2000
#13,181
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,125
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.79
Rare Last name
Levey
Derived from the Old French term for "rising ground" or "raised land," likely referring to an elevated dwelling place.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,179 Americans carry the last name Levey. That puts it at #14,946 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.64 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 157,299 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Levey 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 Levey with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
2.2K
1 in 157,299
Census rank
#14,946
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.9K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,900 bearers of the surname Levey in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.64 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 14946th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Levey, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.1%. The next largest groups are Black (4.4%) and Hispanic (4.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of 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The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in various historical documents, including the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire from 1273, which mentions a "William le Leuey."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.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Levey
Among Census respondents with the surname Levey, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.1%. The next largest groups are Black (4.4%) and Hispanic (4.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Levey 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 Levey surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White88.1% · 1,674
- Black or African American4.4% · 83
- Hispanic or Latino4.3% · 81
- Two or more races2.7% · 52
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.5% · 9
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Levey
Levey 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
#13,933
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,167
+42 bearers (+2.0%)
Per 100,000 0.73
Rank movement Down 752 places
2020
#14,946
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,900
-267 bearers (-12.3%)
Per 100,000 0.64
Rank movement Down 1,013 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #13,181 | 2,125 | 0.79 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #13,933 | 2,167 | 0.73 | +42 bearers (+2.0%) | Down 752 places |
| 2020 | #14,946 | 1,900 | 0.64 | -267 bearers (-12.3%) | Down 1,013 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 Levey 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 | #13,933 | #14,946 | -7.3% |
| Count | 2,167 | 1,900 | -12.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.73 | 0.64 | -12.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Levey bearers went from 2,167 to 1,900 (-12.3% change). The surname moved down 1,013 positions in the national ranking, going from #13,933 to #14,946.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Levey
FAQ
Levey surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Levey?
Name Census estimates that about 2,179 living Americans carry the surname Levey. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 157,299 residents.
How common is Levey?
Levey ranks #14,946 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.64 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 1,900 people with the surname Levey. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,179), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.64 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.64 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 Levey.
Has Levey become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Levey went from 2,167 recorded bearers to 1,900. That is a decrease of 267 (-12.3%). In the national ranking it fell from #13,933 to #14,946.
What does the Census say about the background of Levey?
Among Census respondents with the surname Levey, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.1%. The next largest groups are Black (4.4%) and Hispanic (4.3%). 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 Levey in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.1% (1,674 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Levey appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (88.1%), Black (4.4%), Hispanic (4.3%). 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 Levey (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 Levey mean?
Derived from the Old French term for "rising ground" or "raised land," likely referring to an elevated dwelling place. 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 Levey (0.64 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 last name Levey?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people have the surname Levey at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.