Where does “Levy” come from?

Levy comes from English Levi, which derives from Hebrew לֵוִי, a name of uncertain original meaning.

Levy (English): To impose (a tax or fine) to collect monies due, or to confiscate property

Definitions

  1. To impose (a tax or fine) to collect monies due, or to confiscate property

Ancestry of “Levy”, step by step

Levy traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.

via Anglo-Norman leve

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Anglo-Normanleve—
2Old Frenchleveefeminine singular of the past participle of lever
3Old Frenchleverto lift; to get up
4Latinlevōto raise, elevate, lift up
5Latinlēvislight, not heavy
6Proto-Italicleɣʷislight
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁léngʰuslightweight
8Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁lengʷʰ-light

via Czech levý

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Czechlevýleft of direction
2Old Czechlevýleft
3Proto-Slaviclěvъleft
4Proto-Indo-Europeanleh₂-to bark, howl; to be concealed

via English Levi

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishLeviThe third son of Jacob, by his wife Leah
2Hebrewלֵוִי—

Words derived from “Levy”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₁lengʷʰ- →