The Livingston surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 42,103 people carried this name — #821 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 7,010 people counted. That is up 3% from 40,964 in 2000.

Look up another surname

Share

What the name means

The meaning of the Livingston surname

A common surname with various origins.

Inherited from Middle English [Term?], from Old English [Term?].

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Livingston» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a local name, from where the family lived: ‘of Livingstone’.

His entry covers Livingstone and Livingston.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 490 · public domain.

In Ireland’s birth registers, 1890

Ireland registered 43 births for the Livingston name in 1890.

They were registered in all four provinces, most of all in Ulster. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 1,900 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time. The count includes the spellings Livingstone and Levingston. The Registrar-General’s note on the name: “Armagh, Antrim, and Down.”

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they were born, 1890

Ulster 37
Munster 4
Connacht 1
Leinster 1

Registrar-General for Ireland, «Special Report on Surnames in Ireland» (R. E. Matheson, 1894), births index of 1890 — public domain.

In Argentina’s national register

At least 117 people named Livingston live in Argentina.

RENAPER only publishes a name in a province when more than ten people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in Buenos Aires Province.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they live today

Buenos Aires Province 69
City of Buenos Aires 35
Santa Fe 13

RENAPER (National Registry of Persons, Argentina), surnames of residents by province, December 2021 — CC BY 4.0.

In Scotland’s registers today

Livingston was recorded 31 times in Scotland’s registers of births, marriages and deaths in 2025.

That made it the 793rd most common name in those registers, shared with others on the same count. In 1975, the first year of the series, the count was 46. Each birth counts the child’s surname, each marriage both partners’ and each death the surname of the person who died — a yearly count of registrations, not of the people who live in Scotland.

National Records of Scotland, «Most Common Surnames, 2025» (published 26 May 2026): every surname recorded 10 or more times in the 2025 registers, and the series from 1975 · different spellings are counted separately — © Crown copyright 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

117 families named Livingston, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 661 people lived in those households, 5.6 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 11 other spellings. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

New York 54
South Carolina 16
Pennsylvania 12
Massachusetts 11
North Carolina 8
New Hampshire 4
Maryland 4
Virginia 4
Connecticut 3
Vermont 1

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 250 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Livingston in American newspapers,
1905–1912.

Newspaper page from The Salt Lake Herald carrying the name Livingston
The Salt Lake Herald 1905-01-20
Newspaper page from The Salt Lake Tribune carrying the name Livingston
The Salt Lake Tribune 1912-05-19
Newspaper page from Grant County Herald carrying the name Livingston
Grant County Herald 1911-11-22

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 496,164 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Livingston in Australian newspapers,
1820s–1990s.

33,779 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Livingston. The most, 10,764, date from the 1910s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in South Australia, at 3.1 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

South Australia 12,219
Victoria 11,871
New South Wales 4,631
Queensland 2,654
Tasmania 1,169
Western Australia 959
ACT (Canberra) 168
Northern Territory 17

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Livingston.

Who carried it

People named Livingston,
with a public archive behind them.

  • James Livingston, 1st Earl of Callendar
    James Livingston, 1st Earl of Callendar 1590–1674
  • Katherine Stuart
    Katherine Stuart 1620–1650 · spy
  • Robert Livingston the Elder
    Robert Livingston the Elder 1654–1728 · politician
  • Robert Livingston the Younger
    Robert Livingston the Younger 1663–1725 · politician
  • Sarah Livingston
    Sarah Livingston 1725–1805

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 277 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Livingston,
in the records of 7 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States4,462 records

4,462 records of the Livingston name in the United States
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 1,424
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 1,401
  • Other U.S. records 1,637
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Billy Dale Livingston

    Born 1949; from Alma, Arkansas. U.S. Marine Corps, rifleman; killed in action 1968 in Quang Tri, South Vietnam. Buried at Fort Smith National Cemetery, Arkansas.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Fred H. Livingston

    Born 1923 in Alabama. Enlisted 1943 at Fort McPherson Atlanta, Georgia; aircraft mechanic. U.S. Army Air Forces veteran of World War II; died 1996, buried at Roselawn Cemetery, Decatur, Alabama.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record John Livingston

    Arrived at New York in 1892 aboard the Germanic from Liverpool and Queenstown, aged 29; ship builder. From London, England; bound for New York.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 4,462 records for Livingston in the United States.

