Levett History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Early Origins of the Levett family
The surname Levett 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 Levett family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Levett 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 Levett History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Levett Spelling Variations
Spelling variations of this family name include: Levet, Levett, Levitt, Leavett, Leavitt, Livett and many more.
Early Notables of the Levett family
Outstanding 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
Levett migration to the United States +
Some of the first settlers of this family name were:
Levett Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
- Mr. George Levett, aged 29, who arrived in Virginia in 1619 aboard the ship "Bona Nova" 2
Levett migration to Australia +
Emigration to
Australia followed the
First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:
Levett Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
- Mr. Thomas Levett, British Convict who was convicted in Chatham, Kent, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Commodore Hayes" in April 1823, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 3
- Mr. William Levett, (Murrell), (b. 1810), aged 21, English shepherd who was convicted in Kent, England for life for house breaking, transported aboard the "Exmouth" on 3rd March 1831, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 4
- Sarah Levett, who arrived in Kangaroo Island aboard the ship "Hartley" in 1837 5
- James Levett, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Buckinghamshire" in 1839 6
- Leonard Levett, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Buckinghamshire" in 1839 6
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Levett 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:
Levett Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
- Mr. Henry Levett, (b. 1815), aged 43, English shepherd from Suffolk travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Zealandia" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 21st September 1858 7
- Miss Eliza Levett, (b. 1837), aged 21, English domestic servant from Suffolk travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Zealandia" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 21st September 1858 7
- Miss Susan Levett, (b. 1839), aged 19, English domestic servant from Suffolk travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Zealandia" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 21st September 1858 7
- Miss Letitia Levett, (b. 1844), aged 14, English domestic servant from Suffolk travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Zealandia" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 21st September 1858 7
- Mr. John Levett, (b. 1846), aged 12, English settler from Suffolk travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Zealandia" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 21st September 1858 7
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Contemporary Notables of the name Levett (post 1700) +
- Berkeley John Talbot Levett CVO (1863-1941), Major in the Scots Guards, Gentleman Usher for the Royal family
- Thomas Levett (d. 1843), rector of Whittington, Staffordshire
- William Howard Vincent "Hopper" Levett (1908-1995), English cricketer
- John Levett (1721-1799), English landowner and investor
- Robin Levett (1925-2008), Australian travel writer, novelist and philanthropist
- Colonel Theophilus John Levett (1829-1899), British Conservative Party politician
- Capt. Edward Levett Darwin (1821-1901), English author who under the pen-name High Elms, wrote Gameskeeper's Manual
- Captain Levett Landon Boscawen Ibbetson (1799-1869), English century geologist, inventor and soldier
Historic Events for the Levett family +
- Mr. George Alfred Levett (d. 1912), aged 21, English Assistant Pantry man from Southampton, Hampshire who worked aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking 8
Citations +