NameCensus.

UK surname

Levitt

A Jewish occupational surname derived from the Yiddish word "levit," meaning "Levite" or a descendant of the Levites.

In the 1881 census there were 995 people recorded with the Levitt surname, ranking it #3,918 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,306, ranked #4,589, down from #3,918 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Waterbeach and Steeple Bumpstead, Birdbrook. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Barnsley, East Riding of Yorkshire and Leeds.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Levitt is 1,446 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 31.3%.

1881 census count

995

Ranked #3,918

Modern count

1,306

2016, ranked #4,589

Peak year

1999

1,446 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Levitt had 995 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,918 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,306 in 2016, ranked #4,589.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,398 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Levitt surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Levitt surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Levitt 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 536 #4,700
1861 historical 575 #4,585
1881 historical 995 #3,918
1891 historical 1,095 #3,860
1901 historical 1,319 #3,793
1911 historical 1,398 #3,453
1997 modern 1,429 #4,071
1998 modern 1,435 #4,199
1999 modern 1,446 #4,202
2000 modern 1,404 #4,275
2001 modern 1,379 #4,264
2002 modern 1,402 #4,287
2003 modern 1,377 #4,274
2004 modern 1,408 #4,198
2005 modern 1,378 #4,248
2006 modern 1,333 #4,362
2007 modern 1,342 #4,375
2008 modern 1,337 #4,403
2009 modern 1,350 #4,455
2010 modern 1,365 #4,501
2011 modern 1,366 #4,441
2012 modern 1,337 #4,464
2013 modern 1,355 #4,484
2014 modern 1,354 #4,515
2015 modern 1,330 #4,540
2016 modern 1,306 #4,589

Geography

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Where Levitts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Waterbeach, Steeple Bumpstead, Birdbrook, Batley and Sculcoates. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Barnsley, East Riding of Yorkshire, Leeds and Milton Keynes. 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 3
2 Waterbeach Cambridgeshire
3 Steeple Bumpstead, Birdbrook Suffolk
4 Batley Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Sculcoates Yorkshire, East Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Barnsley 026 Barnsley
2 Barnsley 028 Barnsley
3 East Riding of Yorkshire 015 East Riding of Yorkshire
4 Leeds 089 Leeds
5 Milton Keynes 010 Milton Keynes

Forenames

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First names often paired with Levitt

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Levitt

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Levitt 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

Levitt is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Levitt falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Levitt

The surname Levitt is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "leofede" meaning "beloved" or "dear." It is believed to have emerged in the 12th century as a surname given to someone with an amiable or well-liked personality.

The name is thought to have originated in the counties of Essex and Suffolk in the eastern region of England. Early records show variations in spelling, such as Levet, Levett, and Levitt.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Robertus Leved, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1195. The Pipe Rolls were administrative records kept by the English Exchequer during the Middle Ages.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in the Hundredorum Rolls of Oxfordshire, which were surveys of landowners and their holdings. The record mentions a Robert Leuet from that county.

The Levitt surname can also be traced back to various place names in England, such as Levett's Green in Suffolk and Levett's Lane in Essex. These places likely derived their names from early Levitt families who resided there.

Notable bearers of the Levitt surname throughout history include:

1. John Levitt (c.1630-1699), an English Puritan minister and author who emigrated to Massachusetts Bay Colony. 2. Christopher Levett (1586-1630), an English explorer and author who attempted to establish a settlement in present-day Maine. 3. William Levett (1625-1698), an English naval officer and colonial administrator who served as the first governor of the Bahamas. 4. James Levitt (1785-1853), an English engraver and painter known for his mezzotint portraits. 5. Amanda Levitt (1903-1989), an American actress and singer who performed on Broadway and in Hollywood films.

The surname Levitt has endured through the centuries, with various spelling variations and branches spreading across different regions of England and eventually to other parts of the world through migration and colonization.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Levitt families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Levitt 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. Yorkshire leads with 376 Levitts recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.89x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 376 3.89x
Middlesex 124 1.27x
Cambridgeshire 77 12.46x
Suffolk 73 6.14x
Kent 69 2.07x
Surrey 56 1.18x
Essex 32 1.66x
Durham 25 0.86x
Staffordshire 23 0.70x
Sussex 20 1.22x
Lancashire 19 0.16x
Bedfordshire 17 3.37x
Warwickshire 17 0.69x
Huntingdonshire 16 8.26x
Lincolnshire 11 0.71x
Northumberland 10 0.69x
Berkshire 6 0.82x
Shropshire 5 0.59x
Hampshire 4 0.20x
Northamptonshire 4 0.44x
Buckinghamshire 3 0.51x
Cumberland 3 0.36x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.15x
Worcestershire 2 0.16x
Channel Islands 1 0.35x
Derbyshire 1 0.07x
Gloucestershire 1 0.05x
Oxfordshire 1 0.17x
Royal Navy 1 0.86x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Sculcoates in Yorkshire leads with 42 Levitts recorded in 1881 and an index of 27.41x.

