NameCensus.

UK surname

Levers

A topographic surname referring to someone living near a slope or incline.

In the 1881 census there were 306 people recorded with the Levers surname, ranking it #9,586 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 463, ranked #10,586, down from #9,586 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bodmin, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and Loughborough. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Erewash, Doncaster and North East Derbyshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Levers is 490 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 51.3%.

1881 census count

306

Ranked #9,586

Modern count

463

2016, ranked #10,586

Peak year

2014

490 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Levers had 306 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,586 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 463 in 2016, ranked #10,586.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 397 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Levers surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Levers surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Levers 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 191 #10,808
1861 historical 182 #12,949
1881 historical 306 #9,586
1891 historical 311 #10,781
1901 historical 326 #10,990
1911 historical 397 #9,336
1997 modern 453 #10,015
1998 modern 464 #10,169
1999 modern 470 #10,120
2000 modern 459 #10,261
2001 modern 443 #10,371
2002 modern 452 #10,408
2003 modern 449 #10,313
2004 modern 443 #10,442
2005 modern 450 #10,209
2006 modern 444 #10,347
2007 modern 444 #10,445
2008 modern 434 #10,756
2009 modern 458 #10,519
2010 modern 462 #10,682
2011 modern 476 #10,333
2012 modern 478 #10,190
2013 modern 478 #10,362
2014 modern 490 #10,233
2015 modern 471 #10,467
2016 modern 463 #10,586

Geography

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Where Levers' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bodmin, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Loughborough, St Werburgh and Nottingham St Mary. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Erewash, Doncaster and North East Derbyshire. 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 Bodmin Cornwall
2 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
3 Loughborough Leicestershire
4 St Werburgh Derbyshire
5 Nottingham St Mary Nottinghamshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Erewash 006 Erewash
2 Doncaster 039 Doncaster
3 North East Derbyshire 009 North East Derbyshire
4 Doncaster 032 Doncaster
5 Erewash 003 Erewash

Forenames

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First names often paired with Levers

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Levers

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Levers surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Levers household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Levers 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

Levers is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Levers falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Levers

The surname Levers is believed to have originated in England, likely in the early medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "lefre," which means "remnant" or "survivor." This suggests that the name was initially used to refer to someone who had survived a significant event, such as a battle or a plague.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is spelled "Lefere." This entry indicates that the name was already in use by the time of the Norman Conquest in 1066.

In the 13th century, the name is found in various records from the county of Lincolnshire, where it is spelled "Leuere" or "Leueres." This suggests that the surname may have originated or become established in that region.

During the 14th century, the name appears in records from the city of York, with spellings such as "Leyvers" and "Leveres." This indicates that the name had spread to other parts of England by that time.

One notable historical figure with the surname Levers was John Levers, a member of the English Parliament who lived in the late 15th century (c. 1450-1508). He represented the borough of Hindon in Wiltshire.

In the 16th century, the name is found in records from the county of Cheshire, where it is spelled "Leevers." This may indicate a regional variation or a branch of the family that settled in that area.

Another prominent individual with the surname was Sir Ashton Levers (c. 1580-1644), an English landowner and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Lancashire in the early 17th century.

During the 17th century, the name is recorded in various parishes in the county of Yorkshire, with spellings such as "Leavers" and "Leevers." This suggests that the name had become well-established in that region.

In the 18th century, the surname is found in records from the county of Derbyshire, where it is spelled "Leevers." One notable individual from this period was William Leevers (c. 1700-1778), a landowner and magistrate from Derbyshire.

By the 19th century, the surname had spread across England and was found in various counties, including Lancashire, Yorkshire, and Staffordshire. One notable individual from this period was Thomas Leevers (1805-1872), a British politician and industrialist who served as a Member of Parliament for Arundel.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Levers families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Levers 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. Cornwall leads with 60 Levers' recorded in 1881 and an index of 17.70x.

