UK surname
A form of the medieval surname Leavey or Leavy, derived from the Old Norman French for "the gray one".
In the 1881 census there were 19 people recorded with the Lavy surname, ranking it #30,872 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 48, ranked #35,004, down from #30,872 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Christ Church Spitalfields, Tormoham with Torquay and St Mary Whitechapel. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lavy is 113 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 152.6%.
1881 census count
19
Ranked #30,872
Modern count
48
2016, ranked #35,004
Peak year
1891
113 bearers
Map years
1
1891 to 1891
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Lavy surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Lavy surname density by area, 1891 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 | 32 | #27,570 |
| 1861 | historical | 80 | #23,566 |
| 1881 | historical | 19 | #30,872 |
| 1891 | historical | 113 | #22,162 |
| 1901 | historical | 42 | #29,487 |
| 1911 | historical | 27 | #30,437 |
| 1997 | modern | 40 | #33,666 |
| 1998 | modern | 41 | #33,747 |
| 1999 | modern | 44 | #33,601 |
| 2000 | modern | 38 | #34,146 |
| 2001 | modern | 39 | #33,923 |
| 2002 | modern | 45 | #33,712 |
| 2003 | modern | 44 | #33,875 |
| 2004 | modern | 44 | #34,053 |
| 2005 | modern | 39 | #34,652 |
| 2006 | modern | 38 | #35,003 |
| 2007 | modern | 40 | #35,037 |
| 2008 | modern | 40 | #35,137 |
| 2009 | modern | 42 | #35,148 |
| 2010 | modern | 46 | #35,062 |
| 2011 | modern | 47 | #34,989 |
| 2012 | modern | 46 | #35,053 |
| 2013 | modern | 48 | #35,012 |
| 2014 | modern | 47 | #35,097 |
| 2015 | modern | 47 | #35,056 |
| 2016 | modern | 48 | #35,004 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Christ Church Spitalfields, Tormoham with Torquay, St Mary Whitechapel, Silchester and Longparish. 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 | Christ Church Spitalfields | London (East Districts) |
| 2 | Tormoham with Torquay | Devon |
| 3 | St Mary Whitechapel | London (East Districts) |
| 4 | Silchester | Hampshire |
| 5 | Longparish | Hampshire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Lavy 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 Lavy, 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 Lavy surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Lavy 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, Lavy 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 Lavy is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Lavy, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname LAVY is of French origin and can be traced back to the late 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word "lavai", which referred to a small valley or low-lying area. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived in or near a valley.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname LAVY appears in a French census record from the year 1195, which lists a "Robert de Lavy" as a resident of the village of Lavy-sur-Arnon in the Berry region of central France. It is possible that this particular LAVY surname may have originated from this specific place name.
In the 13th century, the name LAVY began to appear in various legal documents and property records across different regions of France, indicating the gradual spread and establishment of families bearing this surname.
A notable early bearer of the LAVY surname was Jean LAVY, a French merchant and trader who lived in the city of Lyon during the late 15th century. Records from this period mention his involvement in the lucrative silk trade between France and Italy.
Another historically significant figure with the LAVY surname was Pierre LAVY, a French Protestant theologian and scholar who lived from 1556 to 1632. He was a prominent figure during the French Wars of Religion and authored several influential works on Calvinist theology.
In the 18th century, a French soldier named Jacques LAVY (1701-1789) gained recognition for his bravery and military service during the War of the Austrian Succession and the Seven Years' War. He rose through the ranks and was eventually awarded the prestigious Order of Saint Louis for his valor on the battlefield.
Across the English Channel, the LAVY surname also established a presence in England, potentially introduced by French immigrants or through trade and cultural exchanges. One notable English bearer of the name was William LAVY (1701-1768), a successful merchant and landowner from Gloucestershire who left a significant estate upon his death.
While the surname LAVY is not among the most common in modern times, its long history and presence across various regions of Europe serve as a testament to the enduring legacy of this name and its bearers throughout the centuries.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lavy 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. Gloucestershire leads with 8 Lavys recorded in 1881 and an index of 22.02x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Gloucestershire | 8 | 22.02x |
| Middlesex | 5 | 2.70x |
| Lancashire | 2 | 0.91x |
| Berkshire | 1 | 7.19x |
| Durham | 1 | 1.81x |
| West Lothian | 1 | 35.84x |
| Yorkshire | 1 | 0.54x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bristol St James In in Gloucestershire leads with 8 Lavys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1509.43x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Bristol St James In | 8 | 1509.43x |
| Hackney London | 2 | 19.27x |
| Hammersmith London | 2 | 43.86x |
| Bootle Cum Linacre | 1 | 57.14x |
| Hedworth Monkton Jarrow | 1 | 41.84x |
| Leeds | 1 | 9.65x |
| Liverpool | 1 | 7.49x |
| Sonning | 1 | 666.67x |
| Whitburn | 1 | 250.00x |
| Whitechapel London | 1 | 54.64x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Lavy surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
FAQ
In 1881, 19 people were recorded with the Lavy surname. That placed it at #30,872 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 48 in 2016. That gives Lavy a modern rank of #35,004.
A form of the medieval surname Leavey or Leavy, derived from the Old Norman French for "the gray one".
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Lavy 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.