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![Show Contents]() Levitt History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Early Origins of the Levitt familyThe surname Levitt was first found in Suffolk where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor. William Levett (ca.1200–ca.1270) was lord of the manor of the South Yorkshire village of Hooton Levitt. After the Battle of Hastings in 1066, William, Duke of Normandy, having prevailed over King Harold, granted most of Britain to his many victorious Barons. It was not uncommon to find a Baron, or a Bishop, with 60 or more Lordships scattered throughout the country. These he gave to his sons, nephews and other junior lines of his family and they became known as under-tenants. They adopted the Norman system of surnames which identified the under-tenant with his holdings so as to distinguish him from the senior stem of the family. After many rebellious wars between his Barons, Duke William, commissioned a census of all England to determine in 1086, settling once and for all, who held which land. He called the census the Domesday Book, 1 indicating that those holders registered would hold the land until the end of time. Hence, conjecturally, the surname is descended from the tenant of the lands of Leuiet, held by a Norman noble who was recorded in the Domesday Book census of 1086. Early History of the Levitt familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Levitt research. Another 108 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1495, 1554, 1586, 1594, 1608, 1630, 1634, 1655, 1668, 1691, 1693, 1700, 1711, 1725 and 1746 are included under the topic Early Levitt History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Levitt Spelling VariationsSpelling variations of this family name include: Levet, Levett, Levitt, Leavett, Leavitt, Livett and many more. Early Notables of the Levitt familyOutstanding amongst the family at this time was William Levett (ca. 1495-1554),was an English clergyman; Thomas Levett (1594-ca. 1655), High Sheriff of Rutland; Christopher Levett (1586-1630) was an English writer, explorer and naval captain; Sir Richard Levett (also spelled Richard Levet) (died 1711), Sheriff , Alderman and Lord Mayor of London; William Levett, Esq., (sometimes spelled William Levet), courtier to King Charles I of England; Theophilus Levett...
Another 66 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Levitt Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Levitt RankingIn the United States, the name Levitt is the 7,082nd most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 2
 Levitt migration to Australia | + |
Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include: Levitt Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century- Mr. John Levitt, Jr. who was convicted in East Riding, Yorkshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Bussorah Merchant" on 24th March 1828, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 3
- Mr. William Levitt, English convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Augusta Jessie" on 27 September 1834, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 4
- John Levitt, aged 16, who arrived in South Australia in 1857 aboard the ship "Navarino" 5
| Levitt migration to New Zealand | + |
Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include: Levitt Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century- George Levitt, aged 29, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Alumbagh" in 1875 6
- Emily Levitt, aged 24, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Alumbagh" in 1875 6
- George Levitt, aged 1, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Alumbagh" in 1875 6
| Contemporary Notables of the name Levitt (post 1700) | + |
- Leonard Hugh Levitt (1941-2020), American author known for his books about crime and the New York City Police Department
- Michael Levitt FRS (1947-2013), South African-born, American biophysicist and a professor of structural biology at Stanford University, recipient of the 2013 Nobel Prize in Chemistry
- William Jaird Levitt (1907-1994), American real-estate developer, often credited as the creator of modern American suburbia
- Levitt Luzern Custer (1888-1962), American inventor of the statoscope
- Levitt Ellsworth Custer (1863-1924), American Ohio dentist and balloonist
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Levitt migration to Australia 
Levitt migration to New Zealand 
England
Scotland
