Löb Strauß (later known as Levi Strauss) was born in Buttenheim, Bavaria, Germany, to Hirsch Strauss and Rebecca Haas Strauss. He was one of seven children in a Jewish family.

Hirsch Strauss, Levi's father, passed away, impacting the family's circumstances and potentially influencing their decision to seek better opportunities abroad.

Löb and his sisters, Fanny and Maila, immigrated to New York City to join their half-brother, Jonas, who had already established a dry goods business. This move was driven by economic hardship and the promise of a better life in America.

Levi worked with his brothers in their dry goods business in New York. During this period, he likely learned the fundamentals of commerce and wholesale trade, gaining valuable experience that would prove crucial later in his career. He also anglicized his name to Levi Strauss.