NameCensus.

UK surname

Levell

An English surname derived from Middle English "level," referring to someone who lived on flat land.

In the 1881 census there were 240 people recorded with the Levell surname, ranking it #11,410 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 339, ranked #13,492, down from #11,410 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Clare and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Cambridgeshire, Forest Heath and Wirral.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Levell is 382 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 41.3%.

1881 census count

240

Ranked #11,410

Modern count

339

2016, ranked #13,492

Peak year

1911

382 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Levell had 240 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,410 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 339 in 2016, ranked #13,492.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 382 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Levell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Levell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Levell 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 160 #12,347
1861 historical 227 #10,749
1881 historical 240 #11,410
1891 historical 306 #10,945
1901 historical 349 #10,457
1911 historical 382 #9,615
1997 modern 359 #11,956
1998 modern 366 #12,148
1999 modern 370 #12,124
2000 modern 371 #12,052
2001 modern 362 #12,076
2002 modern 366 #12,221
2003 modern 353 #12,345
2004 modern 352 #12,399
2005 modern 332 #12,881
2006 modern 346 #12,539
2007 modern 349 #12,622
2008 modern 358 #12,485
2009 modern 353 #12,894
2010 modern 353 #13,156
2011 modern 348 #13,134
2012 modern 327 #13,654
2013 modern 340 #13,449
2014 modern 341 #13,528
2015 modern 337 #13,560
2016 modern 339 #13,492

Geography

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Where Levells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Clare, London parishes, Carlton Rode and Gorleston. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Cambridgeshire, Forest Heath, Wirral and Spelthorne. 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 Rochdale Lancashire
2 Clare Suffolk
3 London parishes London 1
4 Carlton Rode Norfolk
5 Gorleston Suffolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Cambridgeshire 011 East Cambridgeshire
2 Forest Heath 005 Forest Heath
3 Wirral 041 Wirral
4 Forest Heath 003 Forest Heath
5 Spelthorne 001 Spelthorne

Forenames

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First names often paired with Levell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Levell

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Levell surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Levell household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Levell is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Levell is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Levell falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Levell is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Levell

The surname Levell is of English origin, derived from the Old French word "level" or "level," which means "flat" or "even." This name likely originated in the Middle Ages, around the 12th or 13th centuries, and was initially used as a descriptive surname to refer to someone who lived on flat or level land.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Levell can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire, a census-like record compiled in 1273, which mentions a John Levell. Another early reference is in the Subsidy Rolls of Warwickshire in 1332, where a Richard Levell is listed.

During the medieval period, the Levell surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Bedfordshire, Warwickshire, and Oxfordshire. Some variations in spelling included Levill, Leville, and Leavell.

One notable historical figure bearing this surname was Sir Ralph Levell (c. 1543-1626), an English politician and member of Parliament who represented the borough of Shaftesbury in the House of Commons during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

Another prominent individual was Sir Peter Levell (1587-1661), an English merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1638. He was also a member of the Worshipful Company of Haberdashers.

In the 17th century, the Levell family had connections to the parish of Marsworth in Buckinghamshire. John Levell (1624-1699), a Quaker and prominent landowner, was born in Marsworth and played a significant role in the local community.

During the 18th century, the Levell surname was found in various parts of England, including Yorkshire, where William Levell (1719-1794) was a notable architect and builder who designed several churches and public buildings in the region.

Another noteworthy figure was Thomas Levell (1768-1835), an English engraver and artist who specialized in miniature portraits and was appointed Engraver to the Prince Regent (later King George IV) in 1814.

Over the centuries, the Levell surname has been associated with various occupations and social classes, from landowners and merchants to artisans and tradespeople, reflecting the diverse backgrounds of those who bore this name throughout history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Levell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Levell 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. Suffolk leads with 36 Levells recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.57x.

County Total Index
Suffolk 36 12.57x
Surrey 25 2.18x
Essex 23 4.96x
Norfolk 21 5.81x
Lancashire 20 0.72x
Lanarkshire 18 2.37x
Cheshire 17 3.28x
Middlesex 17 0.72x
Cambridgeshire 12 8.06x
Lincolnshire 12 3.19x
Yorkshire 9 0.39x
Staffordshire 8 1.01x
Somerset 6 1.59x
Hampshire 3 0.62x
Renfrewshire 3 1.65x
Berkshire 2 1.13x
Glamorgan 2 0.49x
Gloucestershire 2 0.43x
Angus 1 0.46x
Durham 1 0.14x
Midlothian 1 0.32x
Royal Navy 1 3.57x
Shropshire 1 0.49x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hornchurch in Essex leads with 11 Levells recorded in 1881 and an index of 484.58x.

Place Total Index
Hornchurch 11 484.58x
Lower Booths 10 200.00x
Mitcham 10 138.12x
Carleton Rode 9 1451.61x
Corton 9 2000.00x
Gorleston 9 123.80x
Birkenhead 8 19.34x
Tottenham 8 21.37x
Barony 7 3.64x
Clare 7 510.95x
Epworth 7 400.00x
Haddenham 7 500.00x
Oldham 7 7.77x
Southcoates 7 54.14x
Stockport 7 26.21x
Wednesfield 7 59.93x
Belchamp Walter 6 1200.00x
Sudbourne 6 1276.60x
Wiveliscombe 6 284.36x
Bennington By Boston 5 1136.36x
Egham 5 71.12x
Glasgow 5 3.70x
Great Yarmouth 5 16.70x
Windlesham 5 232.56x
Old Monkland 4 13.26x
Shipdham 4 325.20x
Aldham 3 857.14x
Paisley High Church 3 20.69x
Portsea 3 3.18x
Wood Ditton 3 241.94x
Bristol St James St Paul 2 13.01x
Chelsea London 2 2.82x
Clewer 2 27.66x
Congleton 2 22.30x
Croydon 2 3.15x
Epping 2 105.82x
Govan 2 1.06x
Merthyr Tydfil 2 5.08x
Sprowston 2 125.79x
Westminster St Margaret 2 17.64x
Wickhambrook 2 185.19x
Woodbridge 2 54.64x
Battersea 1 1.16x
Cheetham 1 4.81x
Dundee 1 1.23x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 1 0.79x
Frimley 1 30.67x
Fulbourn 1 70.42x
Hampstead London 1 2.73x
Hart 1 58.82x
Hildersham 1 500.00x
Holy Trinity 1 1.78x
Ixworth 1 123.46x
Kensington London 1 0.77x
Lambeth 1 0.49x
Leeds 1 0.76x
Leek Lowe 1 9.47x
Manchester 1 0.80x
Newchurch 1 4.38x
Norwich St Stephen 1 30.12x
Royal Navy 1 4.18x
Saffron Walden 1 20.41x
Shrewsbury St Chad 1 14.03x
St Pancras London 1 0.53x
St Sepulchre London 1 29.07x
Westminster St John 1 3.49x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 16
William 12
George 11
Charles 7
Thomas 6
Alfred 5
James 5
Richard 5
Henry 4
Robert 4
Albert 2
Arthur 2
Benjamin 2
Edward 2
Ernest 2
Isaac 2
Walter 2
Arnold 1
Arther 1
David 1
Earnest 1
Edgar 1
Eliza 1
Francis 1
Freadule 1
Frederick 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Joseph 1
Levitt 1
Reginald 1
Reuben 1
Robin 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Levell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Levell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 240 people were recorded with the Levell surname. That placed it at #11,410 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Levell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 339 in 2016. That gives Levell a modern rank of #13,492.

What does the Levell surname mean?

An English surname derived from Middle English "level," referring to someone who lived on flat land.

What does the Levell map show?

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