Show ContentsLivsey History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Livsey has a long Anglo-Saxon heritage. The name comes from when a family lived in the township of Livesey which was in the parish of Blackburn in the county of Lancashire. The Livsey 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 Livsey family

The surname Livsey 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 Livsey family

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

Livsey Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate spelled their names differently as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Livsey have been found, including Livesey, Liversay, Liversey, Livezey and others.

Early Notables of the Livsey family

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


United States Livsey migration to the United States +

Families began migrating abroad in enormous numbers because of the political and religious discontent in England. Often faced with persecution and starvation in England, the possibilities of the New World attracted many English people. Although the ocean trips took many lives, those who did get to North America were instrumental in building the necessary groundwork for what would become for new powerful nations. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America bore the name Livsey, or a variant listed above:

Livsey Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Thomas Livsey, aged 30, who landed in Missouri in 1847 [2]
  • William Livsey, aged 30, who immigrated to the United States from Birmingham, in 1892
Livsey Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Wm. Livsey, aged 36, who settled in America from Dumbarton, Scotland, in 1908
  • Mary Livsey, aged 33, who settled in America from Dumbarton, Scotland, in 1908
  • Christine Livsey, aged 2, who landed in America from Dumbarton, Scotland, in 1908
  • Harry Livsey, aged 29, who immigrated to the United States from Durinfield England, in 1908
  • Richard Livsey, aged 23, who landed in America from England, in 1917
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Australia Livsey migration to Australia +

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

Livsey Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Thomas Livsey, English convict who was convicted in Salford, Manchester, Greater Manchester, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Earl Grey" on 4th October 1842, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) [3]

Contemporary Notables of the name Livsey (post 1700) +

  • William James Livsey (b. 1931), retired United States Army four star general, former Commander in Chief, United Nations Command/Commander in Chief, ROK/U.S. Combined Forces Command/Commander
  • Billy Livsey, American songwriter, keyboardist, and producer from Nashville, Tennessee
  • Gordon Livsey, English footballer
  • Walter Herbert Livsey (1893-1978), English cricketer
  • Richard Arthur Lloyd Livsey CBE (1935-2010), Baron Livsey of Talgarth, British politician Member of Parliament for Brecon and Radnorshire (1997-2001)

Winter Quarters coal mine
  • Mr. Samuel Livsey (b. 1880), English mine worker from Lancashire residing in Coalville, Summit, Utah who worked in the Winter Quarters coal mine on 1st May 1900, when 10 of the 25lb kegs of black powder exploded; he died in the explosion [4]


  1. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  2. 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)
  3. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 16th August 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/earl-gray
  4. Miners killed in Winter Quarters (retrieved 28th July 2021). Retrieved from http://www.carbon-utgenweb.com/miners.html


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