Leese History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland

On the western coast of Scotland and on the Hebrides islands the Leese family was born among the ancient Dalriadan clans. Their name comes from a devotion to Christianity. The Gaelic form of the name is M'A'Lios, which is a shortened form of Mac Giolla Iosa, meaning on of the servant of Jesus. 1 Cleish Castle is a 16th-century tower house in Kinross-shire, Scotland, west of the hamlet of Cleish.

Early Origins of the Leese family

The surname Leese was first found in Dumfriesshire where "Mychael M'Cleish or M'CIeisch was tenant of the Brewland cum le stallage' in Dumfriesshire in 1376." 2

"Thomas M'Cleche was a voter in parish of Qwilton (Coylton), 1514, and Michaile M'Cleys, witness in Carrik, 1514. Duncan M'Cleish was servant to Dwgall M'Dugall in Deweldik, 1588, another Duncan M'Cleiche was admitted burgess of Glasgow, 1589, and a third Duncan M'Cleishe, burgess freeman in 1627." 2

Early History of the Leese family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Leese research. Another 149 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1580, 1613, 1638, 1665, 1686, 1745, 1797, 1803, 1806, 1811, 1844, 1870 and 1872 are included under the topic Early Leese History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Leese Spelling Variations

In various documents Leese has been spelled Since medieval scribes still spelled according to sound, records from that era contain an enormous number of spelling variations. MacLeish, MacCleish, MacLise, MacLish, MacGillies, MacGleish, MacGillis, MacLeash and many more.

Early Notables of the Leese family

Notable amongst the Clan from early times was Robert M'Gleish, burgess of Irvine, 1686; and John M'Cleish, burgess, 1745. 2Daniel MacLise (1806-1870), historical painter, was the son of Alexander McLeish, McLish, McClisse, or McLise, a Scottish highlander, once a private soldier in the Elgin fencibles, but at the time of the artist's birth engaged in tanning or shoemaking at Cork, where his regiment had been quartered in 1797. On 24 Dec. in that year Alexander McLish married Rebecca Buchanan, 'daughter of Mrs. Buchanan, Almshouse,' as she is described in the register of the presbyterian (now unitarian) church, Princes Street, Cork, where...
Another 208 words (15 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Leese Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Leese migration to the United States +

Dalriadan families proliferated in North America. Their descendants still populate many communities in the eastern parts of both the United States and Canada. Some settled in Canada as United Empire Loyalists, in the wake of the American War of Independence. Families on both sides of the border have recovered much of their heritage in the 20th century through Clan societies and highland games. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Leese or a variant listed above:

Leese Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Mary Leese, who landed in Maryland in 1637 3
Thomas Leese, who arrived in Maryland in 1679 3
James Leese, who arrived in Maryland in 1679 3

Leese Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Philip Leese, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1765 3

Leese Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

S P Leese, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1851 3
Charles Leese, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1851 3
G P Leese, who landed in Mississippi in 1893 3

Leese Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Neville Leese, aged 30, who settled in America from London, in 1903
Norman Leese, aged 18, who immigrated to the United States from Longton, England, in 1906
Robert Leese, aged 3, who settled in America from Derry, in 1907
James Leese, aged 1, who landed in America from Derry, in 1907
John Leese, aged 6, who immigrated to America from Derry, in 1907
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Leese (post 1700) +

Sir Richard Charles Leese CBE (b. 1951), British politician, Leader of Manchester City Council (1996-)
Arnold Spencer Leese (1878-1956), British fascist politician and veterinarian
Sir Alexander William Leese (1909-1979), 4th Baronet of Send Holme, Surrey, English peer
Sir Oliver William Hargreaves Leese (1894-1978), 3rd Baronet of Send Holme, Surrey, English peer, Commander-in-Chief of the Allied Land Forces in South-East Asia from 1944 to 1945
Sir William Hargreaves Leese (b. 1868), 2nd Baronet of Send Holme, Surrey, English peer
Sir Joseph Francis Leese (1845-1914), 1st Baronet of Send Holme, Surrey, English peer, first class cricketer, lawyer and politician, Liberal Member of Parliament for Accrington from 1892 to 1910
Anna Leese (b. 1981), New Zealand soprano opera singer

Citations +

Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)