NameCensus.

UK surname

Levi

Derived from the Hebrew tribal name meaning "joined" or "attached," likely referring to the Levites, a tribe of Jewish priests.

In the 1881 census there were 714 people recorded with the Levi surname, ranking it #5,094 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 575, ranked #8,995, down from #5,094 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Willesden, Hull Holy Trinity and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Neath Port Talbot, Camden and Tendring.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Levi is 1,327 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 19.5%.

1881 census count

714

Ranked #5,094

Modern count

575

2016, ranked #8,995

Peak year

1901

1,327 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Levi had 714 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,094 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 575 in 2016, ranked #8,995.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,327 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Levi surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Levi surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Levi 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 421 #5,789
1861 historical 302 #8,393
1881 historical 714 #5,094
1891 historical 930 #4,450
1901 historical 1,327 #3,774
1911 historical 1,165 #4,012
1997 modern 484 #9,531
1998 modern 504 #9,531
1999 modern 494 #9,752
2000 modern 492 #9,749
2001 modern 469 #9,927
2002 modern 477 #9,981
2003 modern 458 #10,136
2004 modern 450 #10,321
2005 modern 454 #10,144
2006 modern 451 #10,221
2007 modern 446 #10,409
2008 modern 460 #10,250
2009 modern 474 #10,251
2010 modern 498 #10,091
2011 modern 499 #9,965
2012 modern 526 #9,513
2013 modern 552 #9,308
2014 modern 574 #9,078
2015 modern 571 #9,045
2016 modern 575 #8,995

Geography

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Where Levis are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Willesden, Hull Holy Trinity, London parishes and Manchester. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Neath Port Talbot, Camden, Tendring, Stratford-on-Avon and Barnet. 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 Willesden Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
2 Hull Holy Trinity Yorkshire, East Riding
3 London parishes London 1
4 London parishes London 3
5 Manchester Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Neath Port Talbot 020 Neath Port Talbot
2 Camden 004 Camden
3 Tendring 011 Tendring
4 Stratford-on-Avon 008 Stratford-on-Avon
5 Barnet 025 Barnet

Forenames

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First names often paired with Levi

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Levi

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Levi surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Levi 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 includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Levi 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

Levi is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Levi falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Levi is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Levi

Levi is a surname of Hebrew origin, derived from the ancient Hebrew tribe of Levi. The name is believed to have originated in the Middle East, specifically in the region known as the Levant, which includes modern-day Israel, Lebanon, Syria, and parts of Jordan and Egypt.

The name Levi has its roots in the biblical figure of Levi, one of the twelve sons of the patriarch Jacob. According to the Book of Genesis, Levi was one of the progenitors of the Israelite tribe that bore his name, known as the Tribe of Levi. This tribe was set apart for religious duties and was not granted a territorial inheritance in the Promised Land.

In ancient Hebrew texts and manuscripts, such as the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Hebrew Bible, the name Levi appears frequently, referring to members of the Levite tribe. It is also mentioned in the Talmud, a central text of Rabbinic Judaism, which discusses the roles and responsibilities of the Levites.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Levi as a surname can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. This suggests that the name was already in use as a surname among Jewish communities in England during the 11th century.

Notable individuals throughout history who bore the surname Levi include:

1. David Levi (1742-1801), a British-Jewish writer and scholar, known for his work on Hebrew grammar and lexicography. 2. Primo Levi (1919-1987), an Italian Jewish chemist, Holocaust survivor, and renowned author, best known for his memoir "Survival in Auschwitz." 3. Elijah Levi (1460-1549), a renowned rabbi and scholar from Constantinople, who authored several influential works on Jewish law and philosophy. 4. Gershon Levi (1888-1964), an Israeli linguist and Semitic scholar, known for his contributions to the study of the Hebrew language and its historical development. 5. Rita Levi-Montalcini (1909-2012), an Italian Nobel Prize-winning neurologist and senator, who made significant contributions to the field of neurobiology and the study of nerve growth factors.

Throughout its history, the surname Levi has been associated with various place names and older spellings, such as Levie, Levye, and Levin, which are variations found in different regions and languages. These variations often reflect local linguistic influences or adaptations of the original Hebrew name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Levi families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Levi 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 181 Levis recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.65x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 181 2.65x
Yorkshire 159 2.35x
Lancashire 94 1.16x
Warwickshire 50 2.90x
Durham 20 0.98x
Essex 18 1.33x
Hampshire 15 1.07x
Surrey 14 0.42x
Carmarthenshire 13 4.51x
Lanarkshire 13 0.59x
Staffordshire 13 0.56x
Devon 11 0.77x
Brecknockshire 10 7.31x
Nottinghamshire 10 1.08x
Angus 8 1.26x
Glamorgan 7 0.59x
Kent 7 0.30x
Northumberland 6 0.59x
Somerset 6 0.55x
Bedfordshire 5 1.41x
Worcestershire 5 0.56x
Caernarfonshire 4 1.45x
Denbighshire 4 1.55x
Midlothian 4 0.44x
Buckinghamshire 3 0.73x
Cheshire 3 0.20x
Suffolk 3 0.36x
Derbyshire 2 0.19x
Gloucestershire 2 0.15x
Norfolk 2 0.19x
Oxfordshire 2 0.47x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.16x
Berkshire 1 0.19x
Cumberland 1 0.17x
Dorset 1 0.22x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.64x
Northamptonshire 1 0.16x
Wiltshire 1 0.17x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leeds in Yorkshire leads with 82 Levis recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.43x.

