NameCensus.

UK surname

Lefever

A French occupational surname referring to a smith or metalworker, derived from the Old French word "fevre."

In the 1881 census there were 173 people recorded with the Lefever surname, ranking it #14,112 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 93, ranked #31,945, down from #14,112 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Leonard Shoreditch, Walthamstow, Low Leyton and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Uttlesford, Kensington and Chelsea and Southend-on-Sea.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lefever is 260 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 46.2%.

1881 census count

173

Ranked #14,112

Modern count

93

2016, ranked #31,945

Peak year

1911

260 bearers

Map years

6

1851 to 1998

Key insights

  • Lefever had 173 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,112 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 93 in 2016, ranked #31,945.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 260 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Lefever surname distribution map

The map shows where the Lefever surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Lefever surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lefever over time

The 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 164 #12,116
1861 historical 87 #22,681
1881 historical 173 #14,112
1891 historical 202 #14,808
1901 historical 243 #13,358
1911 historical 260 #12,561
1997 modern 103 #26,498
1998 modern 106 #26,689
1999 modern 104 #27,164
2000 modern 105 #27,001
2001 modern 106 #26,468
2002 modern 109 #26,552
2003 modern 107 #26,617
2004 modern 103 #27,503
2005 modern 104 #27,369
2006 modern 93 #29,411
2007 modern 94 #29,650
2008 modern 93 #30,123
2009 modern 98 #29,906
2010 modern 97 #30,697
2011 modern 94 #31,016
2012 modern 90 #31,790
2013 modern 98 #31,078
2014 modern 95 #31,792
2015 modern 97 #31,499
2016 modern 93 #31,945

Geography

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Where Lefevers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Leonard Shoreditch, Walthamstow, Low Leyton, London parishes, Kings Norton and St Dunstan Stepney. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Uttlesford, Kensington and Chelsea, Southend-on-Sea, Basildon and Sevenoaks. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 St Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
2 Walthamstow, Low Leyton Essex
3 London parishes London 3
4 Kings Norton Worcestershire
5 St Dunstan Stepney London (East Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Uttlesford 002 Uttlesford
2 Kensington and Chelsea 016 Kensington and Chelsea
3 Southend-on-Sea 012 Southend-on-Sea
4 Basildon 011 Basildon
5 Sevenoaks 013 Sevenoaks

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lefever

These lists show first names that appear often with the Lefever surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lefever

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Lefever, 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

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Lefever surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Lefever household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Lefever is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Lefever is most concentrated in decile 5 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Lefever falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Lefever is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Lefever, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Lefever

The surname LEFEVER has its origins in France, dating back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old French word "fevre," which means "blacksmith" or "metalworker." The prefix "le" was a definite article commonly used at the time, indicating occupational names.

During the 12th and 13th centuries, the name LEFEVER was prevalent in the northern regions of France, particularly in Normandy and Brittany. It first appeared in written records as "le Fevre," referring to individuals who worked as blacksmiths or metalworkers in local villages and towns.

One of the earliest known references to the name LEFEVER can be found in the Chartulary of Savigny, a medieval cartulary compiled in the late 12th century. This document contains records of land transactions and mentions several individuals with the surname LEFEVER, indicating their presence in the region during that time.

In the 14th century, the name LEFEVER began to appear in various spellings, such as "Lefèvre," "Lefevre," and "Lefebvre." These variations were common due to the inconsistencies in recording names during that period.

Notable individuals with the surname LEFEVER throughout history include:

1. Jean Lefèvre (c. 1335-1416), a French theologian and philosopher, known for his contributions to the field of biblical studies. 2. Tanneguy Lefèvre (c. 1415-1472), a French military commander who served under King Charles VII during the Hundred Years' War. 3. Claude Lefèvre (c. 1520-1572), a French poet and humanist, renowned for his translations of ancient Greek and Latin texts. 4. Jacques Lefèvre (c. 1610-1675), a French painter who specialized in portraiture and historical subjects. 5. Jean-Baptiste Lefèvre (1768-1835), a French architect and engineer, notable for his work on the construction of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.

Furthermore, the surname LEFEVER has been associated with various place names throughout France, such as Lefèvre-sur-Oise, Lefèvre-en-Argonne, and Lefèvre-Pontalis, reflecting the widespread presence of individuals bearing this name in different regions.

While the surname LEFEVER has its roots in France, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and intermarriage. However, its origins can be traced back to the skilled metalworkers and blacksmiths of medieval France, who played a crucial role in the development of local communities and industries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lefever families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lefever surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 95 Lefevers recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.09x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 95 6.09x
Kent 21 3.94x
Cambridgeshire 12 12.14x
Essex 8 2.60x
Surrey 6 0.79x
Lincolnshire 5 2.00x
Warwickshire 4 1.02x
Lancashire 3 0.16x
Yorkshire 3 0.19x
Northumberland 2 0.86x
Hertfordshire 1 0.93x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bethnal Green London in Middlesex leads with 35 Lefevers recorded in 1881 and an index of 51.63x.

Place Total Index
Bethnal Green London 35 51.63x
Mile End Old Town London 18 54.20x
Shoreditch London 18 26.61x
Hackney London 10 11.43x
Wisbech St Peter 8 161.29x
Dunkirk 7 1750.00x
Old Artillery Ground 6 447.76x
Gillingham 5 45.54x
Spitalfields London 5 42.59x
Aston 4 3.69x
Elm 4 412.37x
Spalding 4 80.81x
Walton On Thames 4 114.61x
West Ham 4 5.88x
Manchester 3 3.60x
Preston Next Faversham 3 240.00x
Walthamstow 3 27.05x
Bow London 2 10.07x
Gate Fulford 2 55.40x
Westgate 2 13.91x
Westwell 2 377.36x
Beverley St Mary 1 44.25x
Camberwell 1 1.00x
Canterbury St Gregory 1 142.86x
Faversham 1 19.69x
Pinchbeck 1 62.50x
Ramsgate 1 11.51x
Reigate Foreign 1 12.15x
South Weald 1 37.88x
St Stephen Coleman Street 1 181.82x
Teynham 1 104.17x
Watford 1 11.99x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Lefever surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Sarah 9
Charlotte 5
Mary 5
Louisa 4
Alice 3
Clara 3
Elizabeth 3
Emma 3
Florence 3
Rose 3
Ada 2
Amy 2
Isabella 2
Jane 2
Martha 2
Pauline 2
Ann 1
Anna 1
Annie 1
Arvia 1
Beatrice 1
Caroline 1
Eleanor 1
Eliza 1
Elizth. 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Flossie 1
Frances 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Helen 1
Hepzebeth 1
Lila 1
Lily 1
Marguerite 1
Maria 1
Maryann 1
Nellie 1
Phoebe 1
Ruth 1
S. 1
Selina 1
Sophia 1
Violet 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Lefever surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

FAQ

Lefever surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lefever surname in 1881?

In 1881, 173 people were recorded with the Lefever surname. That placed it at #14,112 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lefever surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 93 in 2016. That gives Lefever a modern rank of #31,945.

What does the Lefever surname mean?

A French occupational surname referring to a smith or metalworker, derived from the Old French word "fevre."

What does the Lefever map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Lefever bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

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.