Surname Leavy - Meaning and Origin

Leavy: What does the surname Leavy mean?

The surname Leavy is of Irish origin, and is an Anglicized version of the Gaelic name Mac Giolla Easpaig. This name translates as “son of the devotee of St. Espic”, indicating that the original bearers of the surname were devotees of St. Espic, a sixth century monk known for his piety.

Originally, this surname would have been found mainly in counties Cork and Kerry in the southwest of Ireland. However, it has since spread to other parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, and Australia.

The Leavy surname is usually associated with strong family ties and loyalty. Family members can be found in both political and religion-related roles. Historically, they are said to have served in the famines of the 1997 and 1845 in Ireland, suggesting a deep sense of commitment to their homeland.

In the modern day, many Leavys are in successful professions, often demonstrating a strong work ethic. They also tend to place a great value on education, with many Leavys being found in teaching and higher education positions around the world.

Overall, the Leavy surname is associated with a strong and committed sense of loyalty to family, friends and homeland. They value hard work and education above all else, and will always strive to demonstrate these qualities in whatever they strive to achieve.

Leavy: Where does the name Leavy come from?

The last name Leavy is most commonly found today in Ireland. It is an Irish surname with an estimated 1800 occurrences in the country, ranking it as the 635th most common surname. In particular, it appears to be more popular in the southern parts of the country including Cork, Kerry, Waterford, Wexford, and Wicklow.

Leavy is a variant of the ancient Irish name O'Laoghaidhe, derived from the Irish word ‘leeve’ meaning ‘warrior’ or ‘hero’. This suggests that the family lineage is of ancient warrior stock. The origin of Leavy can be traced as far back as the sixteenth century, when records show members of the family living in counties Carlow, Cork, Kerry, Tipperary, and Waterford.

Outside of Ireland, the last name Leavy is found much less frequently. The highest concentrations can be found in the United Kingdom, Australia, and the United States. Still, even in those countries it is much less common than in Ireland.

Leavy can be found in various spellings throughout the world, often related back to the almost unaltered original spellings such as O’Laoghaidhe and Leavy. Variations include Lavery, Livy, Leavey, Levy, Looby, and Lovey. In times gone by, it may have been easier to spell phonetically, but today most families have stayed with the original spelling.

Variations of the surname Leavy

The surname Leavy has several different variants, spellings and surnames with the same origin.

The most common spelling of Leavy is Lavey, which is an Irish surname, derived from the Old Norse personal name ‘Ljófi’, meaning ‘lovable’. This surname can be found in counties Monaghan, Londonderry and also in Scotland and England. Another popular variant is Levy, which can be found mainly in Ireland. This version of the name originally descended from a French family that were once Normans who later settled in Ireland.

Other variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin include Lavery, which is derived from the Gaelic 'O'Laobhair', which means 'descendant of Laobhar', Lavery is mainly found in Northern Ireland as well as Scotland and England. Another variant is Lovey, which is an English surname derived from the Old French personal name Louve, meaning ‘wolf'.

Other variants of the same surname include Lavie, Lowie, and Love. Lavie is a French denomination of the Irish name Lavey which was brought to France by returning Huguenot refugees. Lowie is a German and Polish surname, derived from the Old German personal name Lowi, meaning ‘people's friend’. Love is an English name, originally derived from the Old French personal name Lou, meaning ‘helm’.

Variants, spellings and surnames with the same origin as Leavy can be found in most Western European countries and also the United States of America.

Famous people with the name Leavy

• Dennis Leavy, professional football player.
• Gabrielle Leavy, playwright, director, and television producer.
• Arthur Leavy, silent film actor and director.
• Stephen Leavy, women's rights activist.
• Conor Leavy, Irish television presenter and radio DJ.
• Paul Leavy, Australian field hockey player.
• John Leavy, cartoonist and sculpture creator.
• Joseph Leavy, U.S. Army sergeant.
• Oliva Leavy, artist and children's book illustrator.
• Dolores Leavy, Irish actress and filmmaker.

Other surnames

LeavisterLeavitLeavitt