Show ContentsLivett History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Livett Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Early Origins of the Livett family

The surname Livett 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 Livett family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Livett 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 Livett History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Livett Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Levet, Levett, Levitt, Leavett, Leavitt, Livett and many more.

Early Notables of the Livett family

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...
Another 66 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Livett Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Livett 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:

Livett Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Mr. James Livett, (b. 1840), aged 23, British labourer travelling from London aboard the ship 'Mermaid' arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 16th February 1864 2

Contemporary Notables of the name Livett (post 1700) +

  • Simon Robert Livett (b. 1969), former English football midfielder
  • Chris Livett, English founder of Livett's Launches, a boat hire company on London's River Thames in 1983
  1. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  2. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html

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