Surname Lahive - Meaning and Origin
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Lahive: What does the surname Lahive mean?
The last name Lahive is of unknown origin and is found primarily in France. It is a name of French-Canadian origin, possibly derived from a personal name. It could also be an Anglicized form of the Irish surname Loughrey.
The surname Lahive is derived from the Old French word laif, which means man or soldier. It has also been suggested that it is a variant of the Norman name LeVe, which is derived from the Old French word lief, meaning gracious.
The surname is found in various forms. For example, in French-Canadian records, it is spelled Lechevalier or Lechevauche. In French records, it is used as Laive and in English as Lavey or Lahive.
The name is associated with numerous meanings related to the French language, but commonly refers to a courteous individual, a brave soldier, or a loyal friend.
A notable bearer of the name was Jean-Baptiste Lahive, an Acadian settler who arrived in Canada in the late 18th century. He is considered to be one of the first settlers of French origin to settle in Canada.
In modern times, the surname Lahive is still used throughout France and Quebec.
Order DNA origin analysisLahive: Where does the name Lahive come from?
The last name Lahive is relatively uncommon, but it is most often found in areas of Britain, Ireland, and France. In the United Kingdom alone, there are about 1,307 people with the last name. The name is slowly becoming more popular, especially in the Northwest region of Ireland, as shown by the voters database in 2019.
The Lahive lineage is traced back to Gaelic origins and spread to counties such as Cork, Clare, and Galway in the 13th century. More recently, survivors of the Irish potato famine, as well as Irish soldiers who served in the British forces, are said to have taken the name with them as they emigrated to other countries.
The most common variants of the name are Lahive, Lahiffe, Laffe, Losty, Laffey, and Leavy. The vast majority of people with the name live in Ireland, with another large population living in Scotland.
Within the United States, the Lahive name is also becoming more popular as immigrants from Britain and Ireland have established themselves in the country. Simply put, the Lahive surname is most commonly found throughout the British Isles and Irish diaspora.
Variations of the surname Lahive
The surnames Lahive and Lahivee have a common origin, with the former spelling being more commonly encountered. Lahive is an Anglophone variant of the Irish surname Ó Laifeadh. Apart from Lahive and Lahivee, alternative identical or similar-sounding variations include Lave, Laive, Laiv, Laivs, Lavee, and Laivy.
The place-name Laive island in County Mayo, Ireland, is probably the source of the surname and suggests that the initial bearers of Lahive were the descendants of the people of the island. The Irish Gaelic Ó Laifeadh roughly translates to ‘descendant of Laifeadh’, which appears to derive from the Gaelic words “leath” which is meaning "half" and "faobhar" which means "spring or source”.
In some cases, the surname Lahive has morphed into other spellings over the years, depending on where the families settled. In some instances, the variant spelling Slevin was adopted by Ulster-Scots, with an equivalent Irish form of Ó Sleibhín. If surnames were Anglicised in North America, variants such as Laverty, Laverty and Lavorty may have emerged.
The variant spellings of Lahive and Ó Laifeadh suggest that Lahive was borne by multiple families spread across several countries and, generally speaking, is part of the wider Irish-Gaelic diaspora.
Famous people with the name Lahive
- Deanna Lahive: Deanna is an Australian born actress and model, who has been featured in films and TV shows such as National Lampoon's Vacation and Entourage.
- Julie Lahive: An award-winning Irish stage and television actress, Julie has appeared in many series such as Game of Throne and House of Cards.
- Frank Lahive: An American politician who was a delegate to the Republican National Convention from Michigan in 2016.
- Bill Lahive: An entrepreneur and investor. Bill was the former Managing Partner and founder of Lahive Ventures, LLC and has made major investments in technology startups.
- Fran Lahive: A professional illustrator and comic book artist best known for her work on the Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, and Justice League comics.
- Joseph Lahive: Joseph is a professional motorcycle racer who races in the Superbike series.
- Perry Lahive: Perry is a theatre actor and director who has acted in numerous plays in the past.
- Peter Lahive: A former permanent representative to the United Nations from Dominica, he served as the island's top diplomat from 2004-2010.
- Louis Lahive: A retired scientist and professor at The University of Rochester, Louis specialized in atmospheric science and oceanic engineering.
- Carole Lahive: An author and entrepreneur, Carole wrote the award-winning novel “Blue Belt” which talks about the journey of a Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner. She was the founder of “The Road No Less Traveled”, a movement which encourages people to make brave choices in life.