Surname Lefeber - Meaning and Origin

Lefeber: What does the surname Lefeber mean?

The last name Lefeber is an occupational name deriving from the Dutch word "lef" meaning “brave” and "beer", meaning “bear”. Thus, the name Lefeber literally translates as “the brave bear” or “Fierce Bear”.

The surname Lefeber is most likely a patronymic name that was created to denote a person who was brave like a bear, depicting physical strength and courage in the face of danger. It is believed that during the Middle Ages in the Netherlands, most Lefeber families lived in rural areas where fierceness became necessary for survival. By taking the name Lefeber, early members of this family were able to express their most admirable character traits and honor their ancestors at the same time.

Today, the Lefeber family has a strong presence in the Netherlands. Spelling variants of this surname include Lefevere, Leefebre, and Lefevere. In the United States, people with the last name Lefeber are most commonly found in Pennsylvania, New York, and Michigan.

For many members of the Lefeber family today, the last name is a badge of honor. Passengers on the ship Prince of Orange, which sailed from Amsterdam in 1741 and landed in New York, included two Lefevers and one Leefebre. These courageous souls demonstrated the same strength and bravery of a bear, setting an example for the generations of Lefebers that followed.

Lefeber: Where does the name Lefeber come from?

The last name Lefeber is most common in the Netherlands today. It was first documented in 1334 in the town of Leiden, in the modern Dutch province of South Holland. From there, it spread to other regions of the Netherlands over time.

The most recent census of 2018 reported more than 1,000 Dutch people with the Lefeber last name. This number makes it one of the seventy-five most commonly used Dutch surnames.

Although the prevalence of the name reduces outside the Netherlands, there are still some pockets of populations with the last name Lefeber. For example, the 1990 census in Belgium showed a slightly higher number than the Dutch, with over 1,200 people bearing the name. Additionally, many countries with a strong Dutch-speaking heritage contain some individuals with the Lefeber surname, such as South Africa and Suriname.

In the United States, the most recent census of 2000 reported fewer than 700 people with the Lefeber surname living in the states. Most of these people are likely of Dutch heritage and their presence in these states indicates a long history of immigration of Dutch people to the USA.

Overall, the last name Lefeber is mostly seen in the Netherlands today, followed by smaller populations in countries with a close Dutch-speaking heritage.

Variations of the surname Lefeber

The surname Lefeber has multiple variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. Common variants of the name include Lefevere, Le Feber, Le Fever, Lefever, Lefevers, and Lefebure.

The German equivalent of the surname is ‘Lefebur’, which is very similar to the original surname, just with an ‘r’ added. The Dutch equivalent of the name is ‘Lefeber/Lefevere’ and ‘Lefer/Lefevers’: the spelling and pronunciation of both being very similar to the original name.

In France, the name is spelled ‘Labourse’ which is still a variant of the original surname Bourse meaning ‘purse’ and also implies money. This may have developed from the import/export trade of luxury goods that was once very popular in certain regions of Europe.

In Ireland, the name is spelled ‘Liffey’. This name is often associated with the Liffey river in Dublin and is a fitting variant as the river is the site of a trading center, another nod to how the name Lefeber may have developed from the import/export industry.

Lastly, the name is spelled ‘Livy’ in Scotland, again a variant of the original name and often associated with the city of Edinburgh. While there is no insight on why the name may have developed to Livy, it could be a variation of how the name was originally pronounced.

In conclusion, while the surname Lefeber has many different variants, all have similar roots and show how the surname may have developed over the centuries.

Famous people with the name Lefeber

• John Lefeber: American artist, known for his unique landscape and portrait paintings
• Mitchell Lefeber: American professional soccer player
• Cliff Lefeber: American former Major League Baseball player
• Aaron Lefeber: Dutch professional footballer
• Nicolas Lefeber: Belgian professional racing cyclist
• Marinus Lefeber: Dutch professional swimmer
• Rik Lefeber: Belgian sprinter
• Xavier Lefeber: Dutch professional footballer
• Chris Lefeber: American football coach
• Allen Lefeber: American former college baseball player
• Marcel Lefeber: Dutch professional ten-pin bowler
• Klaas Lefeber: Dutch sculptor
• Robert Lefeber: Dutch professional badminton player
• Jeroen Lefeber: Dutch professional martial artist
• Dave Lefeber: American guitarist, songwriter, producer
• Ties Lefeber: Dutch professional rally driver
• Nikki Lefeber: Dutch professional ice hockey player
• Tony Lefeber: American former National Football League player
• Robert A. Lefeber: American former United States Attorney
• Barry Lefeber: Belgian football manager and former player

Other surnames

LefebreLefebvre