NameCensus.

UK surname

Levett

A locational surname thought to derive from the place name Lovet in Normandy, France.

In the 1881 census there were 1,323 people recorded with the Levett surname, ranking it #3,101 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,749, ranked #3,587, down from #3,101 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Marylebone and Arlington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Babergh, Sevenoaks and Redcar and Cleveland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Levett is 1,988 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 32.2%.

1881 census count

1,323

Ranked #3,101

Modern count

1,749

2016, ranked #3,587

Peak year

1911

1,988 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Levett had 1,323 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,101 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,749 in 2016, ranked #3,587.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,988 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Levett surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Levett surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Levett 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 969 #2,877
1861 historical 777 #3,546
1881 historical 1,323 #3,101
1891 historical 1,461 #3,007
1901 historical 1,812 #2,894
1911 historical 1,988 #2,497
1997 modern 1,883 #3,199
1998 modern 1,955 #3,210
1999 modern 1,948 #3,250
2000 modern 1,944 #3,236
2001 modern 1,892 #3,252
2002 modern 1,936 #3,259
2003 modern 1,875 #3,272
2004 modern 1,863 #3,289
2005 modern 1,777 #3,404
2006 modern 1,748 #3,463
2007 modern 1,761 #3,474
2008 modern 1,755 #3,506
2009 modern 1,815 #3,478
2010 modern 1,853 #3,493
2011 modern 1,825 #3,491
2012 modern 1,757 #3,539
2013 modern 1,800 #3,530
2014 modern 1,794 #3,560
2015 modern 1,759 #3,582
2016 modern 1,749 #3,587

Geography

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Where Levetts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Marylebone, Arlington and Brighton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Babergh, Sevenoaks, Redcar and Cleveland and Wealden. 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 London parishes London 3
3 St Marylebone London (North Districts)
4 Arlington Sussex
5 Brighton Sussex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Babergh 001 Babergh
2 Sevenoaks 010 Sevenoaks
3 Redcar and Cleveland 018 Redcar and Cleveland
4 Wealden 020 Wealden
5 Wealden 006 Wealden

Forenames

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First names often paired with Levett

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Levett

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Levett 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

Levett 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

Levett 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 Levett 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 Levett, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Levett

The surname Levett is of English origin and dates back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word "levette," which means "a little lever." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who operated a lever or worked with machinery.

One of the earliest recorded references to the Levett surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Levet." This indicates that the name was well-established in England by the time of the Norman Conquest.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the name appeared in various records with different spellings, such as Levett, Levet, and Levit. Some notable individuals from this period include Robert Levett, a landowner in Nottinghamshire mentioned in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, and John Levett, a merchant from London who was active in the early 1300s.

In the 15th century, the Levett family held lands in Staffordshire, and the name was often associated with the village of Levett, which may have taken its name from the family or vice versa. One notable figure from this time was John Levett, a Member of Parliament for Staffordshire in the late 1400s.

During the Tudor period, the Levetts were prominent in Cambridgeshire. Sir Richard Levett (c. 1530-1605) was a successful merchant and landowner who served as Sheriff of Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire. His son, Sir Christopher Levett (c. 1586-1630), was an English explorer and colonist who attempted to establish a settlement in present-day Maine, USA.

In the 17th century, the Levett family continued to prosper, with several members holding positions of influence. William Levett (1616-1694) was a prominent Puritan minister and author, while Sir Richard Levett (1598-1679) was a Member of Parliament and served as Lord Mayor of London in 1655.

Other notable individuals with the surname Levett include John Levett (1721-1799), an English architect and surveyor who worked on several notable buildings in London, and Christopher Levett (1760-1838), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Levett families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Levett 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. Sussex leads with 242 Levetts recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.18x.

County Total Index
Sussex 242 11.18x
Middlesex 189 1.47x
Suffolk 189 12.09x
Kent 165 3.77x
Surrey 109 1.74x
Yorkshire 90 0.71x
Cambridgeshire 61 7.50x
Essex 40 1.58x
Hampshire 35 1.33x
Staffordshire 32 0.74x
Durham 30 0.79x
Lancashire 28 0.18x
Norfolk 16 0.81x
Lincolnshire 12 0.58x
Northumberland 10 0.52x
Worcestershire 10 0.60x
Pembrokeshire 8 1.96x
Midlothian 7 0.41x
Warwickshire 7 0.22x
Devon 4 0.15x
Glamorgan 4 0.18x
Huntingdonshire 4 1.57x
Lanarkshire 4 0.10x
Buckinghamshire 3 0.39x
Cornwall 3 0.21x
Hertfordshire 3 0.34x
Berkshire 2 0.21x
Dorset 2 0.24x
Royal Navy 2 1.31x
Bedfordshire 1 0.15x
Northamptonshire 1 0.08x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.06x
Shropshire 1 0.09x
Somerset 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Brighton in Sussex leads with 53 Levetts recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.14x.

