Origin of the name Levack

A Read-only Archive of the old forum. Many useful messages and lots of family data!
Canadian Livingstone
Posts: 2763
Joined: Wed Jul 15, 2009 9:00 pm

Origin of the name Levack

Post by Canadian Livingstone »

Sorry I meant the County of Caithness. Caithness is County in North Eastern Scotland beside Sutherland County. I was rushing out the door to dinner and wrote Caithness down as a parish as well. Please disregard that. regards, Donald
Gary Levack
Posts: 0
Joined: Sun Mar 15, 2009 2:33 am

Origin of the name Levack

Post by Gary Levack »

Hi, Caithness is the most northerly county of Scotland (John O Groats etc). I have certainly been gripped by the amount of interest in my surname on this site and if I can be of any assistance to anyone, e.g. gaining information, please let me know. I look forward to hearing any info that anyone may have on Levack's in the north of Scotland. All the best Gary
Canadian Livingstone
Posts: 2763
Joined: Wed Jul 15, 2009 9:00 pm

Origin of the name Levack

Post by Canadian Livingstone »

Hi Gary, In the 1841 Census there is only one family of McLays residing at Wick in the County of Caithness. Beyond that I could not find any of the Northern MacLeays/Macleas/McLeas/McClays of the Ross and Cromarty County variety extending themselves into Caithness the apparent main homeland of the Levacks. Being in such a remote part of the Country is certain that the Levacks have an interesting history. Some of the Levacks I would think would have some Norse ancestry given their ancestors almost certain contact with invading norsemen. As I recall the word Wick itself has nordic roots. I am curious then whether the story of the Levack -Livingston connection is rooted in the lowlands where Livingstons resided. There were no highland Livingstons or very few I suspect living in Caithness in the 1800's. I would have suspected some sort of connection between Levacks at Caithness County and some of the Ross and Cromarty County Macleays in the North of Scotland a branch of our Argyll Macleas. At least it is possible but I found no evidence there of MacLeay/Maclea contact or an connection to support this notion. So I think there is a need to explain how the Levack - Livingston connection happened and where it existed or exists other than just accepting what was stated in a tartan book. I would encourage all efforts to research this Livingston or Maclea connection to your Levack family and look forward to any information you find on the Caithness Levacks. Perhaps there is a short history of the family already written somewhere. If we find any information of further use to you we will keep you posted.
Gary Levack
Posts: 0
Joined: Sun Mar 15, 2009 2:33 am

Origin of the name Levack

Post by Gary Levack »

Thanks Donald, As stated before, I am totally new to this family history on the internet. Is there any websites in particular I should look at to help me gain information. Cheers Gary
Canadian Livingstone
Posts: 2763
Joined: Wed Jul 15, 2009 9:00 pm

Origin of the name Levack

Post by Canadian Livingstone »

HI Gary, I am sorry. I just noticed you live in Wick. I must apologise my wife and I both are enduring bad colds this week and my family history skills are seriously lacking as a result. Anyways it is interesting to hear from a Levack Wickian. I am sorry if I called you a norseman.I suspected that the Levacks might have norse connection with all the norse that resided around there a thousand years ago or more. Not that there is anything wrong with Norsemen. I had a friend whose last name was Renwick who was of Scottish origin and always wondered if he had any Norse ancestry given that I thought his name might be of Norse origin.
Kyle2 MacLea

Origin of the name Levack

Post by Kyle2 MacLea »

Hi gary, We have contacted a Levack 'expert' to come and respond to your query... he's traveling right now but should respond to you when he returns?
Canadian Livingstone
Posts: 2763
Joined: Wed Jul 15, 2009 9:00 pm

Origin of the name Levack

Post by Canadian Livingstone »

Hi Kyle, Interestingly, Levack is also a German name. I dont imagine they are connected to the Scottish Levacks of North East Scotland. regards, Donald
Canadian Livingstone
Posts: 2763
Joined: Wed Jul 15, 2009 9:00 pm

Origin of the name Levack

Post by Canadian Livingstone »

Hi Kyle, I guess if the Levacks arrived in the 1600's that may rule out the possibility that they are of norse origin. Interesting question then becomes where did they come from and why did they settle in a relatively remote area of Scotland. Disquising one's name from Maclea to Levack seems a bit of a stretch. Is it norse? Is it gaelic? Dont know but I am interested in trying to find. I like a good mystery. regards, Donald
Canadian Livingstone
Posts: 2763
Joined: Wed Jul 15, 2009 9:00 pm

Origin of the name Levack

Post by Canadian Livingstone »

Regarding Levacks in Canada, the 1881 Canadian Census identifies the ethnic origin and religion of those censused. In Quebec especially and also in Ontario there were a significant number of Levacks of French origin and Roman Catholic. There were also some Levacks in Ontario recorded as being of Scottish origin and Presbyterian who would have originated from the County Caithness or one of the lowland parishes in Scotland where Levacks were found in the 1800's. Alex I think mentioned that he thought the Levacks originated in Scotland in the 1600's. I wonder if any Levacks in Scotland could have been French Huguenots that arrived in the British Isle as Protestant refugees from France. I have book upstairs on the Huguenots (french Protestants) that were forced out of France by Louis the 14th I think it was. Yesterday I stated there were Levacks in Germany. They were also in France. Anyways I promised not to speculate and there I go speculating. I am probably totally wrong about this and just the spelling is the same. regards, Donald
Canadian Livingstone
Posts: 2763
Joined: Wed Jul 15, 2009 9:00 pm

Origin of the name Levack

Post by Canadian Livingstone »

Hi Gary, You might try familysearch.org. and do search of Levacks in Scotland. I checked the 1851 Census and there were 42 Levacks listed residing in the parish of Wick at Wick, Hamlet Bankhead, Janettown and Louisburg. It also gives specific locations in manhy cases within these villages. The 1851 Census also gives the specific place of birth for each of those Levacks censused which is also helpful. If you have a name of your ancestor that lived in Wick Parish or in Caithness generally before 1900 I may be able to find him and his family. regards, Donald
Locked