2000
#926
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 34,472
First available Census row
Per 100,000 12.78
Uncommon Last name
Levine
A Jewish surname referring to a Levite, a descendant of the Israelite tribe of Levi.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 35,536 Americans carry the last name Levine. That puts it at #1,115 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 10.37 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 9,645 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Levine 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 Levine with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
36K
1 in 9,645
Census rank
#1,115
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
10.4
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
31K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 30,989 bearers of the surname Levine in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 10.37 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 1115th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Levine, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.3%. The next largest groups are Black (4.5%) and Hispanic (4.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of 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.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Levine
Among Census respondents with the surname Levine, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.3%. The next largest groups are Black (4.5%) and Hispanic (4.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Levine 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 Levine surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White88.3% · 27,364
- Black or African American4.5% · 1,389
- Hispanic or Latino4.0% · 1,233
- Two or more races2.2% · 692
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 263
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 48
Timeline
Historical Census data for Levine
Levine 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
#1,032
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 33,637
-835 bearers (-2.4%)
Per 100,000 11.40
Rank movement Down 106 places
2020
#1,115
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 30,989
-2,648 bearers (-7.9%)
Per 100,000 10.37
Rank movement Down 83 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #926 | 34,472 | 12.78 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #1,032 | 33,637 | 11.40 | -835 bearers (-2.4%) | Down 106 places |
| 2020 | #1,115 | 30,989 | 10.37 | -2,648 bearers (-7.9%) | Down 83 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 Levine 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 | #1,032 | #1,115 | -8.0% |
| Count | 33,637 | 30,989 | -7.9% |
| Per 100K | 11.40 | 10.37 | -9.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Levine bearers went from 33,637 to 30,989 (-7.9% change). The surname moved down 83 positions in the national ranking, going from #1,032 to #1,115.
FAQ
Levine surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Levine?
Name Census estimates that about 35,536 living Americans carry the surname Levine. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 9,645 residents.
How common is Levine?
Levine ranks #1,115 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 10.37 per 100,000 residents, which is about 10 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 30,989 people with the surname Levine. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (35,536), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 10.37 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 10.37 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 10 of them to have the surname Levine.
Has Levine become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Levine went from 33,637 recorded bearers to 30,989. That is a decrease of 2,648 (-7.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #1,032 to #1,115.
What does the Census say about the background of Levine?
Among Census respondents with the surname Levine, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.3%. The next largest groups are Black (4.5%) and Hispanic (4.0%). 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 Levine in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.3% (27,364 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Levine appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (88.3%), Black (4.5%), Hispanic (4.0%). 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 Levine (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 Levine mean?
A Jewish surname referring to a Levite, a descendant of the Israelite tribe of Levi. 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 Levine (10.37 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 are called Levine?
You can see how many people have the last name Levine on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.