Show ContentsLevitt History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Levitt family

The surname Levitt was first found in Buckinghamshire, where they held a family seat from very early times and were granted lands by Duke William of Normandy, their liege Lord, for their distinguished assistance at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Levitt family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Levitt research. Another 116 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1500 and 1897 are included under the topic Early Levitt History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Levitt Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Lovatt, Lovat, Lovet, Lovett, Lovit, Lovitt and others.

Early Notables of the Levitt family

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

Levitt Ranking

In the United States, the name Levitt is the 7,082nd most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 1

Migration of the Levitt family to Ireland

Some of the Levitt family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Levitt migration to Australia +

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

Levitt Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. John Levitt, Jr. who was convicted in East Riding, Yorkshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Bussorah Merchant" on 24th March 1828, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 2
  • Mr. William Levitt, English convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Augusta Jessie" on 27 September 1834, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 3
  • John Levitt, aged 16, who arrived in South Australia in 1857 aboard the ship "Navarino" 4

Levitt 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:

Levitt Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • George Levitt, aged 29, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Alumbagh" in 1875 5
  • Emily Levitt, aged 24, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Alumbagh" in 1875 5
  • George Levitt, aged 1, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Alumbagh" in 1875 5

Contemporary Notables of the name Levitt (post 1700) +

  • Leonard Hugh Levitt (1941-2020), American author known for his books about crime and the New York City Police Department
  • Michael Levitt FRS (1947-2013), South African-born, American biophysicist and a professor of structural biology at Stanford University, recipient of the 2013 Nobel Prize in Chemistry
  • William Jaird Levitt (1907-1994), American real-estate developer, often credited as the creator of modern American suburbia
  • Levitt Luzern Custer (1888-1962), American inventor of the statoscope
  • Levitt Ellsworth Custer (1863-1924), American Ohio dentist and balloonist


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 5th November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/bussorah-merchant
  3. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 14th August 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/augusta-jessie
  4. South Australian Register. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Navarino 1857. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/navarino1857.shtml
  5. 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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