Find out how popular the last name Levan is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Levan.

Levan, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Levan surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Levan in America

Levan is the 7308th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Levan surname appeared 4,564 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Levan.

We can also compare 2010 data for Levan to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Levan

The surname Levan originated in the Brittany region of northwestern France during the early medieval period. It is derived from the Breton word "leven," meaning "lion" or "brave." This name likely referred to someone who was considered courageous or lion-hearted.

One of the earliest known references to the name Levan can be found in the cartulary of the Abbey of Saint-Sauveur in Redon, Brittany, dating back to the 11th century. The document mentions a nobleman named Riwallon Levan, who granted lands to the abbey.

In the 12th century, the name Levan appeared in the records of the Duchy of Brittany, associated with several noble families. One notable figure was Eudes Levan (c. 1150-1220), a knight who fought in the Third Crusade and later became a vassal of the Duke of Brittany.

As the Levan family spread throughout Brittany, the name underwent slight variations in spelling, such as Levayn, Levain, and Levane. These variations were often influenced by local dialects and scribal practices.

During the 13th century, a branch of the Levan family settled in the town of Lannion, in the Côtes-d'Armor region of Brittany. The town's name was originally spelled "Lanion," and it is possible that the surname Levan was derived from this place name.

One of the most notable historical figures with the surname Levan was Jean Levan (c. 1460-1522), a Breton scholar and poet who authored several works in the Breton language. His writings provide valuable insights into the culture and language of medieval Brittany.

Another prominent individual was Françoise Levan (c. 1525-1598), a noblewoman from Rennes who played a significant role in the French Wars of Religion. She was known for her support of the Protestant cause and her efforts to protect Huguenot refugees.

In the 17th century, the Levan family expanded beyond Brittany, with members settling in other parts of France and even venturing to the New World. One such individual was Pierre Levan (c. 1630-1692), a French explorer and fur trader who established a trading post in present-day Wisconsin.

Another notable figure was Jacques Levan (c. 1665-1734), a French military officer who served in the Nine Years' War and the War of the Spanish Succession. He rose to the rank of lieutenant-general and was awarded the Order of Saint Louis for his service.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Levan

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Levan.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Levan was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Levan has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Levan was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Levan, please contact us.

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