NameCensus.

UK surname

Levens

A locational surname from various places in England with that name.

In the 1881 census there were 234 people recorded with the Levens surname, ranking it #11,607 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 234, ranked #17,572, down from #11,607 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Middleton and Beckenham. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include West Lancashire, Braeside, Branchton, Lower Larkfield and Ravenscraig and Swindon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Levens is 297 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 0.0%.

1881 census count

234

Ranked #11,607

Modern count

234

2016, ranked #17,572

Peak year

1911

297 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Levens had 234 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,607 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 234 in 2016, ranked #17,572.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 297 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Levens surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Levens surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Levens 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 117 #15,456
1861 historical 141 #16,072
1881 historical 234 #11,607
1891 historical 253 #12,645
1901 historical 280 #12,193
1911 historical 297 #11,524
1997 modern 222 #16,508
1998 modern 230 #16,607
1999 modern 230 #16,685
2000 modern 233 #16,524
2001 modern 224 #16,716
2002 modern 241 #16,243
2003 modern 245 #15,822
2004 modern 248 #15,779
2005 modern 255 #15,437
2006 modern 247 #15,860
2007 modern 251 #15,861
2008 modern 258 #15,732
2009 modern 262 #15,888
2010 modern 267 #16,029
2011 modern 263 #16,058
2012 modern 248 #16,618
2013 modern 246 #16,979
2014 modern 249 #16,954
2015 modern 239 #17,322
2016 modern 234 #17,572

Geography

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Where Levens' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Middleton, Beckenham and St Giles Camberwell. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to West Lancashire, Braeside, Branchton, Lower Larkfield and Ravenscraig, Swindon and Birmingham. 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 London parishes London 1
2 Middleton Lancashire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Beckenham Kent
5 St Giles Camberwell London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 West Lancashire 013 West Lancashire
2 Braeside, Branchton, Lower Larkfield and Ravenscraig Inverclyde
3 Swindon 007 Swindon
4 Birmingham 051 Birmingham
5 West Lancashire 010 West Lancashire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Levens

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Levens

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Levens, 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 Levens surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Levens 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Levens 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

Levens is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Levens falls in decile 7 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Levens 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 Levens, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Levens

The surname LEVENS is believed to have originated in England, with its earliest recorded use dating back to the 13th century. It is thought to be a locational name, derived from the place name "Levens" in Cumbria, which itself comes from the Old English words "lefer" or "lifer," meaning "rush" or "sedge," and "fen," meaning "marsh" or "swampy ground."

One of the earliest recorded references to the name LEVENS can be found in the Feet of Fines records for Lancashire in 1246, which mention a person named Adam de Levenes. The Subsidy Rolls for Lancashire in 1332 also list a Johannes de Levenes.

The LEVENS surname is closely associated with the village of Levens in Cumbria, where the Levens Hall estate has been the ancestral home of the Levens family since the 16th century. Notable members of this family include Christopher Levens (1590-1647), who was a Member of Parliament for Appleby in 1625, and his son, Sir James Levens (1622-1699), who served as the High Sheriff of Westmorland in 1664.

Another historically significant individual with the LEVENS surname was Sir Richard Levens (c. 1570-1638), a merchant and philanthropist who was Lord Mayor of London in 1634. He was a benefactor to Christ's Hospital and St. Bartholomew's Hospital in London.

In the 17th century, the LEVENS surname also appeared in records in Norfolk, where a family of that name held land at Gillingham. William Levens (1610-1670) was a prominent member of this branch of the family, serving as a Justice of the Peace for Norfolk.

Other notable individuals with the LEVENS surname include John Levens (1624-1692), an English clergyman and author who wrote several religious works, and Joseph Levens (1761-1833), a British naval officer who served during the American Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars.

