KNAP - (Eng. and Scan.) Dweller at the top of a hill or a knoll. The "Bel" prefix could mean there was a bell on the hill. But Bel is an ancient English name, meaning uncertain but found in numerous names such as Bellingham, Belson, Belton. Bel could also be from the French for beautiful hill but it comes much to late in time to have influenced Belknap. Sorry I couldn't come up with something more satisfactory. Gary Radcliffe