Explore the Family Name Levi
The meaning of Levi
1. Jewish (Sephardic and Ashkenazic): variant of Levy. 2. Italian: from the old personal name Levi, a short form of Allevi, an omen or well-wishing name shortened from Dio l’allevi ‘Lord relieves it’. 3. Italian: possibly also from the Biblical personal name Levi, from a Hebrew word meaning ‘joining’ (see Levy). Some characteristic forenames: Jewish Amnon, Meir, Moshe, Arie, Avi, Dror, Haim, Yehuda, Doron, Dov, Haskel, Ilan.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Levi in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Levi has increased between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it ranked as the 4915th most popular surname with a count of 6569. By 2010, its rank had risen to 4731, representing a change of approximately 3.74%. The count also increased to 7500, marking an increase of 14.17%. The proportion of individuals with the Levi surname per 100,000 people in the population increased by 4.1% during this period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #4,915 | #4,731 | 3.74% |
| Count | 6,569 | 7,500 | 14.17% |
| Proportion per 100k | 2.44 | 2.54 | 4.1% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Levi
The ethnicity associated with the surname Levi has seen some changes from 2000 to 2010 according to the Decennial U.S. Census. White remained the dominant ethnicity with a slight decrease from 72.2% to 71.68%. The Asian/Pacific Islander and Black ethnic identity percentages decreased by 12.93% and 6.28%, respectively. The American Indian and Alaskan Native percentage saw a small increase, from 2.53% to 2.65%. The largest increase was observed in the Hispanic category, which rose from 2.25% to 3.89%, a significant change of approximately 72.89%. The percentage of those identifying with two or more ethnicities slightly increased from 2.41% to 2.65%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 72.2% | 71.68% | -0.72% |
| Black | 17.67% | 16.56% | -6.28% |
| Hispanic | 2.25% | 3.89% | 72.89% |
| Two or More Races | 2.41% | 2.65% | 9.96% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 2.53% | 2.65% | 4.74% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 2.94% | 2.56% | -12.93% |
Levi ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Levi is Ashkenazi Jewish, which comprises 26.6% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are British & Irish (21.7%) and French & German (12.5%). Additional ancestries include Iranian, Caucasian & Mesopotamian, Eastern European, Italian, Peninsular Arab, and Spanish & Portuguese.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| Ashkenazi Jewish | 26.6% |
| British & Irish | 21.7% |
| French & German | 12.5% |
| Other | 39.3% |
Possible origins of the surname Levi
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Levi have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 42.20% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 42.20% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 42.20% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 42.20% |
| West Yorkshire, United Kingdom | 41.80% |
What Levi haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Levi is R-CTS6, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-CTS6 is descended from haplogroup R-M420. Other common haplogroups include R-CTS241 and J-CTS5368, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Levy, Levine, Levin, Baum, Feldman, Solomon, Siegel, Schwartz, Berman, Geller.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Levi surname are: K1a1b1a, H1, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M420Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Levi have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Levi" Surname 45.1%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Levi" Surname 29.3%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Levi" Surname 9.2%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Levi" Surname 13.2%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Levi?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Levi are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition