We hope to establish genetic relationships among men having the surname Lavengood, Leavengood, Leibenguth, Leibundgut, Leibundguth, Levegood, Levengood, Levergood, Libengood, Liebenguth, Livengood,Livergood, Livingood, Lovenguth, Lovinggood, Lovingood (and all similar variations) and also with those who show a genetic relationship where misattributed parentage may be involved. Please get yDNA tested (Big-Y) and join our Leibundguth-Levergood-Livingood-Lovinggood group! (How to get yDNA tested? How to join our group?)

To the best of our current knowledge, the genealogical paper trail of all families that have carried the name Levengood (and variations) and whose pedigree has been researched back to Europe leads back to either northeastern France (Alsace); southwestern Germany; and/or an area in and around Melchnau, Canton Bern, Switzerland. Since many families with that surname are known to have emigrated from Switzerland and then settled in northeastern France or southwestern Germany, it is quite possible  that all families with that surname originated in the Melchnau area in Switzerland.

Based on the Familiennamenbuch der Schweiz = Répertoire des noms de famille suisses = Repertorio dei nomi di famiglia svizzeri and other sources, the earliest places that Leibundgut families in Switzerland lived include:

• Canton Aargau: Brittnau
• Canton Bern: Aarwangen, Affoltern im Emmental, Melchnau, Obersteckholz, Rüegsau, Schoren, Wyssachen
• Canton Solothurn: Schnottwil

Alsace was devastated as a result of the Thirty Years War (1618-1648). In order to repopulate the area, immigration from Switzerland was encouraged. The Schweizer Bauernkrieg (Peasants' Rebellion) of 1653, during which Damian Leibundgut was hanged on 13/23 June 1653, also may have motivated emigration of Leibundguts and others from Switzerland.

During the 18th century, there were at least 6 migrations of Leibundgut families from Europe to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, summarized below. There were also subsequent migrations.

1. 28 Sept 1733, Brigantine Richard and Elizabeth, from Rotterdam and Plymouth, Capt. Christopher Clymer
• Hance Jacob Liebegood, 39
• Margaretha Liebegood, 40
• Johan Jacob Liebegood, 10
• Anna Gretha Liebegood, 10
• Anna Catherina Liebegood, 3 1/2
2. 11 Oct 1733, Charming Betty, from London, Capt. John Ball
• Ulrich Leebegoot, 45
• Susana Leebegoot, 36
• Johan Pieter Leebegood, 16
• Adam Leebegoot, 13
• Jacob Leebegoot, 10
• Anna Leebegoot, 5
• Maria Leebegoot, 5
3. 26 Sept 1737, Ship St. Andrew Galley, from Rotterdam and Cowes, John Stedman
• Philip Leibengut
4. 13 Aug 1750 (qualified), Ship Bennett Galley, from Rotterdam and Portsmouth, England, John Wadham, Master
• Hartman (X) Leibengut
5. 28 Aug 1750 (qualified), Ship Phoenix, from Rotterdam and Cowes, Capt. John Mason
• Hans Jacob Liebengut
• Hans Jacob Liebengutt, Jun.
• Beder Liebengut
6. 20 Oct 1754, Ship Halifax, from Rotterdam and Plymouth, Thomas Coatam, Master
• Hans Fight Livigood

Source: Strassburger, Ralph Beaver, and William John Hinke. Pennsylvania German Pioneers: A Publication of the Original Lists of Arrivals in the Port of Philadelphia from 1727 to 1808. Norristown, Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania German Society, 1934. Available fromInternet Archive: Vol. 1, Vol. 2, Vol. 3.

Important resources for the entire clan. For each of the 6 families, selected trees and publications are also listed. Claims may or may not have been proven.

• Bosevich, Sue. "Leibenguth Livengood Surname Resource Center." (Via Wayback Machine. No longer available live on the web.)
• Brucer, Pat, and John Marshall Brucer. The Levengood Story. Tucson, Arizona, 2002, Part 3: Earliest no-kin immigrants.
• Burgert, Annette Kunselman. Eighteenth Century Emigrants from the Northern Alsace to America. Publications of the Pennsylvania German Society, v. 26. Camden, Maine: Picton Press, 1992, pp. 51, 132, 214, 338-343, 449.
• Eisenbeis, Henri. "Eisenbeiß Family History and Genealogy."
• Lerber, Theodore von. Leibundgut Familie im Kanton Bern: Nachforschungen in den Kirchenbüchern von Aarwangen, Affoltern i/E, Langenthal, Eriswil, Melchnau, Lotzwil, Rüegsau, usw. Washington, D.C.: Charles A. Levengood, 1952.
• Levegood, Lynne L. Genealogy of the Levegood, Levergood, Levengood, Livergood, Livengood, Livingood Family: "Americans for over Two Centuries". Floral Park, New York: privately printed, 1935.