County Total Index
Cornwall 60 17.70x
Yorkshire 54 1.82x
Nottinghamshire 53 13.13x
Derbyshire 38 8.11x
Leicestershire 30 9.04x
Middlesex 14 0.47x
Surrey 10 0.69x
Staffordshire 8 0.79x
Angus 6 2.16x
Suffolk 5 1.37x
Lancashire 4 0.11x
Sussex 4 0.79x
Cumberland 3 1.16x
Devon 3 0.48x
Berkshire 2 0.89x
Durham 2 0.22x
Lincolnshire 2 0.42x
Bedfordshire 1 0.64x
Cheshire 1 0.15x
Essex 1 0.17x
Herefordshire 1 0.81x
Hertfordshire 1 0.48x
Kent 1 0.10x
Oxfordshire 1 0.54x
Royal Navy 1 2.80x
Shropshire 1 0.39x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bodmin in Cornwall leads with 20 Levers' recorded in 1881 and an index of 356.51x.

Place Total Index
Bodmin 20 356.51x
Nottingham St Mary 20 19.16x
St Austell 16 138.05x
Loughborough 15 99.54x
Hasland 13 272.54x
Sheffield 11 11.64x
Lambeth 10 3.83x
Lostwithel 10 1041.67x
Heanor 9 128.39x
Rotherham 8 47.82x
Shipley 8 51.95x
Dundee 6 5.79x
Willoughby On Wolds 6 1224.49x
Bradfield 5 43.71x
Branston 5 1923.08x
East Bridgford 5 543.48x
Leicester St Margaret 5 6.18x
Sawley 5 354.61x
Wenhaston 5 555.56x
Castleford 4 37.00x
Ecclesall Bierlow 4 6.63x
Egloshayle 4 251.57x
Lenton 4 42.06x
Nether Hallam 4 9.96x
Newbold Dunston 4 89.69x
Rye 4 83.33x
Derby St Werburgh 3 11.08x
Handsworth 3 12.04x
Radford 3 14.63x
Southwell 3 102.04x
St Cuthbert W O 3 23.87x
St Luke London 3 6.25x
Stoke Damerel 3 6.88x
West Bromwich 3 5.18x
Wetwang 3 468.75x
Wollaton 3 410.96x
Bingham 2 116.28x
Bishopwearmouth 2 2.62x
Brightside Bierlow 2 3.44x
Burton Extra 2 34.48x
Cheetham 2 7.55x
Greasley 2 21.95x
Great Grimsby 2 6.58x
Hackney London 2 1.19x
Horton In Bradford 2 4.32x
Ilkestonderbypart 2 145.99x
Islington London 2 0.69x
Kenwyn 2 22.55x
Leicester Black Friars 2 92.59x
Leicester St Mary 2 7.45x
North Bierley 2 12.48x
St Clement Danes London 2 32.26x
Towednack 2 303.03x
Beeston 1 21.55x
Belper 1 11.00x
Bilton Cum Harrogate 1 9.85x
Bromley London 1 1.52x
Chelsea London 1 1.11x
Derby St Alkmund 1 7.12x
E Adderbury 1 107.53x
Falmouth 1 8.33x
Halloughton 1 1428.57x
Hampstead London 1 2.14x
Lanivet 1 94.34x
Liverpool 1 0.46x
Madron Penzance 1 8.11x
Mansfield 1 7.16x
Mevagissey 1 44.44x
Newbury 1 13.89x
Radcliffe On Trent 1 175.44x
Royal Navy 1 3.28x
Salford 1 0.96x
Sandhurst 1 22.99x
Shoreditch London 1 0.77x
Shrewsbury St Julian 1 15.63x
St Clement 1 28.25x
Stoughton 1 666.67x
Sutton In Ashfield 1 11.42x
Truro St Mary 1 35.09x
Watford 1 6.25x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 26
John 19
Thomas 14
George 8
Edward 7
Charles 6
James 6
Joseph 5
Francis 4
Henry 4
Samuel 4
Alfred 3
Richard 3
Albert 2
Arthur 2
Benjamin 2
Fredk. 2
Isaac 2
Jno. 2
Matthew 2
Willm. 2
Daniel 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Harry 1
Horace 1
Jonathan 1
Joshua 1
Lewis 1
Luke 1
Mark 1
Oliver 1
Peter 1
Robert 1
Vincent 1
Walter 1
Wm. 1
Wm.H. 1

FAQ

Levers surname: questions and answers

How common was the Levers surname in 1881?

In 1881, 306 people were recorded with the Levers surname. That placed it at #9,586 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Levers surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 463 in 2016. That gives Levers a modern rank of #10,586.

What does the Levers surname mean?

A topographic surname referring to someone living near a slope or incline.

What does the Levers map show?

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