Show ContentsLevy History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Levy

What does the name Levy mean?

The Jewish name Levy was originally derived from the Hebrew male given name Levi, which means 'joining.' The name was extremely popular because it was borne by Levi, the son of the biblical figures Jacob and Leah. This patriarch and brother of Moses was the ancestor of the Levites. The Levites, the Israelite tribe that was not allotted land, were the priests or assistants of the priest in the temple.

Levy Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Levy, Levi, Levin and more. and others.

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


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

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

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.)

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) +

  • Marvin Jay Levy (1928-2025), American publicist, specialized in marketing and public relations, noted for having been a longtime marketer for director Steven Spielberg at Amblin Entertainment
  • Sarah Levy (b. 1995), American rugby union and rugby sevens player, who competed at the 2024 Summer Olympics
  • Elise Minette Levy (1919-2023), known as Elissa Minet Fuchs, American ballerina and choreographer
  • 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
  • Sarah Levy (b. 1986), Canadian actress best known for her role in Schitt's Creek
  • David Levy (1937-2024), Israeli politician
  • Maurice Marc Lévy (1922-2022), French physicist and teacher, president of the CNES from 1973 to 1976
  • ... (Another 11 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) 16
  • 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 16
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 17
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 18


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. 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
  17. 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
  18. Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html


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