1210—29 (Inchcalm, p. 9). The name also occurs in records of Coldingham Priory as Cnoyt. Richard Knut witnessed resignation of the lands of Langholm and Brakanwra, 1281 (RHM., I, p. 11). Adum Knout and John Knout were burgesses of Roxburgh, 1296, and rendered homage in that year (Bain, II, p. 197,199). Isabele Knout of Roxburghshire also rendered homage (ibid., p. 200). Baring-Gould (p. 338) says the name is common enough in the north of England, and is an English form of Danish, Knot or Knud, that has been Latinized into Canute. Bardsley and Harrison give it also from Knut and (2) as local.

Both Knott and Nott occur in mediaeval Irish records as early as the end of the thirteenth century, e.g. in law cases recorded in the Judiciary Rolls for Counties Cork and Tipperary. According to Reaney these are different names, Knott being derived, like Canute, from Old Norse Knutr, thence from Old English cnotta, used of a thickset person, while Nott is from hnott bald-headed or close cropped; Knott may also come from Middle English knot a hill. It is most improbable that any descendants in the male line of any of these early Knotts exist in Ireland to—day,but there are numerous references to the name from the seventeenth century onwards. In 1666, for example, Isaac Knott was an original member of the Coopers Guild in Dublin. A year later the will of John Knott, a clothier of Dublin, was proved — in 1659 he appears in the “census” of that date as of High Street, Dublin. In 1686 one Daniel Knott, late of Sir Thomas Newcomen's Regiment of Foot, was a pensioner in the Royal Hospital, Kilmainham.

As early as 1641 we find the name in north Connacht when Henry Knott, son of an English trader, narrowly escaped death at Sligo in the trouble of that date. It became established there as we know from wills of 1708 (Co. Sligo) and 1729 (Co. Roscommon), and in the Alumni Dublinenses wherein are listed three students of those two counties born 1763, 1777 and 1811. There are also references to the -‘name in another part of the country viz. Co. Offaly (Kings's Co.). Joseph son of William Knott is mentioned in a will of 1724 and John and William Knott are listed as tenants at Clonad in 1763. The Quaker wills also record two Knotts as witnesses of a Co. Kildare will in 1734.

Several authors of the name will be found in the catalogues of the National Library of Ireland. The most distinguished of these is Eleanor Knott, the Irish scholar.

(English) 1 Dweller at a (Rocky) Hill- Top [N.Dial. English knot, a rocky sum­mit; Middle English knotte, Old English cnotta, a knot] 2 the (rare) Anglo-Saxon pers. name Cnotta [Old English cnotta, m., knot], corresp. to the Old Norse Knút-r (Canute), same meaning.

Richard Knotte.—Hundred Rolls

A form of the name Canute, distinct from Nott.

There are occasional mediaeval references to these names in Ireland. Knott is found mainly in Dublin since the seventeenth century. SIF 101

Version of Knut (Canute).

(English) Dweller at a rocky hilltop; descendant of Knut (hill, white-haired).

The Scandinavian Cnut or Canute, a personal name. Camden says that the sandpiper or knot-bird, derives its name from King Canute. Britannia, 971. And Drayton in his Polyolbion sings —

(English), Rocky summit; also Knut or Canute.

From the Old Norse, Knöttr; from the Danish, Knodt; from the German, Knoth; a personal name.

Knott is a name which was represented in the 13th century, as Knotte and Knot, in Shropshire, Hunts, and Norfolk (H. R.).