2000
#7,001
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,414
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.64
Rare Last name
Levan
A French occupational surname derived from "levain," referring to a baker who uses leaven (yeast) in bread-making.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 4,619 Americans carry the last name Levan. That puts it at #7,907 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.35 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 74,205 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Levan surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Levan with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
4.6K
1 in 74,205
Census rank
#7,907
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,028 bearers of the surname Levan in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.35 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 7907th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Levan, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.5%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (3.8%) and Hispanic (3.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of 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.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Levan
Among Census respondents with the surname Levan, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.5%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (3.8%) and Hispanic (3.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Levan bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Levan surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White88.5% · 3,564
- Asian and Pacific Islander3.8% · 152
- Hispanic or Latino3.2% · 128
- Two or more races2.4% · 98
- Black or African American2.0% · 80
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 6
Timeline
Historical Census data for Levan
Levan appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#7,308
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,564
+150 bearers (+3.4%)
Per 100,000 1.55
Rank movement Down 307 places
2020
#7,907
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,028
-536 bearers (-11.7%)
Per 100,000 1.35
Rank movement Down 599 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #7,001 | 4,414 | 1.64 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #7,308 | 4,564 | 1.55 | +150 bearers (+3.4%) | Down 307 places |
| 2020 | #7,907 | 4,028 | 1.35 | -536 bearers (-11.7%) | Down 599 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Levan surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #7,308 | #7,907 | -8.2% |
| Count | 4,564 | 4,028 | -11.7% |
| Per 100K | 1.55 | 1.35 | -13.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Levan bearers went from 4,564 to 4,028 (-11.7% change). The surname moved down 599 positions in the national ranking, going from #7,308 to #7,907.
FAQ
Levan surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Levan?
Name Census estimates that about 4,619 living Americans carry the surname Levan. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 74,205 residents.
How common is Levan?
Levan ranks #7,907 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.35 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 4,028 people with the surname Levan. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (4,619), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.35 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.35 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Levan.
Has Levan become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Levan went from 4,564 recorded bearers to 4,028. That is a decrease of 536 (-11.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #7,308 to #7,907.
What does the Census say about the background of Levan?
Among Census respondents with the surname Levan, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.5%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (3.8%) and Hispanic (3.2%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Levan in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.5% (3,564 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Levan appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (88.5%), Asian/Pacific Islander (3.8%), Hispanic (3.2%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Levan (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Levan mean?
A French occupational surname derived from "levain," referring to a baker who uses leaven (yeast) in bread-making. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Levan (1.35 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the surname Levan?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.