Counts: NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · City of Asheville (public domain, PDDL). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia684 records

684 records of the Livingston name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 260
  • Tasmanian Names Index 244
  • Other Australian records 180
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Jane Livingston

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Emma Eugenia, sailing from London in 1850. Native of Manchester, Lancashire. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1851.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Andrew Livingston

    Died 1907 in Sandy Bay, Tasmania. Will registered in Tasmania in 1907.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Charlotte Henrietta Livingston

    Born 1866 in Hobart, Tasmania. Married 1893 in Hobart, Tasmania, aged 26.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 684 records for Livingston in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain).

Canada416 records

416 records of the Livingston name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 339
  • Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 22
  • Other Canadian records 55
  1. A Canadian First World War grave register card for a soldier who died of wounds in 1917
    Example: Canadian war grave register, 1917
    War record Roderick Livingston

    Served in the No. 2 Construction Battalion in the First World War, captain; of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record G'o Livingston

    Came to Ontario in 1873 aboard the Moravian, landing at Quebec, bound for Mitchell, Ontario; German.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  3. The first page of an emigration file from Gündlingen, Baden, 1883
    Example: German emigration file, 1883
    Emigration record Catharine Livingston

    Left New York in 1783 aboard the Clinton, bound for Annapolis and St Johns, aged 50.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.

Showing 3 of 416 records for Livingston in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · Contains information provided by the City of Waterloo under licence. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Emigration file, Gündlingen, 1883, Landesarchiv Baden-Württemberg, Staatsarchiv Freiburg B 694/1 Nr. 1389 (CC BY 4.0).

United Kingdom63 records

63 records of the Livingston name in the United Kingdom
  • Stirling Council burial records 56
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 5
  • Other British records 2
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Jessie Livingston

    Buried in 1964 at Gartmore Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland, aged 84.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Arthur Burton Livingston

    Will proved in 1926; of Swansea.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record W. Livingston

    Royal Fusiliers. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 63 records for Livingston in the United Kingdom.

Counts: Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Netherlands59 records

59 records of the Livingston name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 23
  • Dutch population registers 19
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 17
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Willem Nicolaas Livingston

    Married in 1939 in Voorburg; fitter. Died 1968 in Voorburg, aged 62.

    Open Archives, Haags Gemeentearchief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Agatha Jacoba Livingston

    Married in 1830 in Vianen. Died 1897 in Vianen, aged 93.

    Open Archives, Het Utrechts Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record William Livingston

    Died 1884 in Vlissingen, aged 40; ship's mate.

    Open Archives, Zeeuws Archief (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 59 records for Livingston in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

New Zealand9 records

9 records of the Livingston name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 2
  • Timaru and Mackenzie District cemetery records 2
  • Other New Zealand records 5
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Angus Ewen Livingston

    Died 1954, aged 68; buried at Omaka Cemetery, Marlborough.

    Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Daisy Mary Margaret Livingston

    Died 1983, aged 81; buried at Memorial Park Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 2 of 9 records for Livingston in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Canterbury Maps (Environment Canterbury), Timaru and Mackenzie District Councils (CC BY 3.0 NZ) · Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

France4 records

4 records of the Livingston name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Katharine Denise Livingston

    Born 1912 in the United States; died 2001 in Paris.

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Daniel Stanley William Livingston

    Born 1920 in Allonne (Oise); died 1976 in Cannes (Alpes-Maritimes).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 2 of 4 records for Livingston in France.

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Livingston.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Livingston is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

See the Livingston volume
Scroll to Top