Show ContentsLelievre History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Lelievre family

The surname Lelievre was first found in Artois, a former province of northern France where this illustrious family held a family seat with lands and manor for many centuries. The family were well established in the region of Arras and several members of the family distinguished themselves through their contributions toward the community in which they lived and were rewarded with lands, titles and letters patent confirming their nobility.

In French, Les Lièvre are small mammals in the family Leporidae and are herbivorous wild animals, similar to rabbits.

Early History of the Lelievre family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Lelievre research. Another 75 words (5 lines of text) covering the year 1659 is included under the topic Early Lelievre History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Lelievre Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Lièvre, Lelièvre, Lièvrard, Dulièvre, Delièvre and many more.

Early Notables of the Lelievre family

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

Lelievre World Ranking

In Quebec, Canada, the name Lelievre is the 773rd most popular surname. 1 However, in France, the name Lelievre is ranked the 9,420th most popular surname with an estimated 500 - 1,000 people with that name. 2


Canada Lelievre migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

  • Guillaume Lelievre, son of Jacques Lelievre and Antoinette Bougard of St. Leonard of Honfleur Normandy decendant of Benjamin Sulte 3
Lelievre Settlers in Canada in the 17th Century
  • Mathurin Lelievre, who married Marguerite Jasslein, daughter of Jean and Catherine, in Lachine, Quebec on 31st October 1676 4
Lelievre Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Jean-Baptiste Lelievre, son of Charles and Jeanne, who married Marie-Thérèse L'Archevêque, daughter of Jean-Baptiste and Marie-Thérèse, in Quebec on 28th October 1725 4
  • Marc Lelievre, son of Pierre and Jeanne, who married Thérèse Mercier, daughter of Louis and Louise, in Quebec on 23rd January 1741 4
  • Pierre Lelievre, son of Jean and Élisabeth, who married Thérèse Galarneau, daughter of Jacques and Marguerite, in Lévis, Quebec on 1st February 1751 4
  • Roger Lelievre, son of Guillaume and Marie, who married Louise Aide, daughter of Louis and Marie-Hélène, in Quebec on 22nd February 1757 4
  • Charles Lelievre, son of Peirre Lelievre and Therese Galarneau, married Cecile in Detroit, November 20th, 1792 3
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

New Zealand Lelievre 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:

  • Mr. Jean Francois Lelievre, (1808 -1902), born in Les Parlierre, Normany, French mail driver, who travelled aboard the whalers from 1830 to 1837 when he settled in Akaroa, New Zealand. 5

Contemporary Notables of the name Lelievre (post 1700) +

  • Sophie Lelievre, American researcher at Purdue University, Indiana
  • Mr. Francois Lelievre (1808-1902), born in La Luzerne, Normany, French mail driver, who left in around 1830 to work the whaling ships, he became commander of the whaling ship "Cachalot" 1837 to 1839 where he settled in Akaroa, New Zealand.
  • Hervé Lelièvre, French cardiologist with the Hôpital cardiovasculaire et pneumologique, Lyon, France
  • Maud Lelièvre, French researcher at the Institut Supérieur d’Agriculture, 59046 Lille Cedex, France
  • Robert Lelièvre (1942-1973), French singer, songwriter and guitarist
  • Gilles Lelievre, French three-time gold medalist slalom canoeist who competed from the late 1980s to the mid-1990s
  • Gérard Lelièvre (b. 1949), French racewalker who competed in three consecutive Summer Olympics
  • Ferdinand Lelièvre (1799-1885), French colonial agriculturalist, Senator of Algeria
  • Claude Lelièvre (b. 1946), Belgium Commissioner for Children Rights of the French (i.e., French-speaking) Community of Belgium
  • Stan Le Lievre (1920-2003), Australian rules footballer who played with St Kilda in the Victorian Football League (1945-1947)
  • ... (Another 3 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)


  1. "The first 1,000 family names by rank, Quebec (in French only)" Institut de la statistique du Quebec, https://statistique.quebec.ca/en/document/family-names-in-quebec/tableau/the-first-1000-family-names-by-rank-quebec
  2. http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
  3. Dictionnaire National des Canadiens Francais 1608 - 1760 Vol. 2. Institut Drouin, 1958
  4. Internoscia, Arthur E., and Claire Chevrier. Dictionnaire National des Canadiens Français 1608-1760. Vol. 2, Institut Drouin, 1958.
  5. Tales of Banks Peninsula. Retrieved on 24th May 2022 from https://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-JacTale-t1-body-d1-d28.html


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