Lavester
A name of uncertain origin, potentially derived from the Latin "lavo" meaning "to wash".
Name Census estimates that about 10 living Americans carry the first name Lavester. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Lavester today is around 57 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Lavester births was 1970 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Lavester. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Lavester. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
10
~ 1 in 34,275,434 Americans
Peak year
1970
6 babies that year
Average age
57
years old
1970 SSA rank
#4,522
Tracked since 1960
Popularity
Lavester: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Lavester from the 1960s through to the 1970s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1970s, with 6 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Lavester by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Lavester during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Lavester
The given name Lavester is an uncommon one with an intriguing history. Its origins can be traced back to the Latin language and the ancient Roman Empire. Lavester is believed to be derived from the Latin word "lavor," which means "to wash" or "to bathe." This suggests that the name may have originally been associated with professions or activities related to water, such as bathing or laundry.
During the Roman era, names with similar roots were not uncommon. For instance, the name "Lavatorius" was used, which also stemmed from the Latin word "lavor." However, Lavester itself does not appear to have been widely documented in ancient Roman texts or historical records from that time period.
The earliest recorded examples of the name Lavester can be found in medieval European records, particularly in regions influenced by Latin-derived languages. One notable figure bearing this name was Lavester de Montfort, a 13th-century knight from France who fought in the Albigensian Crusade against the Cathars.
In the 16th century, a Lavester Grimsby was mentioned in English records as a merchant and ship owner in the city of Bristol. This suggests that the name had started to spread beyond its Latin roots and was being adopted in different parts of Europe.
Another historical figure with the name Lavester was an Italian painter from the 17th century, known as Lavester Fiorelli. He was renowned for his religious paintings and frescoes adorning churches in Rome and the surrounding regions.
In the 19th century, a Lavester Cunningham was a prominent Scottish industrialist who owned several textile mills in the city of Glasgow. His success in the textile industry contributed to the growth and development of the city during the Industrial Revolution.
Lastly, Lavester Blakemore was an American soldier and recipient of the Medal of Honor for his bravery during the American Civil War. He was born in 1842 and served in the Union Army, participating in several major battles, including the Battle of Gettysburg.
While the name Lavester has been relatively rare throughout history, these examples demonstrate its presence across various cultures and time periods, with a connection to its Latin roots and associations with water, bathing, and cleanliness.
People
Lavester + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Lavester as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with L
Other first names starting with L with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Lavester: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Lavester?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 10 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Lavester going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 34,275,434 US residents.
Is Lavester a common name?
We classify Lavester as "Very Rare". It ranks above 28.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 11 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Lavester most popular?
The single biggest year for Lavester was 1970, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Lavester is about 57 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Lavester in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Lavester a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Lavester in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Lavester still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Lavester in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Lavester can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people have the name Lavester?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.