Levey last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Levey

Derived from the Old French term for "rising ground" or "raised land," likely referring to an elevated dwelling place.

Levey, 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 Levey surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Levey in America

Levey is the 13933rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Levey surname appeared 2,167 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Levey.

We can also compare 2010 data for Levey 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 13933 13181 5.55%
Count 2,167 2,125 1.96%
Proportion per 100k 0.73 0.79 -7.89%

The history of the last name Levey

The surname Levey is of English origin, with roots dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have originated from the Old English word "lefey," which referred to a person who was a huntsman or a gamekeeper. This name was likely given as an occupational surname to individuals who held such professions during the medieval period.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in various historical documents, including the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire from 1273, which mentions a "William le Leuey." Additionally, the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327 list a "John Levey," indicating the presence of this surname in different regions of England during that time.

One notable historical figure bearing the name Levey was Sir Walter Levey, a prominent English lawyer and judge who lived during the 16th century (c. 1550-1621). He served as a member of Parliament and was appointed Chief Justice of the King's Bench in 1619.

In the 17th century, the name appeared in various parish records, such as the christening of Thomas Levey in St. Mary's Church, Putney, London, in 1674. This document provides evidence of the surname's continued use and presence in the capital city.

During the 18th century, a notable individual was John Levey (1730-1798), an English engraver and cartographer known for his work on maps and charts for the British Admiralty. His contributions to the field of cartography were significant at the time.

Another person of note was Sir Walter Levey (1776-1853), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars. He distinguished himself in several battles and was awarded the prestigious Order of the Bath for his valiant service.

In the 19th century, one of the most prominent figures with the surname Levey was William Levey (1828-1892), an English architect and designer. He was responsible for the construction of several notable buildings in London, including the Holloway Sanatorium and the former Islington Public Library.

These examples illustrate the long-standing presence of the surname Levey in England, with roots stretching back to the medieval period. The name has been associated with various occupations and individuals who have made significant contributions in fields such as law, cartography, military service, and architecture throughout history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Levey

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

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 Levey was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 91.23% 1,977
Non-Hispanic Black Only 4.66% 101
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 0.32% 7
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 1.11% 24
Hispanic Origin 2.68% 58

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 Levey has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 91.23% 92.56% -1.45%
Black 4.66% 4.85% -4.00%
Asian and Pacific Islander 0.32% (S)% (S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% (S)% (S)%
Two or More Races 1.11% 0.85% 26.53%
Hispanic 2.68% 1.36% 65.35%

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 Levey was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

Reference this page

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"Levey last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on November 22, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/levey-surname-popularity/.

"Levey last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/levey-surname-popularity/. Accessed 22 November, 2024

Levey last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/levey-surname-popularity/.

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