NameCensus.

UK surname

Levin

A Jewish surname derived from the Biblical tribe of Levi, referring to descendants of Levite priests.

In the 1881 census there were 190 people recorded with the Levin surname, ranking it #13,270 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 610, ranked #8,601, up from #13,270 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Christ Church Spitalfields, St Mary Whitechapel and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rotherham, Salford and Hertsmere.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Levin is 620 in 2011. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 221.1%.

1881 census count

190

Ranked #13,270

Modern count

610

2016, ranked #8,601

Peak year

2011

620 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Levin had 190 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,270 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 610 in 2016, ranked #8,601.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 553 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Levin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Levin surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Levin 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 90 #18,317
1861 historical 148 #15,452
1881 historical 190 #13,270
1891 historical 327 #10,379
1901 historical 491 #8,160
1911 historical 553 #7,252
1997 modern 552 #8,634
1998 modern 568 #8,704
1999 modern 591 #8,530
2000 modern 572 #8,681
2001 modern 561 #8,672
2002 modern 579 #8,649
2003 modern 567 #8,645
2004 modern 570 #8,643
2005 modern 556 #8,720
2006 modern 542 #8,918
2007 modern 549 #8,916
2008 modern 562 #8,812
2009 modern 578 #8,825
2010 modern 610 #8,677
2011 modern 620 #8,474
2012 modern 603 #8,573
2013 modern 610 #8,628
2014 modern 615 #8,628
2015 modern 609 #8,643
2016 modern 610 #8,601

Geography

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Where Levins are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Christ Church Spitalfields, St Mary Whitechapel, 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 Rotherham, Salford, Hertsmere and Camden. 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 Christ Church Spitalfields London (East Districts)
2 St Mary Whitechapel London (East Districts)
3 London parishes London 1
4 London parishes London 3
5 Manchester Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rotherham 002 Rotherham
2 Salford 010 Salford
3 Hertsmere 013 Hertsmere
4 Camden 004 Camden
5 Camden 017 Camden

Forenames

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First names often paired with Levin

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Levin

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Levin, 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 Levin surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Levin 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, Levin 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

Levin 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

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

Meaning and origin of Levin

The surname Levin is of Russian origin and can be traced back to the late 17th century. It is derived from the Hebrew name Levi, which means "joined" or "attached". The name was initially adopted by Jewish families residing in the Russian Empire, particularly in the areas of modern-day Ukraine and Belarus.

The earliest known record of the Levin surname appears in the Revishin Books, which were census records of the Jewish population in the Russian Empire during the late 17th and early 18th centuries. These records documented the spread of the Levin name across various towns and villages in the Pale of Settlement, a region designated for Jewish residency within the Russian Empire.

One of the most notable figures with the Levin surname was Isaac Baer Levin (1828-1886), a renowned Russian-Jewish mathematician and educator. He made significant contributions to the field of mathematics and played a crucial role in the development of the modern education system in Russia.

Another prominent individual with the Levin surname was Yuri Levin (1935-2018), a Russian physicist and astrophysicist. He was renowned for his work on gravitational waves and black hole physics, and his contributions were recognized with numerous awards and honors.

In the realm of literature, the Levin surname is associated with the acclaimed Russian writer Leonid Levin (1904-1972). His works, which often explored themes of Jewish identity and the Soviet experience, earned him widespread recognition and a place among the most influential Russian writers of the 20th century.

The Levin surname also has a strong connection to the world of music. One notable figure is the Russian-American composer and pianist Vladimir Levin (1898-1960), whose compositions blended elements of Russian folk music with classical traditions.

