Surname Lefevre - Meaning and Origin

A Journey Back in Time: Deciphering my Lefevre Ancestry through iGENEA DNA test

An intriguing journey commenced when I decided to embark on a voyage with iGENEA to trace my DNA lineage. The revelations were stunningly different from what I had envisioned. Discovering 65% Roman, 25% Germanic, and 10% Celtic DNA, I found an enthralling correlation between my roots, my family name, and the transgenerational persona they have imbibed in us.

O. Lefevre

Lefevre: What does the surname Lefevre mean?

The last name Lefevre is of French origin, and it refers to someone who is a smith or blacksmith. The French word lefevre actually comes from the Latin word faber which also refers to a smith. Blacksmiths were highly respected members of society in medieval France and the name became popular in the region in the 12th century.

The Lefevres were an important family throughout French history. They were most notably landowners in the Île-de-France region, where many of the major historical events of the French Revolution unfolded. Many Lefevres were involved in the political and military aspects of the revolution and they are still considered an influential family in France today.

The family name has also spread around the world, particularly to the United States, Canada, Germany, and Belgium. Lefevres in the US mostly descend from German immigrants who arrived in the mid-19th century. In addition, some Lefevres in Canada are descended from French-Canadian settlers.

The Lefevre name is indicative of a person with a hardworking attitude. It carries with it the legacy of skilled craftmanship, but also a sense of patriotism and loyalty to the country of France. Those who carry the family name have a proud heritage and a connection to those who have gone before them.

Lefevre: Where does the name Lefevre come from?

The last name Lefevre is most commonly found in France. It is a relatively popular surname, found in over 6,000 French communes. It is also present in smaller numbers in Switzerland, Belgium, Canada, and the United States.

Originally, the name was more specifically derived from a personal name. The Latin version of the personal name was Faber, meaning “smith”. When the Franks invaded and later settled in northern Gaul, they adopted the name likely as the occupational designation Fevre, which later became Lefevre. This name eventually spread to other areas of Europe, such as Germany and the United Kingdom.

In France, the Lefevre family is most popular in the regions of Champagne, Lorraine, and Normandy. Those from this area were among the many French colonists who emigrated to the United States and Canada in the early and mid-1900s. Today, Lefevre families are found in large numbers across North America.

In Canada, the majority of Lefevres are concentrated in the province of Quebec. In the US, Lefevre is also fairly common, with many families found in the Midwestern and Southeastern states.

The last name Lefevre has withstood the test of time in many different countries and regions, including North America. Although it may not be as abundant as it once was in its original homeland of France, it still exists in many other nations.

Variations of the surname Lefevre

The surname Lefevre has a range of spellings, variants, and variations in both France and other countries and cultures over time.

In France, the most common spellings included Lefebvre, Lefebure, Lefeuvre, Lefebure, Lefevre, Lefever, Lefebur, Lefaure, and Lefavre. In areas that assimilated the French language into their own dialects, such as in Louisiana, the spellings also included Lefebure, Lefevern, and Lefavre. It is also anglicized to LeFebure, LaFevre, LeFaver, and LaFever.

Variations in the spelling of the surname over the centuries have also generated several different surnames such as Lefaivre, Feuvre, Favreau, Vefevre, and Lefamve.

The origins of the surname Lefevre can be traced to a place in Normandy. The name is also found in Belgium and parts of Canada. It has also been used as a given name, and there have been European military officers with the surname Lefevre.

In England, it is occasionally spelled as Le Fevre and La Fevre. Already-established famílies within the island's Normano-French population usually employed the traditional spelling. It has also been found to exist in Ireland, notably in Belfast where there is a high concentration of individuals with French lineage.

In Australia, the spelling of the surname was usually dependant on the dialect of the French spoken by the original immigrants. The spelling of the surname had also been found as Lafevre in some records from the 19th century in the area.

As a Dutch-language surname, Lefevere is also found in Flanders, the Dutch-speaking region of Belgium. In the east of the Netherlands, and often mixed with Germanic dialects, there can be found various spellings of the name like Lefever and Lever.

Famous people with the name Lefevre

• Cynthia Lefevre: Canadian actress who has had roles in television shows such as Spin City, Tuesday's Child, and By the Side of the Road.
• Rachel Lefevre: Canadian actress who starred in Twilight and Barney’s Version.
• Aidan Lefevre: Irish actor who appeared in Maleficent and Into the Badlands.
• Larry Lefevre: Canadian hockey player who was drafted by the Kansas City Scouts in 1975.
• Jean-Philippe Lefevre: French ice hockey defenceman who played in the National Hockey League from 1996–02.
• Paul Lefevre: Belgian baseball player who played with the Athens Orioles in the Greek Professional Baseball League from 2003-04.
• Julie Lefevre: French director and screenwriter who won an Academy Award for the short film My Little Sister.
• Jean-Luc Lefevre: French philosopher and theologian who wrote extensively on determinism, relativism, and atheism.
• Thomas Lefevre: Belgian sculpture and painter primarily known for his abstract art.
• Eric Lefevre: French literary theorist and professor at the University of Paris who wrote extensively on literary language and theory.

Other surnames

LeFevers