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Lefevre History Etymology Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables World Ranking

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Sources

Lefevre History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
France

Etymology of Lefevre

What does the name Lefevre mean?

The surname Lefevre is derived from the Old French word "fevre," which meant "a blacksmith," therefore it was originally an occupational name for a smith or a metal worker. While the patronymic and metronymic surnames, those derived from the name of the father and mother respectively, were the most common form of a hereditary surname in France, occupational surnames also emerged during the late Middle Ages.

Early Origins of the Lefevre family

The surname Lefevre was first found in Savoy (French: Savoie) in the Rhône-Alpes region of the French Alps, where this noble family held a family seat since ancient times.

Throughout the centuries, families of this surname or one of its spelling variations could be found in many regions of France, including Vaud, Genève, Bresse, Lyonnais, Savoie, Dauphiné, Guillaume, and Echallens. Pierre of the Favre family of Lyon was a Consul in Lyon in 1382 and of his descendants, five were Magistrates of Lyon during the 16th century.

In Savoie, Gaspard was the secretary to the Duke in 1470 and one of the Senators of Savoie, as well as the President of the Senate. Guillaume, of Echallens from the county of Vaud, became a burgess, or businessman, in 1508 and his son, François, was one of the founders of the "Independence of Geneva" in 1534. Distinctive among his descendants were State Consuls of Geneva, Officers of State, General Treasurers, and the Lords of Dardagny, Russin, Malval, Confignon, and Châteauvieux, amongst others.

Pierre Lefebvre, born in 1642, son of Olivier and Michelle (née Renou), settled in Quebec in the 17th century. He married Marie-Madeleine Trudel, daughter of Jean and Marguerite (née Thomas), in 1674. The remained together until Pierre passed away at Charlesbourg on 21st November 1727. Pierre's brother, Robert Lefebvre, born in 1633, married Denise Gautier in Quebec on 7th February 1667. They remained together until Denise's death on 7th February 1695. Robert passed away on 3rd February 1703. 1

Early History of the Lefevre family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Lefevre research. Another 139 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1525, 1552, 1569, 1574, 1576, 1578, 1585, 1600, 1615, 1624, 1626, 1650, 1652, 1667, 1672, 1700, 1706 and 1716 are included under the topic Early Lefevre History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Lefevre Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Lefebvre, Lefebvres, Lefevres, Favre, Favres, Fevre, Febvre, Febvres, Favers, Lefabre, Lefabvres, Fabvres, Lefever and many more.

Early Notables of the Lefevre family

Notable in the family name at this time was Antoine Favre (d. 1626), Professor at the University of Valence; Jean Le Fèvre (1652-1706), a French astronomer and physicist; Tanneguy Lefebvre (1615-1672), French classical scholar; Etienne Favre was a Counsel at the Appeals Tribunal of Bresse where he had his noble status confirmed...
Another 51 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Lefevre Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Lefevre World Ranking

In the United States, the name Lefevre is the 6,218^th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 2 However, in France, the name Lefevre is ranked the 9,111^st most popular surname with an estimated 500 - 1,000 people with that name. 3

Lefevre migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Lefevre Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Andries LeFevre, who arrived in New York in 1665 4
Hypolite Lefevre, who arrived in New Jersey in 1674 4
Hippolite Lefevre, who arrived in New Jersey in 1675 4
Hypolite Lefevre, who arrived in America in 1676 4
Isaac Lefevre, who arrived in New Jersey in 1682 4
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Lefevre Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Ester Lefevre, who arrived in Virginia in 1707 4
Isaac Lefevre, who arrived in Virginia in 1707 4
Isaac LeFevre, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1712 4
John LeFevre, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1778 4

Lefevre Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Lefioit Lefevre, who arrived in New York in 1843 4
M Lefevre, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1851 4
O M Lefevre, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1856 4
Gilbert LeFevre, who landed in America in 1891 4

Lefevre migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Lefevre Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Daniel LeFevre, who landed in Canada in 1835

Lefevre migration to Australia +

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

Lefevre Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Joseph Lefevre, (b. 1814), aged 15, British convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for life for theft, transported aboard the "Bussorah Merchant" on 1st October 1829, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land), he died in 1877 5
Gorman Lefevre, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Simlah" in 1849 6
Charles Lefevre, English Convict from Lincolnshire, who was transported aboard the "Aboukir" on December 24, 1851, settling in Van Diemen's Land, Australia 7

Contemporary Notables of the name Lefevre (post 1700) +

Mylon Rae LeFevre (1944-2023), American Christian rock singer known for his work with his band Mylon and Broken Heart, a Gospel Music Hall of Fame inductee
Robert LeFevre, American educational administrator and writer, founder and former President, Rampart College, Santa Ana, California
Frank Jacob Le Fevre (1874-1941), American politician, U.S. Representative from New York, son of Jacob Le Fevre
Alfred Modesto Lefevre (1898-1982), American infielder in Major League Baseball
Ted LeFevre (b. 1964), American theatrical set designer
Edwin Lefèvre (1871-1943), American journalist, writer, and statesman
Adam LeFevre (b. 1950), American character actor, poet and playwright
Robert LeFevre (1911-1986), American libertarian businessman, radio personality, and primary theorist of autarchism
Bernard Lefèvre (1930-2019), French footballer
Wandrille Lefevre (b. 1988), Professional French footballer
... (Another 21 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Lefevre family +

Bismarck

Georg Lefevre (1919-1941), German Matrosenobergefreiter who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he died in the sinking 8

HMS Cornwall

Leslie Lefevre (d. 1942), British Leading Stoker aboard the HMS Cornwall when she was struck by air bombers and sunk; he died in the sinking 9

Sources +

Olivier, Reginald L. Your Ancient Canadian Family Ties. Logan: The Everton Publishers, Inc., P.O. Box 368, 1972. Print
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
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)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 10th November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/bussorah-merchant
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) The SIMLAH 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849Simlah.htm
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2014, November 18) Aboukir voyage to Van Diemen's Land and Norfolk Island. [These convicts appear to have all landed in Van Diemen's Land], Australia in 1851 with 280 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/aboukir/1851
Bismarck & Tirpitz Class - Crew List Bismarck. (Retrieved 2018, February 06). Retrieved from https://www.bismarck-class.dk/bismarck/crew/bismarck_crew.html#crew_details
Force Z Survivors Crew List HMS Cornwall (Retrieved 2018, February 13th) - Retrieved from https://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listcornwallcrew.html#A