1. 28 Sept 1733, Brigantine Richard and Elizabeth, from Rotterdam and Plymouth, Capt. Christopher Clymer
• Hans Jacob Liebenguth, FamilySearch Family Tree.
• Hans Jacob Liebenguth (Loewenguth), Geni.
• Johan Jacob Lowengut (abt. 1723), WikiTree.
• Burgert, Annette Kunselman. Eighteenth Century Emigrants from the Northern Alsace to America. Publications of the Pennsylvania German Society, v. 26. Camden, Maine: Picton Press, 1992, pp. 338-340.
• These materials relate more closely to the possible descendants in western Berks County, Pa.
• Breininger, Lester P., Jr. "The Doctors Livingood of Womelsdorf." Die Shilgrut fun der Tulpehock 4, no. 1 (November 1973): 2-24. Available from Tulpehocken Settlement Historical Society.
• Montgomery, Morton L. The Historical and Biographical Annals of Berks County, Pennsylvania. 2 vols. Chicago: J. H. Beers & Company, 1909.
2. 11 Oct 1733, Charming Betty, from London, Capt. John Ball
• Ulrich LIEBENGUT (LYBUNDGUT)*, NEIMAN Family Tree, Donald J. Martin, Ancestry.com ($)
• Ulrich Liebengut, FamilySearch Family Tree.
• Ulrich Liebengut (Liebenguth), Geni.
• Ulrich Leibenguth (1688 - 1745), WikiTree.
• Bright, Richard K. Eastern Berks County Levengoods. Reading, Pennsylvania, 1986.
• Gerrish, Meg Livergood. "Descendents of Peter Livergood, 1755, Pennsylvania." 2000.
• Lovingood, Judson A. "Herman Liebengut: Another Child of Ulrich Liebengut." The Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine 37, no. 2 (1991): 171-175.
• Martin, Donald J., Jr. "Ulrich Liebengut." The Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine 29, no. 4 (1976): 253-255. Also published as Martin, Donald J., Jr. "Ulrich Liebengut." In Genealogies of Pennsylvania Families from the Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine, Vol. II, 194-196. Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing, 1982. See also "Additions and Corrections." The Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine 30, no. 1 (1977): 54.
• McDonald, Ethyl Livergood. Descendants of Henry Livergood and Salome Ruby-Livergood. Eagle Grove, Iowa, 1938.
3. 26 Sept 1737, Ship St. Andrew Galley, from Rotterdam and Cowes, John Stedman
• Leibenguth, Richard J. "Philip Leibenguth." (ancestry.com $)
• Johann Phillip Leibenguth, FamilySearch Family Tree.
• Johann Philip (Liebengut) Livengood, Geni.
• Johann Phillip Leibenguth (1689 - 1761), WikiTree.
• Musselman, Richard A. The Descendants of Philip Leibenguth of Northampton/Lehigh County, Pa. Nazareth, Pennsylvania, 1999. Compiled for Richard J. Leibenguth.
4. 13 Aug 1750 (qualified), Ship Bennett Galley, from Rotterdam and Portsmouth, England, John Wadham, Master
• Livengood, Dottie. "Livengood Family File." 2019.
• Hardtmann Leibenguth Sr., FamilySearch Family Tree.
• Hardtman Leibengut Liebengut, Sr. and Hardtman Leibengut, Geni.
• Hardtman Leibengut Sr (1727 - 1806), WikiTree.
• Livengood, Kenneth. Livengood Genealogy. Bradleyville, Iowa.
• Livengood, Kenneth E. A Genealogy of the Thomas Livengood Family. 1971?, pp. 7-9.
• Heavrin, Kay. Hartman Leibengut/Livengood Sr - 1727: Ancestors & Descendants. East Peoria, Illinois, 2006.
5. 28 Aug 1750 (qualified), Ship Phoenix, from Rotterdam and Cowes, Capt. John Mason
• Johann Jacob Liebenguth Jr., FamilySearch Family Tree.
• Hans Jacob Liebengut, Sr., Geni.
• Hans Jacob Liebengut (abt. 1700 - 1754), WikiTree.
• Brucer, Pat, and John Marshall Brucer. The Levengood Story. Tucson, Arizona, 2002.
• Buchanan, Candice, Sheree Budge, and Elizabeth Schreiber-Byers. "Navigating Unexpected Genealogical Finds: National Book Festival 2021." See also Budge, Sheree (author), Cheryl Adams (author), and Candice Buchanan (ed.) Family Secrets: Emotional Fallout from Genealogical Research, 2021.
• Emery, Margaret. Livingood Family History. Centerville, Utah, 1992.
6. 20 Oct 1754, Ship Halifax, from Rotterdam and Plymouth, Thomas Coatam, Master
• Johannes Veit Liebenguth Sr., Levergood Tree (Ancestry.com $)
• Johannes (John) Veit Leavengood, Don Leavengood Tree Info, donleavengood, (Ancestry.com $)
• Johannes Veit Liebenguth, FamilySearch Family Tree
• Johannes Veit Liebenguth (1718), WikiTree.
• Boggs, Richard L. Kleckner and Levengood Ancestors of Carrie (Kleckner) Schroeder, 1876-1933. Naperville, Illinois, December 2010, revised June 2011.
• Leavengood, Benjamin C., and Michelle Walsh. "Genealogy of the Leavengood Family in America. (Biography: Jacob Levengood)."
• Levengood, A.J. "Levengood Family History." In Levengood-Hoyt Families of Jackson County, Michigan, compiled by Walter W. Levengood. Jackson, Michigan.
• Levengood, Cullen W. Shaking the Family Tree: A Historical and Biographical Sketch of the Levengood, Livingood, Livengood, Levegood, Levergood, Livergood Families. Clarendon Hills, Illinois, 1949.

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