 Having a last name of Levi or a related term does not necessarily mean a person is a Levite, and many well-known Levites do not have such last names.Levitical status is passed down in families from father to child born from a Jewish mother, as part of a family's genealogical tradition.Tribal status of Levite is determined by patrilineal descent, so a child whose biological father is a Levite (in cases of adoption or artificial insemination, status is determined by the genetic father), is also considered a Levite.