Place Total Index
Brighton 53 12.14x
Arlington 32 1240.31x
Funtington 30 616.02x
Lambeth 30 2.68x
Hailsham 29 221.37x
Cranbrook 27 145.55x
Holy Trinity 26 8.50x
Islington London 25 2.01x
St Andrewthe Less 23 24.76x
Rowley Regis 22 18.22x
St Pancras London 21 2.03x
Deptford St Paul 20 5.92x
Kensington London 19 2.66x
Camberwell 15 1.83x
Portsea 15 2.91x
Brasted 14 246.48x
Hitcham 14 355.33x
Ipswich St Clement 14 35.22x
Leigh 14 158.91x
Chelsea London 13 3.36x
Claydon 13 557.94x
Hackney London 13 1.81x
Huddleston Cum Lumby 13 1238.10x
Preston 13 3.19x
Harlington 12 177.25x
Sculcoates 12 5.95x
St George Hanover Square 12 5.31x
Sudbourne 12 472.44x
Tunstall 12 442.80x
Woking 12 31.83x
Battersea 11 2.33x
Foxhall 11 1000.00x
Newenden 11 1641.79x
Newington 11 2.32x
Rattlesden 11 240.70x
St Marylebone London 11 1.60x
Alfriston 10 387.60x
Buxted 10 118.06x
Darsham 10 523.56x
Eastbourne 10 10.04x
Tynemouth 10 9.78x
Biddenden 9 150.25x
Hastings St Mary In The 9 19.49x
Hornsey 9 5.54x
Covehithe 8 1052.63x
Goudhurst 8 66.01x
Great Bealings 8 634.92x
Ipswich St Margaret 8 15.08x
Lewisham 8 3.43x
Monks Horton 8 1230.77x
Ryhill Camerton 8 661.16x
Soothill 8 17.41x
Tenby St Mary In 8 38.52x
Whitworth 8 28.61x
Bermondsey 7 1.83x
Brenchley 7 44.67x
Clerkenwell London 7 2.31x
Dudley 7 3.43x
Eynsford 7 93.21x
Great Glemham 7 463.58x
Hendon 7 15.15x
Rugby 7 15.98x
Soham 7 40.00x
South Leith 7 3.62x
St Maryle Wigford 7 43.89x
Twickenham 7 12.72x
Wilmington 7 648.15x
Bodiam 6 422.54x
Chatham 6 4.98x
Feltwell Feltwell Anchor 6 167.13x
Hawley 6 120.97x
Landwade 6 5000.00x
Leiston 6 55.87x
Lewes St John Southover 6 41.27x
Pettistree 6 495.87x
Rotherhithe 6 3.78x
Seal 6 84.87x
Selmeston 6 722.89x
Witton Le Wear 6 55.40x
Whatfield 5 413.22x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 71
Elizabeth 50
Sarah 43
Eliza 32
Ann 29
Ellen 26
Alice 20
Emily 20
Emma 17
Jane 16
Clara 14
Martha 14
Annie 13
Charlotte 12
Florence 12
Harriett 11
Edith 10
Frances 10
Louisa 10
Caroline 9
Fanny 9
Ada 7
Hannah 7
Kate 7
Catherine 6
Ethel 6
Harriet 6
Maria 6
Rose 6
Susan 6
Agnes 5
Esther 5
Laura 5
Margaret 5
Rebecca 5
Ruth 5
Amy 4
Anna 4
Anne 4
Eleanor 4
Elizth. 4
Jessie 4
Lilly 4
Sophia 4
Amelia 3
Janet 3
Lucy 3
Lydia 3
Matilda 3
Rosa 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 59
John 56
Charles 52
George 45
Henry 35
James 34
Thomas 31
Alfred 26
Walter 21
Albert 19
Edward 16
Frederick 16
Arthur 14
Joseph 14
Harry 12
Robert 11
Frank 10
Richard 9
Benjamin 7
Ernest 6
Edmund 5
Isaac 5
Samuel 5
Fred 4
Herbert 4
Percy 4
Stephen 4
Andrew 3
Edwin 3
Francis 3
Fredrick 3
Chas. 2
David 2
Horace 2
Jesse 2
Josiah 2
Peter 2
Willm. 2
Wm. 2
Anthony 1
Ben 1
Bernard 1
Bertie 1
Daniel 1
Donald 1
Dudley 1
Ebenzr 1
Edmond 1
Gwatkin 1
Harold 1

FAQ

Levett surname: questions and answers

How common was the Levett surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,323 people were recorded with the Levett surname. That placed it at #3,101 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Levett surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,749 in 2016. That gives Levett a modern rank of #3,587.

What does the Levett surname mean?

A locational surname thought to derive from the place name Lovet in Normandy, France.

What does the Levett map show?

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