UK surname
A surname derived from the French words "la" and "vee," meaning "the meadow."
In the 1881 census there were 75 people recorded with the Lavey surname, ranking it #22,893 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 62, ranked #34,227, down from #22,893 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Ealing, Chiswick and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lavey is 130 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 17.3%.
1881 census count
75
Ranked #22,893
Modern count
62
2016, ranked #34,227
Peak year
1861
130 bearers
Map years
4
1861 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Lavey surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Lavey surname density by area, 1911 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.
| Year | Period | Count | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1851 | historical | 56 | #23,235 |
| 1861 | historical | 130 | #17,164 |
| 1881 | historical | 75 | #22,893 |
| 1891 | historical | 113 | #22,162 |
| 1901 | historical | 118 | #20,721 |
| 1911 | historical | 124 | #20,023 |
| 1997 | modern | 87 | #28,749 |
| 1998 | modern | 92 | #28,680 |
| 1999 | modern | 87 | #29,398 |
| 2000 | modern | 78 | #30,361 |
| 2001 | modern | 68 | #31,195 |
| 2002 | modern | 75 | #30,950 |
| 2003 | modern | 65 | #31,979 |
| 2004 | modern | 66 | #32,079 |
| 2005 | modern | 65 | #32,387 |
| 2006 | modern | 63 | #32,943 |
| 2007 | modern | 66 | #32,948 |
| 2008 | modern | 65 | #33,303 |
| 2009 | modern | 66 | #33,538 |
| 2010 | modern | 70 | #33,480 |
| 2011 | modern | 66 | #33,768 |
| 2012 | modern | 71 | #33,573 |
| 2013 | modern | 67 | #33,939 |
| 2014 | modern | 64 | #34,141 |
| 2015 | modern | 61 | #34,284 |
| 2016 | modern | 62 | #34,227 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Ealing, Chiswick, Lambeth, Billingham and St Mary Islington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 2 | Ealing, Chiswick | Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts) |
| 3 | Lambeth | London (South Districts) |
| 4 | Billingham | Durham |
| 5 | St Mary Islington | London (North Districts) |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Lavey surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Lavey, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.
These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.
The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.
UK neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Lavey surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Lavey household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Lavey is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Lavey is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Lavey, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Lavey is believed to have originated in France, specifically in the Normandy region. It is thought to have derived from the Old French word "lavée," which means "a stream" or "a rivulet." This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who lived near a small stream or river.
The earliest recorded instance of the name Lavey dates back to the 13th century, where it appeared in the Livre des Bourgeois de Rouen, a census-like record of the inhabitants of the city of Rouen. In this record, the name was spelled as "Lavé."
During the Middle Ages, the name Lavey was also found in various charters and legal documents from the Normandy region. One notable example is a charter from 1387, which mentions a certain "Jehan Lavey" who was a landowner in the village of Beaumont-le-Roger.
As the name spread across Europe, it underwent some spelling variations. In England, it was sometimes spelled as "Lavie" or "Lavey," while in Germany, it appeared as "Laveye" or "Lavei."
One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Lavey was Pierre Lavey, a French soldier who fought in the Hundred Years' War. He was born around 1380 and is mentioned in several historical records from the early 15th century.
Another notable figure with the Lavey surname was Jacques Lavey, a French explorer who accompanied Jacques Cartier on his voyages to what is now Canada in the 16th century. Lavey was born in Normandy around 1510.
In the 17th century, a man named Jean Lavey was a prominent merchant and landowner in the French colony of Saint-Domingue (now Haiti). He was born in Normandy in 1635 and settled in Saint-Domingue in the 1660s.
During the American Revolutionary War, a soldier named John Lavey served in the Continental Army. He was born in Pennsylvania in 1755 and fought in several battles, including the Battle of Monmouth in 1778.
In the 19th century, a French artist named Auguste Lavey gained recognition for his landscape paintings. He was born in Paris in 1820 and exhibited his works at the Paris Salon between 1845 and 1870.
While the surname Lavey is not as common as some other French surnames, it has a rich history that can be traced back to the Middle Ages in Normandy. Over the centuries, individuals with this name have left their mark in various fields, including military service, exploration, commerce, and the arts.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lavey surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Surrey leads with 24 Laveys recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.73x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Surrey | 24 | 6.73x |
| Middlesex | 16 | 2.19x |
| Lancashire | 7 | 0.81x |
| Hampshire | 6 | 4.00x |
| Northumberland | 5 | 4.59x |
| Nottinghamshire | 5 | 5.07x |
| Cheshire | 2 | 1.24x |
| Devon | 2 | 1.31x |
| Essex | 2 | 1.39x |
| Dorset | 1 | 2.08x |
| Glamorgan | 1 | 0.79x |
| Hertfordshire | 1 | 1.98x |
| Kent | 1 | 0.40x |
| Westmorland | 1 | 6.22x |
| Yorkshire | 1 | 0.14x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 12 Laveys recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.93x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Islington London | 12 | 16.93x |
| Lambeth | 9 | 14.11x |
| Bootle Cum Linacre | 5 | 72.57x |
| Cowpen | 5 | 199.20x |
| Sutton In Ashfield | 5 | 233.64x |
| Croydon | 4 | 20.21x |
| Walton On Thames | 4 | 243.90x |
| Woking | 4 | 186.05x |
| Pamber | 3 | 1764.71x |
| Silchester | 3 | 2500.00x |
| Coldridge | 2 | 1666.67x |
| Ashton In Makerfield | 1 | 40.49x |
| Battersea | 1 | 3.71x |
| Chigwell | 1 | 73.53x |
| East Barnet | 1 | 100.00x |
| Eston | 1 | 63.29x |
| Greenwich | 1 | 8.58x |
| Harrow On The Hill | 1 | 68.49x |
| Kirby Le Soken | 1 | 476.19x |
| Liscard | 1 | 34.36x |
| Morden | 1 | 555.56x |
| Newington | 1 | 3.70x |
| Portland | 1 | 38.76x |
| St Anne Soho London | 1 | 23.92x |
| St George Hanover Square | 1 | 7.76x |
| St Mary Magdalen Old Fish | 1 | 3333.33x |
| Strickland Kettle | 1 | 666.67x |
| Walton Superior | 1 | 1666.67x |
| Wigan | 1 | 8.24x |
| Ystradyfodwg | 1 | 8.95x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Lavey surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Lavey surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
FAQ
In 1881, 75 people were recorded with the Lavey surname. That placed it at #22,893 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 62 in 2016. That gives Lavey a modern rank of #34,227.
A surname derived from the French words "la" and "vee," meaning "the meadow."
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Lavey bearers relative to the surrounding population.
The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.