Place Total Index
Leeds 82 21.43x
Liverpool 29 5.88x
Birmingham 25 4.35x
Holy Trinity 25 15.34x
St Pancras London 22 4.00x
Cheetham 20 33.05x
Islington London 19 2.87x
Chelsea London 18 8.74x
Edgbaston 18 33.66x
Sheffield 17 7.88x
Hampstead London 15 14.08x
Hackney London 13 3.39x
Saffron Walden 13 91.16x
St George In East London 13 20.21x
Broughton In Salford 12 16.17x
Everton 11 4.25x
Barnsley 10 14.31x
Barony 10 1.79x
Lower Ystradgynlais 10 118.48x
Mile End Old Town London 10 6.87x
Hornsey 9 10.41x
Portsea 9 3.28x
Sculcoates 9 8.38x
Willesden 9 13.96x
Kensington London 8 2.10x
Manchester 8 2.19x
Paddington London 8 3.18x
Stoke Damerel 8 8.03x
Thornhill 8 40.47x
Forfar 7 20.41x
Amblecote 6 91.19x
Aston 6 1.26x
Darlington 6 7.64x
Llanddarog 6 291.26x
Nottingham St Mary 6 2.52x
South Stoneham 6 19.74x
Bedminster 5 4.83x
Cardiff St John 5 12.86x
Luton 5 8.16x
Old Artillery Ground 5 84.89x
Southwark St George Martyr 5 3.63x
St Marylebone London 5 1.37x
Stoke Upon Trent 5 2.04x
West Derby 5 2.11x
Acton 4 9.98x
Camberwell 4 0.92x
Duddingston 4 21.75x
Mile End New Town London 4 29.61x
Romford 4 18.74x
Spitalfields London 4 7.78x
St George Hanover Square 4 3.32x
Stockton On Tees 4 4.08x
Talley 4 203.05x
Bishopwearmouth 3 1.72x
Castleford 3 12.16x
Elswick 3 3.69x
Gateshead 3 1.97x
Glasgow 3 0.76x
Hammersmith London 3 1.78x
Llanelly 3 4.62x
Llanllyfni 3 22.99x
Mortlake 3 20.20x
Westgate 3 4.76x
Wombwell 3 15.18x
Woolwich 3 3.48x
Woughton On Green 3 555.56x
Wrexham Regis 3 15.64x
Barnard Castle 2 19.88x
Birkenhead 2 1.66x
Blackburn 2 0.93x
Ipswich St Margaret 2 7.08x
Marton 2 37.04x
Norwich St Stephen 2 20.73x
Oxford St Giles 2 9.93x
Ramsgate 2 5.25x
Ratcliffe Upon Trent 2 86.58x
Snenton 2 5.52x
Southwick 2 10.38x
Whitechapel London 2 2.97x
Whittington 2 13.50x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 33
Mary 25
Annie 17
Elizabeth 12
Rachel 10
Jane 9
Esther 8
Hannah 8
Fanny 7
Rachael 7
Amelia 6
Ann 6
Julia 6
Maria 6
Betsy 5
Eliza 5
Florence 5
Rebecca 5
Martha 4
Edith 3
Ellen 3
Emily 3
Emma 3
Leah 3
Louisa 3
Matilda 3
Miriam 3
Rose 3
Sophia 3
Alice 2
Amy 2
Blanch 2
Clara 2
Dora 2
Elsie 2
Ester 2
Ethel 2
Eve 2
Gertrude 2
Grace 2
Harriet 2
Heneretta 2
Isabella 2
Kate 2
Margaret 2
Marian 2
Minnie 2
Olive 2
Polly 2
Charlotte 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Joseph 15
Abraham 14
George 14
William 14
John 12
Benjamin 11
David 11
Isaac 10
Lewis 10
Henry 9
Samuel 9
Jacob 8
Moses 8
Alfred 7
Hyman 7
Morris 6
Thomas 6
Charles 5
Edward 5
James 5
Louis 5
Harris 4
Alexander 3
Arthur 3
Ernest 3
Israel 3
Marks 3
Maurice 3
Solomon 3
Walter 3
Adolph 2
Albert 2
Barnet 2
Benoni 2
Edmund 2
Fred 2
Frederick 2
Max 2
Nathan 2
Percy 2
Philip 2
Phillip 2
Rees 2
Reuben 2
Robert 2
Ruben 2
Simon 2
Felix 1
Francis 1
Frank 1

FAQ

Levi surname: questions and answers

How common was the Levi surname in 1881?

In 1881, 714 people were recorded with the Levi surname. That placed it at #5,094 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Levi surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 575 in 2016. That gives Levi a modern rank of #8,995.

What does the Levi surname mean?

Derived from the Hebrew tribal name meaning "joined" or "attached," likely referring to the Levites, a tribe of Jewish priests.

What does the Levi map show?

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