Surname Levinas - Meaning and Origin
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Levinas: What does the surname Levinas mean?
The last name Levinas is derived from the patronymic family name Levi, which is a variant of the Hebrew personal name Levi. This name is derived from the Hebrew word levi meaning “attached” or “joined”.
The name Levi is associated with several Biblical figures. The Book of Genesis (29:34) tells of the tribes of Levi and Judah being joined together and Levi being the ancestor of Moses; the book of Numbers (18:7) elevates the tribe of Levi to the priesthood.
In the modern world, the name Levinas is associated with the philosopher Emmanuel Levinas, who was considered the most important Jewish philosopher of the twentieth century. His philosophical thought centred on the ethical implications of discourse and was aimed at understanding the relationship between subjectivity and ethics.
Emmanuel Levinas believed that traditional ethics was too abstract to address the complexity of human existence, leading him to the idea of an ethics of responsibility and consideration for the other person. This idea became the hallmark of Levinas’s ethical thought, in which ethics are not seen as abstract principles but rather as responsibilities to others.
As an extension of this, those who share the last name Levinas are generally seen as being more aware and tolerant of other people’s views, and more capable of engaging in meaningful dialogue and consideration for others.
Order DNA origin analysisLevinas: Where does the name Levinas come from?
The last name Levinas is a surname of Jewish origin. It is most common in Central and Eastern Europe, particularly Russia and Ukraine, where it originated. Historically, members of this family tended to be highly educated and wealthy— Jewish merchants in the Russian Empire.
In the 20th century, Levinas experienced a wide dispersal into other regions. In the USA, the largest population of Levinas can be found in New York City— particularly Brooklyn and Queens— due to the large number of immigrants from Eastern Europe who settled the area, as well as in New Jersey, California, Pennsylvania and Illinois.
In Central Europe, particularly Germany and France, there is a discernible number of the surname Levinas among the Jewish population, and in other parts of the world, the name is found mainly among immigrants and descendants of immigrants from the countries of Central and Eastern Europe.
In the 21st century, Levinas families may be found in North and South America, Europe, Northern Africa, the Middle East, Australia, and many other countries around the globe. Each family's story is unique— having traveled, settled and lived in many cultures often retaining their Jewish traditions.
Variations of the surname Levinas
The surname Levinas is an Ashkenazi Jewish name that originated around the 16th century in Lithuania. The modern transliterations of the name can vary in spelling, as well as its variants and surnames of the same origin. These include Levenstein, Lievenstein, Lewin, Levien, Lavin, Levene, Levina, Levy, Lewinski, Levinsky, Levines and Levinski.
The most common spelling of Levinas is the Germanized version, Lewin. This version of the name is likely to have been adopted due to the rise of Germany as an imperial power during the 19th century. The more traditional spelling, following the Hebrew orthography, is Levy, which is perhaps the most original spelling.
Variations of the name are also notable, as some variants have either been adopted from other languages or further Germanized. Such examples include Levenstein, Lievenstein, Levien and Lavin. As for surnames of the same origin, these include Levina, Levines and Levinski.
While some spellings remain more common than others, the spelling of the surname Levinas is largely dependent on where it is derived from. Overall, its variants and surnames of the same origin span a range of variations, from the original Levy to the more recently adopted Levenstein. Regardless of the particular spelling, the surname is derived from the same Ashkenazi Jewish origin from Lithuania.
Famous people with the name Levinas
- Emmanuel Levinas: renowned 20th century French philosopher
- Charles Levinas: French mathematician
- Miles Levinas: American musician
- Saul Levinas: Ecuadorian basketball player
- Abraham Levinas: 19th century French mathematician
- Raya Levinas: Israeli dancer
- Vivian Levinas: French interior designer
- Ilya Levinas: Russian artist
- Lisa Levinas: American skating champion
- Alberto Levinas: Jewish-Mexican musician