Origin of the name Levack

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Alec Levack
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Origin of the name Levack

Post by Alec Levack »

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Andrew Lancaster4
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Origin of the name Levack

Post by Andrew Lancaster4 »

I agree about French. Your name seems to have 2 versions: Levack and Levach. Levach ends in a sound which is impossible in French, proving that the ending is almost certainly the Gaelic one you mentioned previously. (And the sound is not the one in "itch", so the theory I have seen on the web that this name comes from La Vache does not make sense.) And if -ack is Gaelic, that leaves only Lev- which could be French. I can't think of any French surname sounding like Le Va! Concerning things of interest in Scotland, one surname spelling I have become very interested in is LIVESTON. It seems a large % of all 19th century people using this spelling had roots in the parish of Forfar, at least about half of whom are prime candidates for being related to my own Livingstones. Best Regards Andrew
Alec Levack
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Origin of the name Levack

Post by Alec Levack »

I don't actually differentiate much between ach and ack having spent my life with English people unable to pronounce "ch" which is always turned into "ck". Most obvious example is "loch", usually pronounced "lock" by English orientated acccents. "Lock Ness" In name terms the c in "Mac" is derived, (some would say mis-pronounced!), from the Gaelic "ch" sound. So again, I see ch from Gaelic to ck in English so common I hardly notice it. I mentioned in an e-mail to a Gaelic speaking friend who is a Gaelic journalist with the BBC in Inverness about my DNA participation and in his reply was this comment: ...the Gaelic for the town of 'Livingston'
Andrew Lancaster4
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Origin of the name Levack

Post by Andrew Lancaster4 »

Some suspect that the connection between Livingstons and Maclea-Livingstones may be as simple as a very ancient folk etymology - translating germanic -tun as Celtic dun. Or it might even have been a correct etymology. After all Livingston was clearly named after someone named Livin or similar. While this might have been a Germanic name, it could also have been Gaelic, or maybe even Welsh. What does the sleibh represent in Newtownmore?
Alec Levack
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Origin of the name Levack

Post by Alec Levack »

Baile Ur an t-Sleibh Baile = town Ur = New an = the t-Sleibh of the mountains (? - need a Gaelic scholar for exact gramatical case meaning.) Newtonmore is in a mountainous area... New = new ton = town more = Gaelic for big There is a connection between the new name and the old Gaelic name. I need to chase up the Gaelic people for their views on the Livingstone name.
Andrew Lancaster4
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Origin of the name Levack

Post by Andrew Lancaster4 »

I wonder if Sleibh is being equated to "moor" here.
Grant South1
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Ho'ro na Levach, Levack!

Post by Grant South1 »

Dear Cousin's, Levack is a known branch of the Livingstones according to Innes of Leanry- a previous Lord Lyon.[ p 345- 'Clans, Septs, And Regiments Of The Scottish Highlands'. 2nd Ed.] I would add that previously Rob gave what I do think is the correct derivation. A practice seen in Gaelic speaking areas, especially in the north is to develop unique Gaelic contractions as a workable/practical patronymic. Lev represents the Leav' and Liv of Dun'Leavy and the later Liv'ingstone. Leavy and Living. And'ach' is absolutely a Gaelic suffix to convey origin. Those of Lochaber are reknowned as 'Aberach' 'From Aber'. Similarly those of Leavy would be Levach and Levack. Let us take the example of the names Larnach and Larnack. Larnach is a form found in Caithness and Larnack is the form of the same name in Atholl. Both forms derived from the Gaelic Larn'ach- Latharnach, meaning 'a man from Lorne'. It is a Gaelic cultural practice to be called by your patronymic if not having any other title or local pet-name. So a MacGregor may be referred to as 'Griogaraich' , 'of Gregor'. The Gunns are 'Na Guinniach'. In my own case I use Deasach 'A South'or 'One who lives towards/in the South'. [Sun-worship] Levach and Levack follow the same established rules of Highland Gaelige, 'of the Livingstones'. Slainte! Ghriant
Grant South1
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Ho'ro na Levach, Levack, Levich!

Post by Grant South1 »

Andrew, Your Levich is naturally a form of Levach, the Gaelic is 'aich' and so 'ach' and 'ich' are interchangable. For example the Gordons-'Na Gordonich'. Levidge is a non-Gaelic scribes lack of understanding, and so,'idge' was given for 'ich'. All the best!
Grant South1
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Ho'ro na Levach, Levack!

Post by Grant South1 »

I made a wee blunder in the previous posting, it is correctly, Innes of Learney, who was a previous Lord Lyon. All the best!
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