While the LEVENS surname is relatively uncommon, it has a long and rich history, particularly in the counties of Cumbria, Lancashire, and Norfolk, where it has been present for several centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Levens families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Levens 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 69 Levens' recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.97x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 69 2.97x
Lancashire 42 1.52x
Kent 28 3.53x
Surrey 23 2.03x
Cheshire 19 3.71x
Hertfordshire 14 8.75x
Westmorland 13 25.48x
Warwickshire 6 1.02x
Worcestershire 6 1.98x
Yorkshire 5 0.22x
Channel Islands 4 5.81x
Norfolk 3 0.84x
Berkshire 2 1.15x
Lanarkshire 2 0.27x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.68x
Renfrewshire 1 0.56x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Beckenham in Kent leads with 15 Levens' recorded in 1881 and an index of 144.93x.

Place Total Index
Beckenham 15 144.93x
Camberwell 15 10.11x
Kendal 13 139.19x
Hammersmith London 11 19.23x
Middleton In Oldham 11 133.17x
Islington London 10 4.44x
Lewisham 9 21.31x
Great Munden 8 2285.71x
Stayley 7 119.45x
Bromsgrove 6 58.82x
Castleton 6 21.81x
Chester St Oswald 6 64.66x
Hornsey 6 20.44x
Warwick St Mary 6 118.11x
Westminster St John 6 21.22x
Ashton Under Lyne 5 8.30x
Hoole 5 257.73x
Hulme 5 8.69x
Pendleton In Salford 5 15.23x
Pilkington 5 47.80x
Wormley 5 862.07x
Acton 4 29.39x
Bromley 4 33.14x
Mexborough 4 87.53x
Poplar London 4 9.13x
Shoreditch London 4 3.97x
St Luke London 4 10.74x
St Martin 4 95.01x
St Pancras London 4 2.14x
Bromley London 3 5.87x
Hackney London 3 2.30x
Lambeth 3 1.48x
Tonge 3 51.90x
Croydon 2 3.19x
Govan 2 1.08x
Norwood 2 37.66x
Reading St Giles 2 11.70x
Roydon In Guiltcross 2 408.16x
Teddington London 2 38.02x
Wimbledon 2 15.75x
Battersea 1 1.17x
Bethnal Green London 1 0.99x
Broxbourne 1 31.55x
Castle Camps 1 140.85x
Chester St John Baptist 1 10.86x
Chiswick 1 7.88x
Clerkenwell London 1 1.82x
Cley Next Sea 1 175.44x
Fulham London 1 2.97x
Hoghton 1 142.86x
Middle Greenock 1 20.37x
St George Hanover Square 1 2.45x
St Marylebone London 1 0.81x
Stretford 1 6.60x
Thornaby 1 11.63x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 15
Jane 8
Elizabeth 7
Sarah 7
Ann 6
Eliza 6
Annie 4
Emily 4
Ellen 3
Florence 3
Louisa 3
Margaret 3
Maria 3
Amy 2
Charlott 2
Edith 2
Ester 2
Fanny 2
Frances 2
Martha 2
Nellie 2
Tryphene 2
Anne 1
Bridget 1
Caroline 1
Catharen 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Constance 1
E. 1
Eleanor 1
Elizth. 1
Emma 1
Ethel 1
Hannah 1
Helena 1
Henrietta 1
Isabella 1
Jessie 1
Kate 1
Laura 1
Lizzie 1
Lucy 1
Mabel 1
Millicent 1
Minnie 1
Priscilla 1
Rebecca 1
Rose 1
Sophia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 15
John 10
James 9
George 8
Thomas 8
Charles 5
Alfred 4
Henry 4
Richard 4
Arthur 3
Edward 3
Joseph 3
Samuel 3
David 2
Edwd. 2
Harry 2
Philip 2
Robert 2
Albert 1
Andrew 1
Chas. 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
Frederick 1
Geo. 1
Gerge 1
Herbert 1
Isaac 1
Jas. 1
Jeremiah 1
Jesse 1
Jhos. 1
Michael 1
Nathan 1
T. 1
Thos. 1
Vincent 1
W. 1
Walter 1
Williams 1
Wm. 1
Wm.H. 1

FAQ

Levens surname: questions and answers

How common was the Levens surname in 1881?

In 1881, 234 people were recorded with the Levens surname. That placed it at #11,607 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Levens surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 234 in 2016. That gives Levens a modern rank of #17,572.

What does the Levens surname mean?

A locational surname from various places in England with that name.

What does the Levens map show?

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