Finally, it is worth mentioning David Levin (1942-2019), an American businessman and philanthropist. He co-founded the prestigious private equity firm Warburg Pincus and was widely respected for his leadership and philanthropic efforts in various fields, including education and the arts.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Levin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Levin 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 90 Levins recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.07x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 90 5.07x
Surrey 27 3.12x
Warwickshire 13 2.90x
Hampshire 11 3.02x
Gloucestershire 8 2.30x
Lancashire 6 0.28x
Northumberland 5 1.89x
Durham 4 0.76x
Essex 3 0.86x
Kent 3 0.50x
Buckinghamshire 2 1.86x
Cambridgeshire 2 1.78x
Lanarkshire 2 0.35x
Cornwall 1 0.50x
Derbyshire 1 0.36x
Devon 1 0.27x
Renfrewshire 1 0.73x
Sussex 1 0.33x
Yorkshire 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 13 Levins recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.56x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 13 7.56x
Spitalfields London 13 97.38x
Hackney London 10 10.05x
Wandsworth 9 52.66x
Whitechapel London 9 51.43x
Coventry Holy Trinity 8 59.84x
Portsea 8 11.22x
Willesden 8 47.82x
Cheltenham 7 26.06x
Mile End Old Town London 7 18.53x
Paddington London 7 10.72x
Richmond 7 57.76x
Kensington London 6 6.08x
Bethnal Green London 5 6.48x
Broughton In Salford 5 25.96x
Earsdon 5 232.56x
Bermondsey 4 7.57x
Bishopwearmouth 3 6.62x
Edgbaston 3 21.61x
Hammersmith London 3 6.86x
Southwark St Saviour 3 32.89x
St Marylebone London 3 3.16x
Terling 3 576.92x
Birmingham 2 1.34x
Lambeth 2 1.29x
Newport Pagnell 2 89.29x
St Benedict Cambridge 2 317.46x
St Faith Winchester 2 117.65x
St George Hanover Square 2 6.39x
St Pancras London 2 1.40x
Brighton 1 1.66x
Bristol Temple 1 43.67x
Chelsea London 1 1.87x
Chesterfield 1 9.60x
Coxhoe 1 66.67x
Devonport 1 23.53x
Folkestone 1 8.51x
Govan 1 0.70x
Madron Penzance 1 13.68x
Millbrook 1 10.92x
Nether Hallam 1 4.20x
New Windsor 1 263.16x
Old Monkland 1 4.39x
Southwark St George Martyr 1 2.80x
St Giles In Fields London 1 11.48x
St Lawrence 1 24.04x
Toxteth Park 1 1.40x
West Greenock 1 4.05x
Woolwich 1 4.47x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 6
Esther 5
Jane 5
Fanny 4
Annie 3
Emily 3
Emma 3
Leah 3
Rachel 3
Rebecca 3
Sarah 3
Charlotte 2
Eliza 2
Kate 2
Maria 2
Ann 1
Beath 1
Beatrice 1
Berta 1
Bertha 1
Betsy 1
C.M. 1
Catherine 1
Clara 1
Edith 1
Elizabeth 1
Elleana 1
Ellen 1
Eva 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Francis 1
Freda 1
Fridy 1
Gertrude 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Jeney 1
Jessy 1
Julia 1
Kitty 1
Lizzie 1
Louisa 1
Martha 1
Matilda 1
Milly 1
Nanie 1
Pauline 1
Rachael 1
Victoria 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Thomas 5
John 4
Joseph 4
Arthur 3
Frederick 3
Hyman 3
Jacob 3
Adolph 2
Alexdr. 2
George 2
Israel 2
Lionel 2
Louis 2
Robert 2
William 2
Alexandra 1
Alfred 1
Charles 1
Dominic 1
Edward 1
Edwd. 1
Emanuel 1
Fk. 1
Francis 1
Fred 1
Gustavus 1
Herman 1
Human 1
Isaac 1
James 1
Jeremiah 1
Jonah 1
Leirs 1
Leomas 1
Lewis 1
Marks 1
Martin 1
Mathew 1
Max 1
Morris 1
Moses 1
Nathaniel 1
Phemus 1
Pheolos 1
Phillip 1
Reinhold 1
Robt. 1
Saml. 1
Samuel 1
Wolf 1

FAQ

Levin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Levin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 190 people were recorded with the Levin surname. That placed it at #13,270 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Levin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 610 in 2016. That gives Levin a modern rank of #8,601.

What does the Levin surname mean?

A Jewish surname derived from the Biblical tribe of Levi, referring to descendants of Levite priests.

What does the Levin map show?

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