Historically part of Lancashire, at the 2001 Census it had a population of 11,343. It gave its name to the wider borough when it was formed in 1974. The parish includes Knowsley Hall and Knowsley Safari Park. There are three main built-up areas in the parish: the village of Knowsley, the nearby business park in the north west, and in the south-west a suburban area including Stockbridge Village and the northern fringe of Huyton. To the west of Knowsley is the area of Woolfall Heath.