Knight Family Crest, Coat of Arms & Knight Name Origin

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Origin of the Name Knight

The ancient history of the name Knight was found in the allfamilycrests.com archives. include Knightly, Knightson, Knevitt, Knyvett, Knights and Knightes. This is an occupational name meaning 'man at arms'. This name is of Anglo-Saxon descent spreading to Ireland , Scotland and Wales in early times and is found in many mediaeval manuscripts throughout these countries. Examples of such are a Johannes Knyght who was recorded in the 'Poll Tax' of the West Riding of Yorkshire, England , in the year 1379. A John Knycht was Canon of Brechin, Scotland , in the year 1435. In Ireland this name usually has the prefix 'Mac' and is found throughout the four provinces. In the feudal system introduced by the Normans the word was applied at first to a tenant bound to serve his Lord as a mounted soldier. Hence it came to denote a man of substance, since maintaining horses and armour was an expensive business. The variant Knightson is simply an extended version of the name take from the son of the Knight. The Gaelic forms of the name are Mac an Ridire and Mac Neachtain.