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![Show Contents]() Levet History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Early Origins of the Levet familyThe surname Levet 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 Levet familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Levet 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 Levet History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Levet Spelling VariationsSpelling variations of this family name include: Levet, Levett, Levitt, Leavett, Leavitt, Livett and many more. Early Notables of the Levet 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 (1693-1746), an attorney and early town clerk of Lichfield , Staffordshire
- Dr. Henry Levett (1668-1725), English physician and author who wrote on the treatment of smallpox, chief physician at London Charterhouse
Levet RankingIn France, the name Levet is the 2,594th most popular surname with an estimated 2,500 - 3,000 people with that name. 2
 Levet 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: Levet Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century- Gardener Levet, aged 22, a blacksmith, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "London" in 1840
| Contemporary Notables of the name Levet (post 1700) | + |
- Thomas Levet (b. 1968), French professional golfer
- Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
- http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
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Levet migration to New Zealand 
England
Scotland
