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

Levine, 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 Levine surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Levine in America

Levine is the 1032nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Levine surname appeared 33,637 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 11 people would have the surname Levine.

We can also compare 2010 data for Levine 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 Levine

The surname Levine is of Jewish origin and is derived from the Hebrew word "Levi," which means "joined" or "attached." It is believed to have originated among the ancient Israelite tribe of Levi, one of the twelve tribes of Israel.

The earliest known record of the name Levine dates back to the 12th century, when it appeared in various Jewish communities throughout Europe. It was a common surname among Ashkenazi Jews living in Eastern Europe, particularly in Poland, Russia, and Lithuania.

During the Middle Ages, the name Levine was often spelled differently, such as Levin, Levyn, or Lewine. These variations were likely due to the influence of local languages and dialects in the regions where Jewish communities were established.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Levine was Rabbi Yehuda Levine, a prominent scholar and philosopher who lived in the 13th century. He was known for his contributions to the study of Jewish law and ethics.

In the 16th century, the name Levine was associated with the town of Levine, located in present-day Belarus. This town was likely named after a Jewish family with the surname Levine, indicating their prominent presence in the area.

Over the centuries, several notable individuals have carried the surname Levine. For example, Isaac Bashevis Singer (1902-1991) was a Polish-American writer and Nobel Prize laureate in Literature, known for his works depicting Jewish life in Poland. Another famous Levine was Leon Levine (1935-2022), an American businessman and philanthropist who founded the Family Dollar retail chain.

Other notable individuals with the surname Levine include:

1. Robert Levine (1935-2022), an American psychologist and author known for his work on human behavior and developmental psychology.
2. Joseph E. Levine (1905-1987), an American film producer and distributor who played a significant role in the international distribution of independent films.
3. Adam Levine (born 1979), an American singer, songwriter, and lead vocalist of the pop rock band Maroon 5.
4. Samm Levine (born 1982), an American actor known for his roles in films like "Undeclared" and "Inglourious Basterds."
5. Amanda Levine (born 1988), an American actress and singer best known for her role in the television series "Gossip Girl."

The surname Levine continues to be widely used among Jewish communities worldwide, serving as a testament to the rich cultural heritage and history associated with this ancient name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Levine

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

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

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

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