Show ContentsLivesay History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Of all the Anglo-Saxon names to come from Britain, Livesay is one of the most ancient. The name is a result of the original family having lived in the township of Livesey which was in the parish of Blackburn in the county of Lancashire. The Livesay surname is a Habitation name that was originally derived from the place-names of pre-existing towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads.

Early Origins of the Livesay family

The surname Livesay was first found in Lancashire at Livesey, a township, in the parish, union, and Lower division of the hundred of Blackburn. "This place gave name to a family who resided here, and were owners of the greater part of the township. James Levesey, in the reign of Edward VI. held the estate as a manor, as did his descendant, James Levesey, in the 9th of James I." 1

Early History of the Livesay family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Livesay research. Another 72 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Livesay History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Livesay Spelling Variations

The first dictionaries that appeared in the last few hundred years did much to standardize the English language. Before that time, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. The language was changing, incorporating pieces of other languages, and the spelling of names changed with it. Livesay has been spelled many different ways, including Livesey, Liversay, Liversey, Livezey and others.

Early Notables of the Livesay family

More information is included under the topic Early Livesay Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Livesay Ranking

In the United States, the name Livesay is the 8,122nd most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 2


United States Livesay migration to the United States +

Thousands of English families in this era began to emigrate the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. Although the passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe, those who made the voyage safely were rewarded with opportunities unavailable to them in their homeland. Research into passenger and immigration lists has revealed some of the very first Livesays to arrive in North America:

Livesay Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Gilbert Livesay, who arrived in Maryland in 1680 3
Livesay Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Charles Livesay, aged 3, who immigrated to the United States, in 1896
Livesay Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Althea M. Livesay, aged 33, who landed in America, in 1910
  • Althea Livesay, aged 34, who settled in America, in 1911
  • Charles Livesay, aged 38, who settled in America from Gosport, Eng., in 1912
  • Robert O'Hara Livesay, aged 36, who settled in America from London, England, in 1913
  • Francis H. E. Livesay, aged 65, who immigrated to the United States from London, England, in 1914
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Australia Livesay migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Livesay Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Joseph Livesay, (b. 1818), aged 22, British Labourer who was convicted in Lancaster, England for 10 years for theft, transported aboard the "Asia" on 25th April 1840, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land), he died in 1848 4
  • Henry Livesay, aged 27, a bootmaker, who arrived in South Australia in 1853 aboard the ship "Standard" 5

Contemporary Notables of the name Livesay (post 1700) +

  • Major-General William G. Livesay (1895-1979), American Commandant of the Armored Center & School (1948-1950) 6
  • Admiral Sir Michael Howard Livesay KCB (1936-2003), senior Royal Navy officer, Second Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Personnel
  • Dorothy Kathleen May Livesay OC, OBC, FRSC (1909-1996), Canadian two-time Governor General Award winning poet
  • Augustus Frederick "A. F." Livesay (1807-1879), British architect
  • Peter Livesay Macnair (b. 1940), Canadian anthropologist, Curator of Ethnology at the Royal British Columbia Museum (1965-1996)


  1. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  2. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  3. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  4. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 17th January 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/asia/1840
  5. South Australian Register Friday 14 October 1853. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Standard 1853. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/standard1853.shtml
  6. Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2012, April 2) William Livesay. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Livesay/William_G./USA.html


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