Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• grangia de Kyntes 1326 VR

• grangia vocata Beurepeyr 1334 VR

• grangia de Bieurepeir vel de Knythtes 1336 ib

• grangia de Knythtes 1336,1340 VR

• manerium de Knyghtes 1360 1395 Orm2

• graunge of Knyghtes, grangia de Knyght(e)s, Knight(e)s 1535 VE 1537,1544 Chol 1544 Orm2

• Knyghtts 1538 ib

• Knights alias Knights Grange 1612,1629 ib

• Knyghtesgraunge 1547 MinAcct

• Knightesgraunge 1554 ib

• Knyghtes Grainge 1555 Sheaf

• Knyghtes Grange 1560 1608 Chol

• Knight's Graunge 1588 Tab

• Knight's Grange 1656 Orm2

• Knyghts Grange 1611 Sheaf

• Knights Grange 1612,1671 ib

• Knights alias Knights Grange 1612,1629 Orm2

• Knights Grange Wood 1831 Bry

• Knightsgrange 1631 ChRR

• manor of Knighte 1538 Dugd

• Knight Grange in Whitegat 1553 Tab

Etymology

'The retainers' or 'the young men', from the nom.pl. of cniht, ME  cnihtes , knihtes , cf. Mottram 1202 for an analogous type of name.This place was a grange of Vale Royal abbey 179 infra , v. grange , where it was obviously known as 'a pleasant resort', v. bel 2 , repaire .Cf. Childer Thornton 325infra , for a social analogy, an estate supporting the youngsters of a community.