Surname Lefcourt - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'L'
Lefcourt: What does the surname Lefcourt mean?
The last name Lefcourt is a French-origin name, and it is derived from the word ‘lef’, which means ‘half.’ The name is seen in variants such as Lefcoe, Lefko, Lefkowitz, and others. The exact origin of the name is unknown, but it is thought to have originated in the region of Normandy.
Lefcourt could have originally been a nickname for a person who was ‘halved’ or short, as it may have referred to physical size or abilities. It may also have been a moniker for a musician or singer with a half-tone range.
The surname Lefcourt is quite uncommon in many parts of the world, however, it is particularly common in the French-speaking regions of North America, such as Quebec and Louisiana. It is possible that the surname was taken from either the region of origin or another region that the ancestors of the family or individual could have come from.
Today, the surname Lefcourt is most commonly used as an anglicized spelling of the French surname. It is a relatively rare surname in the United States, with only a few hundred individuals using the name on record. It is found, however, in small numbers in other English-speaking countries, such as the UK and Canada.
Order DNA origin analysisLefcourt: Where does the name Lefcourt come from?
The last name Lefcourt is found predominantly in the United States, with origins in France. It is thought to have originated in Middle High German and is a common German-Jewish surname, likely used by many Jewish families coming to the United States during the 19th and 20th centuries.
Today, there are more than 500 individuals carrying the last name Lefcourt in the United States, according to the 2020 United States Census Bureau. The most concentrated populations of the Lefcourt surname is found in New York, California, and New Jersey. Additionally, according to the 2018 US Census American Community Survey, North Carolina, Texas, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Michigan also have well-above average populations carrying the last name.
Significant figures with the last name Lefcourt include Arlyn Lefcourt, a noted American abstract expressionist painter, and Gerald Lefcourt, an American lawyer and former president of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. In addition, Jacob Lefcourt is a noted American real estate developer and Tony Lefcourt is a well-known New York City restaurateur.
The Lefcourt name is also found in different forms in other parts of the world, including the countries of Canada, Colombia, and Peru. The largest population growth for the surname Lefcourt appears to be occurring in the United States.
Variations of the surname Lefcourt
The surname Lefcourt has many variants, spellings and related surnames. Variants of this name can include Lefkowitz, Lefkovitz, Lefcoven, Lefcovitch, Lefkowitz, Lefkovitz, Lefkow, Lefkov, Lafkovitch, Lafkov, Lefkowicz, Lefcoat and Leffcourt. These variants may originate from the same family, or may have evolved over time in different geographical regions as families moved and anglicized their names.
It is also possible that some of the variants have separate origins. For example, the English equivalents of Lefcourt are Le Chateau, Lefcourt, Le Court, Lefcounte, lefkau, Lafco, Lefco, Lefkowitz, Lefcoven, and Lefkowitz. These appear to have evolved from a Norman personal name, “Le Chateau”, meaning “the castle”.
There are also some Hebrew variants of Lefkowitz: Lefco, Lefkovitch, Lefkov, Lefkow, and Lefkovitz. These can be derived from the Hebrew words “lef” meaning “heart” and “kot” meaning “end”, implying a “shield or protection of the heart”.
In the British Isles, Lefcourt was anglicized to Lefcourt, hence the English surnames Leifeurt, Lefco, Lefcourt, Lefcount, Lefkau, Leffcourt, and Leffend.
In the United States, many variants of Lefcourt and Lefkowitz have died out, replaced by the more common version, Lefkowitz.
As a result of these many different spellings and variants, families with the same surname can often have widely varying genealogical origins. Researching one's family history can reveal a wealth of information on the origin of the surname and lead to the discovery of family branches with different surnames.
Famous people with the name Lefcourt
- Edmund Lefcourt: Entrepreneur, investor, and Member of the Valley Leadership Hall of Fame.
- Norman Lefcourt: American class action lawyer and founder of the National Consumer Lawyers Association.
- Ruth Lefcourt: American public health researcher and professor emeritus from the University of California, San Francisco.
- Harvey Lefcourt: attorney and long-time former head of the legal division of Procter & Gamble.
- Isaac Lefcourt: Israeli celebrity chef and hotelier.
- Charles Lefcourt: award-winning American novelist and writer.
- Morris Lefcourt: award-winning American playwright and screenwriter.
- Jaimie Lefcourt: Canadian-born actor and comedian.
- Ira Lefcourt: former American Major League Baseball player.
- Bill Lefcourt: American comedy writer and producer.