Place Total Index
Sculcoates 42 27.41x
Leeds 35 6.41x
Waterbeach 28 555.56x
Exning 18 300.00x
Preston 17 1700.00x
St Pancras London 17 2.17x
Middlesbrough 16 12.71x
Brettenham 15 1415.09x
Barnsley 14 14.04x
Arlesey 13 204.08x
Brightside Bierlow 13 6.86x
Landbeach 13 764.71x
Aston 12 1.77x
Battersea 12 3.34x
Islington London 12 1.27x
Fen Stanton 11 308.12x
Newington 11 3.05x
Scarborough 10 11.38x
Castleford 9 25.57x
Fylingdales 9 186.72x
Sherburn 9 113.35x
Steeple Bumpstead 9 254.96x
Bromley London 8 3.73x
Cheadle 8 50.60x
Cherry Hinton 8 274.91x
Keymer 8 68.91x
Lambeth 8 0.94x
New Village 8 275.86x
Southwick 8 29.11x
Woolwich 8 6.51x
Bermondsey 7 2.41x
Blacktoft 7 630.63x
Bury 7 5.29x
Chester Le Street 7 31.40x
Doncaster 7 9.91x
Eccleshill 7 29.76x
Eltham 7 35.90x
Halifax 7 4.93x
Holbeck 7 10.93x
Holy Trinity 7 3.01x
Mile End New Town London 7 36.33x
Paddington London 7 1.95x
Rattlesden 7 201.15x
Rochester St Margaret 7 19.94x
Rougham 7 257.35x
South Elmshall 7 397.73x
Stoke Newington London 7 9.21x
Bentham 6 81.41x
Chelsea London 6 2.04x
Chislehurst 6 33.61x
Cliff Cum Lund 6 280.37x
East Wickham 6 151.90x
Foxearth 6 451.13x
Funtington 6 162.16x
Ightham 6 143.54x
Nafferton 6 145.63x
Nether Hallam 6 4.59x
North Newbald 6 276.50x
Seaton Ross 6 377.36x
Stebbing 6 160.86x
Thorpe Willoughby 6 1016.95x
Urpeth 6 106.19x
Whitechapel London 6 6.24x
Ashby 5 102.25x
Bow London 5 4.03x
Burwell 5 67.57x
Checkley 5 58.48x
Clee With Weelsby 5 14.64x
Coventry Holy Trinity 5 6.81x
Dodworth 5 49.80x
Kensington London 5 0.92x
Long Riston 5 406.50x
Manchester 5 0.96x
Newport 5 49.16x
North Shields 5 17.27x
Reading St Giles 5 6.96x
Selby 5 24.75x
St Paul Covent Garden 5 51.23x
Stoke D Abernon 5 362.32x
Swinton In Rotherham 5 19.56x

Top female names

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

Name Count
George 63
William 60
John 46
Thomas 28
James 27
Frederick 19
Robert 19
Charles 17
Henry 16
Arthur 13
Joseph 13
Samuel 12
Richard 9
Walter 9
Edward 7
Harry 7
Albert 6
Tom 6
Abraham 5
Alfred 5
Ernest 5
David 4
Fredk. 4
Wm. 4
Alexander 3
Benjamin 3
Francis 3
Fred 3
Herbert 3
A. 2
Edwin 2
Frank 2
Marmaduke 2
Percy 2
Peter 2
Allen 1
Asa 1
Bertram 1
Edley 1
Elijah 1
Ephraim 1
F. 1
Firmin 1
Florence 1
Henery 1
Isaac 1
Jacob 1
Jas. 1
Jerimiah 1
Job 1

FAQ

Levitt surname: questions and answers

How common was the Levitt surname in 1881?

In 1881, 995 people were recorded with the Levitt surname. That placed it at #3,918 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Levitt surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,306 in 2016. That gives Levitt a modern rank of #4,589.

What does the Levitt surname mean?

A Jewish occupational surname derived from the Yiddish word "levit," meaning "Levite" or a descendant of the Levites.

What does the Levitt map show?

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