Levesque

Levesque is a surname of French origin. It is an Anglicized or variant form of Lévesque, which derives from the Old French évêque meaning bishop and ultimately from the Latin episcopus. Historically, the name likely began as an occupational nickname for someone associated with a bishop or as a toponymic reference to a person living near a church or bishop’s seat. The accent and spelling reflect its French roots.

In France and in regions influenced by French settlement, Lévesque is a relatively common surname. It has several spelling variants, including Lévesque, Levesque, Le Veque, LeVeque, and Leveque, with differences arising from language, region, and anglicization. The name spread to North America through French exploration and colonization, and remains especially prevalent in Quebec and among descendants of French settlers.

Notable individuals bearing the name include René Lévesque (1922–1987), a journalist and politician who founded the Parti Québécois and served as the Premier of Quebec from 1976 to 1985. The surname appears across various fields, including politics, academia, and the arts, reflecting its broad French-Canadian and international presence. As with many French surnames, Levesque has a diaspora footprint in the United States and other countries, where descendants have maintained the distinctive lineage and spelling.