levett was the son of elizabeth and percival levett, a york merchant and innkeeper, and was admitted a freeman of york as a merchant himself. levett was also admitted to the company of merchant adventurers in the city of york, along with his brother percival. there is evidence that the english attempts to colonise north america caught levett's interest even while a york merchant. rev. alexander whitaker, an early anglican minister and english immigrant to the virginia colony made note in his will of 1610 that he owed a debt of some £5 to "christopher levite, a linen draper of the city of york."