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Show ContentsLevy History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
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Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

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Noble surnames, such as Levy, evoke images of the ancient homeland of the French people. The original bearer of the name Levy, which is a local surname, once lived, held land, or was born in the beautiful île-de-France region. In France, hereditary surnames were adopted according to fairly general rules and during the late Middle Ages, names that were derived from localities became increasingly widespread. Local names originally denoted the proprietorship of the village or estate. The Levy family originally derived its surname from the name of the place in Levy Saint Nom in île-de-France.

Early Origins of the Levy family

The surname Levy was first found in île-de-France, where this remarkable family has been traced since the 12th century.

The family branched into several other regions throughout France, and held lands and estates. One such branch extended to Bourgogne from Lugny in the 1400's, by Eustache de Lévis. He was the second son of Philippe, who was the Lord of Florensac and of Alix de Quélus. After his marriage to Alix, Dame of Cousan and daughter of Hugues Damas, Lord of Cousan and Alix of Beaujeu, Philippe became the owner of lands in Lugny in Charollais, which was one of the four largest baronies in the county and one that his descendants still hold.

This family also held fiefs in la Perrierre, le Plessis, Bragny, Ecuelle, Châtelet, la Barre, Saint-Germain-du-Plain, Ouroux, Limon, Thorey, Servigny, and Talant in Chalonnais, as well as the baronies of Bernon, Servoisy, and Lignière. François Gaston, Duke of Lévis, (1720-1787), born in Ajac (Aude), was a Marshal of France and tried in vain to save Canada. His son, Pierre Marie Gaston, was a member of the French National Assembly. The family held the hereditary titles of Duc de Venetadour, Duc de Damville, and the Duc de Fernando-Luis.

Early History of the Levy family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Levy research. Another 36 words (3 lines of text) covering the years 1230, 1647, 1717, 1719, 1760, 1785 and 1787 are included under the topic Early Levy History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Levy Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Lévis, Lévi, Lévie, Le Vie, de Lévis, de Lévie, de Lévis, Lévy, Levison, Levisonne, Levisonnes, Levisson, Levissonne, Levissonnes, Levisons, Levissons, Levisont, Levisonts, Levisond, Levisonds, Levey, Lévee, Levis and many more.

Early Notables of the Levy family

Notable amongst the family was Louis Charles de Lévis (1647-1717), a French nobleman and Duke of Ventadour.François-Gaston de Lévis, Duc de Lévis (1719-1787), styled as the Chevalier de Lévis until 1785, was a nobleman and a...
Another 35 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Levy Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Levy World Ranking

In the United States, the name Levy is the 872nd most popular surname with an estimated 34,818 people with that name. 1 However, in Quebec, Canada, the name Levy is ranked the 923rd most popular surname. 2 And in France, the name Levy is the 211st popular surname with an estimated 16,598 people with that name. 3

United States Levy migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Levy Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Asser (Asher) Levy (died 1680), was one of the first Jewish settlers in 1654 of the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam on Manhattan Island.
Levy Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Richard Levy, aged 24, German farmer who arrived in New York in 1893 aboard the ship "Dania" 4
  • Mr. Salmon Levy, aged 21, German settler who arrived in New York in 1893 aboard the ship "La Gascogne" 5
  • Miss Golder Levy, aged 25, German settler who arrived in New York in 1893 aboard the ship "La Bourgogne" 6

Canada Levy migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Levy Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Mrs. Ann Levy, aged 34 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Marinas" departing from the port of Dublin, Ireland but died on Grosse Isle in October 1847 7
  • Miss. Bridget Levy, aged 18 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Marinas" departing from the port of Dublin, Ireland but died on Grosse Isle in August 1847 7
  • Mr. Michael Levy, aged 38 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Marinas" departing from the port of Dublin, Ireland but died on Grosse Isle in August 1847 7

Australia Levy migration to Australia +

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

Levy Settlers in Australia in the 18th Century
  • Mr. Henry Levy, English convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Barwell" in September 1797, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 8
Levy Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Samuel Levy, English convict who was convicted in London, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Cressy" on 28th April 1843, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 9
  • Mr. Isaac Levy, (b. 1828), aged 16, English carpenter who was convicted in London, England for 10 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Equestrian" on 25th January 1844, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Island) 10
  • Ann Levy, English convict from Lancaster, who was transported aboard the "Angelina" on April 25, 1844, settling in Van Diemen's Land, Australia 11
  • Frederick Levy, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Lady Flora" in 1851 12
  • Mr. Samuel Levy, British convict who was convicted in London, England for 10 years, transported aboard the "Cornwall" on 28th February 1851, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 13
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

New Zealand Levy 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:

Levy Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Benjamin Levy, aged 21, who arrived in Port Nicholson aboard the ship "Oriental" in 1840
  • Solomon Levy, aged 23, who arrived in Port Nicholson aboard the ship "Oriental" in 1840
  • Mr. Solomon Levy, (b. 1816), aged 23, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Oriental" arriving in Port Nicholson, Wellington, New Zealand on 31st January 1840 14
  • Mr. Samuel Levy, (b. 1818), aged 21, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Oriental" arriving in Port Nicholson, Wellington, New Zealand on 31st January 1840 14
  • Solomon Levy, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1841 aboard the ship "Himalaya" 15
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Levy (post 1700) +

  • Salomón Cohen Levy (1927-2018), American civil engineer and real estate businessman
  • Marvin David Levy (1932-2015), American composer, best known for his opera Mourning Becomes Electra
  • Clifford J. Levy, American co-winner of the 2011 Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting
  • Marion Pauline Levy (1910-1990), birth name of Paulette Goddard, American film and theatre actress
  • Maurice Marc Lévy (1922-2022), French physicist and teacher, president of the CNES from 1973 to 1976
  • André Lévy (1925-2017), French sinologist
  • Major-General Ren Lévy (1879-1958), French Head of Intendant Service, 6th Military Region (1936) 16
  • Major-General Lucien-Meyer Lévy (1876-1943), French Director of Army Central Laboratory of Bacteriological Research & Serology (1938) 17
  • Daniel Joseph Levy (b. 1983), Canadian actor, writer, director, and producer. Born in Toronto he began his career as a television host on MTV Canada, he received international prominence and critical acclaim for starring as David Rose in the CBC sitcom Schitt's Creek, which he also co-created and co-starred in with his father. For producing, writing, directing, and acting in the final season of Schitt's Creek, Levy became the first person to win a Primetime Emmy Award in all four major disciplines in a single year it has also earned him four Canadian Screen Awards out of eighteen nominations
  • Eugene Levy (b. 1946), Canadian actor, television director, producer, musician, and writer winner of the Emmy Award in 2020 for Outstanding Lead Actor In a Comedy series
  • ... (Another 6 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Halifax Explosion
  • Mr. Andrew  Levy (1887-1917), Canadian resident from Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 18
  • Miss Rita Marie  Levy (1914-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who survived the Halifax Explosion (1917) but later died due to injuries 18
HMS Hood
  • Mr. Albert P Levy (b. 1918), English Ordinary Seaman serving for the Royal Navy from Reading, Berkshire, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 19
RMS Titanic
  • Mr. René Jacques Levy (d. 1912), aged 36, Canadian Second Class passenger from Montreal, Quebec who sailed aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking 20

The Levy Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Aide dieu au second Chretien Levis
Motto Translation: God help the second Chretien Levis

Suggested Readings for the name Levy +

  • Genealogy of the Goldman, Levy (et al) Families by Douglas Edward Goldman.
  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. "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
  3. http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
  4. Germans to America retrieved 21st October 2021. Retrieved from Glazier, Ira. A., and Filby, P. William. Germans to America: Lists of Passengers Arriving at U.S. Ports. Vol. 62, Scholarly Resources Inc, 2006
  5. Germans to America retrieved 21st October 2021. Retrieved from Glazier, Ira. A., and Filby, P. William. Germans to America: Lists of Passengers Arriving at U.S. Ports. Vol. 62, Scholarly Resources Inc, 2138
  6. Germans to America retrieved 21st October 2021. Retrieved from Glazier, Ira. A., and Filby, P. William. Germans to America: Lists of Passengers Arriving at U.S. Ports. Vol. 62, Scholarly Resources Inc, 1990
  7. Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 39)
  8. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 29th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/barwell
  9. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 21st May 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/cressy
  10. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 4th May 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/equestrian
  11. State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2014, November 27) Angelina voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1844 with 171 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/angelina/1844
  12. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) LADY FLORA 1851. Retrieved http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1851LadyFlora.htm
  13. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 11th March 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/cornwall
  14. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  15. Shadow of time settlers (Retrieved on 10th November 2010). Retrieved from http://shadowsoftime.co.nz/settlers.html
  16. Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2011, October 6) Ren Lévy. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/L%C3%A9vy/Ren%C3%A9/France.html
  17. Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2011, October 6) Lucien-Meyer Lévy. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/L%C3%A9vy/Lucien-Meyer/France.html
  18. Halifax Explosion Book of Remembrance | Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. (Retrieved 2014, June 23) . Retrieved from https://maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca/what-see-do/halifax-explosion/halifax-explosion-book-remembrance
  19. H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: Crew Information - H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour, Men Lost in the Sinking of H.M.S. Hood, 24th May 1941. (Retrieved 2016, July 15) . Retrieved from http://www.hmshood.com/crew/memorial/roh_24may41.htm
  20. Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html
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