Researching William Knowles
Research the background of William Knowles using the links below. We hope you find this information useful!
![]() | Did you know that in the 1881 UK census there were 15993 people with the Knowles surname? In that year Knowles was ranked number 240 for popularity in the UK. |
Good news! There is already a One Name Study on the Knowles surname.

The name William means "resolute guardian" and is of German origin.
Records of William Knowles on Ancestry
Ancestry is a major source of information if you are filling out the detail of William Knowles in your family tree. A vast range of data is available to search ranging from census records, births, deaths and marriages, military records and immigration records to name but a few. Free trials are normally available and are a good way to fill out a lot of your tree quickly.
| Country Collection | |
|---|---|
![]() |
Ancestry.com Global records search results for William Knowles. |
![]() |
Ancestry.com US records search results for William Knowles. |
![]() |
Ancestry.co.uk UK records search results for William Knowles. |
![]() |
Ancestry.ca Canadian records search results for William Knowles. |
![]() |
Ancestry.com.au Australian records search results for William Knowles. |
DNA
Sometimes you can run into a brick wall in your tree and you just don't have enough evidence to make that next step back in time. A DNA test can sometimes help to make a link to a particular family name if you find you share common DNA with people who have the same or similar surnames as each other. If you are lucky then you may get a match within a few generations and discover some Knowles ancestors. Additionally, the modern DNA test can give you a breakdown of your ethnic mix - you may be surprised at the results!
Have you reached a brick wall in your Knowles Tree?
Birth, Death and Marriage Records for William Knowles and the Knowles Family Tree
Birth, Death and Marriage records are often the best method of making the links to the Knowles Genealogy that will form part of your family tree. Although records vary from country to country, they are normally the most formal record of a person's relations. From the sources listed below it will be possible to locate a birth record and, from that record, a birth certificate may be obtainable which is likely to list the names of the parents, therefore taking you back another generation. A marriage certificate may also list the names of the respective fathers of the bride and groom which may then help you to find them earlier in life on a census record enabling you to fill out more detail in the Knowles family tree.
Check out Parish Records for William Knowles at Find My Past.
Search for the UK registered births, marriages and deaths of William Knowles using the FreeBMD database.
Explore Genealogy Bank for William Knowles records.
Investigate MyHeritage for William Knowles information.
Study the LDS Database for records about William Knowles.
Research the Knowles surname using fold3 Military Archives and view images of original Knowles Military records.
![]() | Did you know that there are currently 18193 people with the Knowles surname in the UK? Knowles is now ranked number 297 for popularity in the UK. |
Knowles Genealogy Databases
Another way to build your tree quickly is to use the research other people have already done. This can help to confirm or refute your own deductions - however, be wary of taking this data at face value as other researchers may not have been as meticulous as you. Always try to back up deductions with some definitive sources rather than relying too heavily on others.
Look at the WikiTree database for user contributed records for William Knowles.
Study MyTrees for information on the Knowles family and people looking to contact living Knowles relations.
Search One Great Family for Knowles records submitted by people who are already researching the Knowles Family Tree.
Find William Knowles from Ireland on findmypast.ie
Knowles Forums
There are a number of forums which are dedicated to rearching particular surnames. These can be good places to share your findings and also to tap into the knowledge that others may already have. These can sometimes be a good way of finding living relations as these tend not to show up on the other sources of information for privacy reasons.
Research the Knowles surname using Genealogy.com forums .
![]() | Did you know that there are currently 36459 people with the Knowles surname in the USA? Knowles is ranked number 145 for popularity in the USA. |
Miscellaneous Knowles Databases
Study the Ellis Island Database for information on William Knowles. This database contains over 25 million immigration records detailing passengers arriving in the United States of America.
Some Famous People called William Knowles
William Erskine Knowles
William Erskine Knowles (November 28, 1872 – July 17, 1951) was a Canadian politician.
Born in Alliston, Ontario, Knowles was educated at Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto, Ontario. A lawyer by profession, he was first elected to the House of Commons of Canada for the electoral district of Assiniboia West in a by-election held on February 6, 1906. A Liberal, he was re-elected in 1908 and 1911 for the electoral district of Moose Jaw. He did not run in 1917. From 1918 to 1927, he was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan. From 1918 to 1921, he was the Provincial Secretary and from 1919 to 1921 he was the Minister of Telephones. He attempted a federal comeback in the 1921 and 1923 elections but was defeated.
Knowles resigned his seat in the Saskatchewan assembly in 1927 after he was named a judge.
Source: William Erskine Knowles, Wikipedia, The Free EncyclopediaOther names that sound a bit like Knowles
Family names can get corrupted over time, particularly where literacy was not as good. The following list contains some names that have similar sounds so you may want to also look at one or two of the more likely possibilites.
Knoales Knoles Knolls Knowlys Nalasco Nalls Naulls Neales Nealis Neallis Neelis Nehls Neils Neilus Neles Nelis Nelisse Nelius Nelk Nelles Nellies Nellis Nellius Nelsey Neolcke Neuls Nials Niles Nilles Noailles Noales Noelcke Noelk Noiles Noles Nollsch Nolz Nowells Nowels Nyles





Comments
Looking for information on a William Knowles in your family tree? Why not post a question here -