Surname Levinson - Meaning and Origin

Levinson: What does the surname Levinson mean?

The last name Levinson is of Jewish origin and comes from the Hebrew name "Levi". The literal meaning of the name is "joined to, attached to". Many historians believe the name specifically referred to the tribe of Levi, one of the twelve tribes of Israel who were closely associated with the priesthood.

Levinson became a popular surname in Eastern Europe during the 16th century as Jews migrated out of the Holy Land and spread out across the continent. Variations of the surname are found across Europe, particularly in Russia, Romania, and Austria.

The surname is typically found among families of Orthodox or Conservative Judaism. The name Levi is still a common given name in those traditions and the name Levinson is often considered a patronymic surname, meaning it was adopted by the son or daughter of someone named Levi.

In the United States, the name Levinson became popular in the 20th century, likely due to the increase immigration of Eastern European Jews. Levinsons can now be found all over America, along with many other countries around the world.

Overall, the last name Levinson is associated with a rich history that reaches back to the tribes of ancient Israel. It is a reminder of the traditions of Judaism and is often linked with a sense of family and strong connection to one's heritage.

Levinson: Where does the name Levinson come from?

The last name Levinson is mainly found in North America, typically concentrated in the United States and Canada. Within the United States, the most common states for the Levinson surname are California, New York, Florida, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. Specifically, the Levinson surname is most heavily concentrated in Quebec and Ontario, representing 20 and 10% of Canada's population, respectively.

The Levinson surname is a Jewish name, rooted in the Middle East and likely derived from Levinson, a traditional Jewish given name or patronymic family name. The Levinson surname itself may have originally been formed to distinguish between two Levinsons in a pre-modern, peasant, agrarian society. It is also believed that the Levinson surname developed later in history, from two different Levinson villages in the Ukraine and Poland.

The Levinson family today is a dynamic and diverse one, with members widely scattered around the world. In the United States, Canada, and other countries, Levinsons are found in many trades and professions, from business owners and executives to teachers, doctors, attorneys, clergy, and even military personnel.

The Levinson surname is still present in many different parts of the world today—it is just a matter of looking!

Variations of the surname Levinson

The surname Levinson is an occupational surname originating from Yiddish and Slavic languages which is derived from the term ‘Lev’ meaning lion or brave and ‘son’. It is a patronymic last name which means that it is passed down from and inherited from the father’s name.

Variants of the surname Levinson are Levyson, Levenson, Levin, Levinsohn, Levitan, Levitt, Levitas, Livshin, Liwshin, Lewin, Lewinsohn, and Levinsohn.

Spellings of the surname Levinson are different due to the introduction of various languages over time. It could be spelled as Levinsonn, Levinshone, Levinseon, Levinskon, Lewinson, Levinsonne, Levinsson, Lewisohn, or Lavinson.

The surname has a few different generic surnames which are Lew, Lebow, Levine, and Levenson. It is also can be changed into an ethnic name such as Liwschanov, Lewchanin, Liwshanin, Lewyshanov, or Levinsky among others.

The surname Levinson is used in Eastern Europe and it is especially common among the Jewish communities in the region. The surname is also found in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Israel as many Jewish people migrated to these countries to escape the persecution they faced in Europe.

Famous people with the name Levinson

• Joel Levinson, actor and writer
• Richard Levinson, Emmy Award-winning television writer and producer
• Eric Levinson, entrepreneur and investor
• Arthur Levinson, Chairman of the Board for Apple Inc.
• Steven Levinson, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Hawaii
• Mark Levinson, audio engineer
• Andrea Levinson, CEO of Network for Good
• Carole Levinson, American footballer
• Dan Levinson, jazz musician and bandleader
• Robert Levinson, retired FBI agent

Other surnames

Levins