The Levis family took its name from the Land of Levis or Levies near Chevreuse France as
printed in ancient titles. There is no more affiliation with Levi or Levy than there is
with Lewis. In the French Archives see Book IV "History Of The High Ranking Officers Of
The Crown". The family founded the Abbe of Notre Dame De La Roche, a St. Augustine Order
near Levis. It was this founding along with
property left to the Order by the Lords of Levis, and their family vaults and monuments
that mark the beginning of the family name.
The Levis genealogy starts with Phillipe of
Levis, Knight, who may be the same person mentioned in an endowment by Guy of Chevreuse
to the Abbe of St. Dennis in 1179. He died in 1203. His wife, Elizabeth, made a donation to the Abbe of La Roche in the presence of Pierre, Bishop of Paris in the year 1210. Guy of Levis, 2'd son of Phillipe
was the source of all the branches of the family that were to follow. He took part in a crusade against the Albigenses with his neighbor Simon, Count of Montfort, and for his contribution was made Army Marshal, a title transmitted to his successors: Lords of Mirepoix, "Marshal Of The Faith".The Levis
family played an active role in France's civic, military and church history right up
until the Revolution. In 1625, the French Crown named a Levis, the Duke of Ventadore, Viceroy of Canada. He was instrumental in bringing the Jesuits to Canada, and it was for him that the territory of Levis, Quebec
was named. General Francois-Gaston, Duke of Levis, named after his distant cousin, was born in 1720. He was Montcalm's second in command and it was for his service the City of Levis,Quebec was named.
In 1558, a Huguenot named Levis settled in Leicestershire, England. It was from this line that Samuel Levis(Quaker)followed William Penn to his new colony in America. It
was also from this line, that the Levis name
was introduced to Dublin and West Cork, Ireland. I am indebted to Mrs. L.T.Solleder
of Beaumont, Texas who's G.G.Grandfather was
Joseph Levis of Quebec. She began tracing the family in 1965 and went to considerable expense to have records on the family translated from the French Archives.