Lefevre
A French occupational surname meaning “the smith.”
The #6,245 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 56,423 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Lefevre comes from Old French le fevre, literally “the smith,” with le meaning “the” and fevre/fèvre coming from Latin faber, “craftsman,” especially “smith” or “carpenter.” It is one of several French surname forms built from that same root, alongside variants such as Lefebvre, Lefebure, Fevre, Fabre, and Faure. In older English-language works, the name is often explained simply as the French equivalent of Smith.
History
The surname is widely documented in France and appears in English records through French influence and migration. Older surname dictionaries note several spellings and regional forms, with Lefebvre often treated as a fuller or more traditional spelling and Lefevre as a simplified variant. In English-speaking countries it has remained relatively uncommon but is familiar through French heritage and French-American families.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The same Latin root, faber, also lies behind several other French surnames for craftsmen, which is why this name is basically the French cousin of Smith.
From the historical record
“LEFEVRE (Fr.) The Smith [Fr. le, the + f^re (cp. Fr. or/ivre, goldsmith), Lat faber, smith, carpenter] LEGRAND I (Fr.) The Big or Tall [Ft. le, LE GRAND J the + grand, L?it.grand-is,-great, tall] LEGROS 1 (Fr.) The Big or StOut [Fr. le,”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)