NameCensus.

UK surname

Levack

A Scottish toponymic surname derived from a place in southwest Scotland.

In the 1881 census there were 179 people recorded with the Levack surname, ranking it #13,787 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 158, ranked #22,904, down from #13,787 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Canisbay, Wick and Govan Combination. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Caithness North West, West Ferry and Hazelbank and Kirkfieldbank.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Levack is 204 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 11.7%.

1881 census count

179

Ranked #13,787

Modern count

158

2016, ranked #22,904

Peak year

1901

204 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Levack had 179 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,787 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 158 in 2016, ranked #22,904.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 204 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Levack surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Levack surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Levack 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 128 #14,474
1861 historical 143 #15,906
1881 historical 179 #13,787
1891 historical 189 #15,547
1901 historical 204 #14,925
1911 historical 48 #28,006
1997 modern 145 #21,571
1998 modern 150 #21,665
1999 modern 148 #22,020
2000 modern 157 #21,146
2001 modern 153 #21,197
2002 modern 153 #21,609
2003 modern 146 #22,069
2004 modern 153 #21,528
2005 modern 157 #21,128
2006 modern 159 #21,148
2007 modern 160 #21,296
2008 modern 158 #21,690
2009 modern 161 #21,879
2010 modern 157 #22,800
2011 modern 157 #22,574
2012 modern 159 #22,361
2013 modern 159 #22,706
2014 modern 159 #22,930
2015 modern 157 #22,997
2016 modern 158 #22,904

Geography

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Where Levacks are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Canisbay, Wick, Govan Combination, St Pancras and Edinburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Caithness North West, West Ferry, Hazelbank and Kirkfieldbank, North East Lincolnshire and Morningside and Craighouse. 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 Canisbay Caithness
2 Wick Caithness
3 Govan Combination Lanark
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 Edinburgh Edinburgh

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Caithness North West Highland
2 West Ferry Dundee City
3 Hazelbank and Kirkfieldbank South Lanarkshire
4 North East Lincolnshire 022 North East Lincolnshire
5 Morningside and Craighouse City of Edinburgh

Forenames

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First names often paired with Levack

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Levack

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Levack surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Levack household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Levack is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Levack is most concentrated in decile 8 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

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

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Levack falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Levack

The surname Levack originated in Scotland, emerging in the early 13th century from the lands of Levingstone, situated in West Lothian. The name is derived from the Gaelic words "leamhan," meaning "elm tree," and "achadh," meaning "field," suggesting the name's bearers may have resided near an elm field or meadow.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name appears in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a collection of homage pledges made to King Edward I of England. The entry lists a "Johanne de Leuyngeston," likely an ancestor of the Levack family.

In the 14th century, the name evolved to its modern spelling, with variations such as Levingstoun, Levingtoun, and Levingston appearing in various Scottish records and charters. One notable individual from this era was Sir Robert Levingston, who served as a diplomat and ambassador for King Robert III of Scotland in the early 1400s.

During the 16th century, the Levacks were prominent landowners in the Scottish Borders region, with families settled in areas like Roxburghshire and Berwickshire. A notable figure from this time was James Levack, who fought alongside King James IV at the Battle of Flodden in 1513.

In the 17th century, the surname spread to other parts of Scotland, including Aberdeenshire and Angus. One prominent individual was Alexander Levack, a merchant and burgess of Aberdeen, who lived from 1620 to 1695.

The 18th century saw the emergence of several notable Levacks, including Robert Levack, a Scottish historian and author born in 1635, and John Levack, a Scottish poet and schoolmaster born in 1755.

In the 19th century, the name continued to be well-represented in various fields. William Levack, born in 1819, was a renowned Scottish architect responsible for designing several notable buildings in Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Throughout history, the surname Levack has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including clergymen, academics, artists, and military personnel. While the name may have originated from a specific location in West Lothian, its bearers have left their mark across Scotland and beyond.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Levack families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Levack 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. Caithness leads with 61 Levacks recorded in 1881 and an index of 256.63x.

County Total Index
Caithness 61 256.63x
Midlothian 37 15.91x
Lanarkshire 17 3.03x
Fife 14 13.62x
Middlesex 8 0.46x
Surrey 8 0.95x
Aberdeenshire 6 3.73x
Northumberland 6 2.32x
Sutherland 6 44.94x
Kincardineshire 5 23.65x
Morayshire 5 18.53x
Clackmannanshire 2 13.95x
Argyllshire 1 2.07x
Lancashire 1 0.05x
Warwickshire 1 0.23x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wick in Caithness leads with 26 Levacks recorded in 1881 and an index of 338.54x.

Place Total Index
Wick 26 338.54x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 22 23.51x
Abbotshall 14 364.58x
Latheron 14 351.76x
Canisbay 11 705.13x
Halkirk 9 559.01x
Duddingston 8 171.31x
Guildford Holy Trinity 8 496.89x
Aberdeen Old Machar 6 17.87x
Chirton 6 102.56x
Govan 6 4.32x
Kildonan 6 517.24x
Drainie 5 209.21x
Kinneff Catterline 5 833.33x
Barony 4 2.81x
Islington London 4 2.38x
New Monkland 4 24.10x
South Leith 4 15.28x
Edinburgh St Georges 3 62.11x
Glasgow 3 3.01x
St Pancras London 3 2.15x
Dollar 2 134.23x
Dunnet 1 104.17x
Kilfinan 1 77.52x
Leamington 1 34.48x
Liverpool 1 0.80x
Paddington London 1 1.57x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Jane 2
Mary 2
Evelyne 1
Flora 1
Gladys 1
Helena 1
Joanne 1
Lisette 1
Marguerite 1
Roseanna 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 3
John 3
Alexander 1
Andrew 1
Daniel 1
Geo.Abe. 1
George 1
Robert 1

FAQ

Levack surname: questions and answers

How common was the Levack surname in 1881?

In 1881, 179 people were recorded with the Levack surname. That placed it at #13,787 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Levack surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 158 in 2016. That gives Levack a modern rank of #22,904.

What does the Levack surname mean?

A Scottish toponymic surname derived from a place in southwest Scotland.

What does the Levack map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Levack 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.