Show ContentsLegare History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The majestic country of France is the ancestral homeland of the distinguished surname Legare.The earliest forms of hereditary surnames in France were the patronymic surnames, which are derived from the father's given name, and metronymic surnames, which are derived from the mother's given name. The patronyms were derived from a variety of given names that were of many different origins. As well as the names of the saints of the Christian Church, many of the most common French surnames are derived from personal names of Germanic origin. They derive from the language of the Visigoths, who controlled France between the mid-5th and early 8th centuries. The name Legare is derived from the Old German personal name Leodegar, meaning people-spear, although it derives its popularity from the saint who bore the name.

Early Origins of the Legare family

The surname Legare was first found in Burgundy (French: Bourgogne), an administrative and historical region of east-central France, where the family has held a family seat since early times.

"Sir Robert Sent Legere, Knt., the companion-in-arms of [William the] Conqueror, was, according to a tradition in the family, the person who supported that prince with his arm when be quitted the ship to land in Sussex [England]. This Sir Robert, having overcome a pagan Dane who inhabited the manor of Olcomb, in Kent, fixed his abode there; and in that place his posterity flourished for many generations." 1

Early History of the Legare family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Legare research. Another 129 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1398, 1546, 1593, 1638 and 1647 are included under the topic Early Legare History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Legare Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Saint-Léger, Saint-Ligier, Saint-Légers, Saint-Ligiers, Saint-Légere, Saint-Ligiays, Saint-Légay, Saint-Légais, Saint-Légait, de Saint-Léger, du Saint-Léger, de Saint-Ligier, du Saint-Ligier and many more.

Early Notables of the Legare family

More information is included under the topic Early Legare Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Legare Ranking

In Canada, the name Legare is the 895th most popular surname with an estimated 5,996 people with that name. 2 However, in Quebec, Canada, the name Legare is ranked the 307th most popular surname. 3


United States Legare migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Legare Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Solomon Legare, who landed in Charleston, South Carolina in 1686 4
Legare Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • John Legare, who arrived in South Carolina in 1739 4
Legare Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • John B LeGare, who landed in Charleston, South Carolina in 1823 4
  • Mrs. Hugh Legare, aged 20, originally from London, arrived in New York in 1893 aboard the ship "Majestic (1890)" from Liverpool & Queenstown 5
  • Hugh Legare, aged 25, originally from London, arrived in New York in 1893 aboard the ship "Majestic (1890)" from Liverpool & Queenstown 5
Legare Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Manuel Le Gare, aged 29, arrived in New York City, New York in 1919 aboard the ship "Adriatic" from Liverpool, England 5
  • Simon Legare, aged 28, arrived in New York in 1919 from Barbados, British West Indies 5
  • John Legare, aged 26, arrived in New York in 1921 aboard the ship "West Grove" from Manchester, England 5

Canada Legare migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Legare Settlers in Canada in the 17th Century
  • Nicolas Legare, son of Gilles and Marguerite, who married Anne Dupré, daughter of Antoine and Marie, in Quebec on 10th January 1690 6
Legare Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Jean Legare, son of Nicolas and Anne, who married Angélique Cloutier, daughter of Jean and Louise, in Château-Richer, Quebec on 4th November 1721 6
  • Nicolas Legare, son of Nicolas and Anne, who married Marguerite Baudoin, daughter of Guillaume and Marie-Anne, in Repentigny, Quebec on 24th April 1724 6
  • Joseph Legare, son of Nicolas and Anne, who married Marie-Suzane Desry, daughter of Maurice and Madeleine, in Château-Richer, Quebec on 15th July 1726 6
  • Pierre Legare, son of Nicolas and Anne, who married Marie-Anne Charlan, daughter of Joseph and Anne, in Château-Richer, Quebec on 27th June 1729 6

Contemporary Notables of the name Legare (post 1700) +

  • Hugh S. Legaré (1797-1843), American lawyer and politician, 16th United States Attorney General (1841-1843), Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from South Carolina (1837-1839), 1st United States Chargé d'Affaires to Belgium (1832-1836), eponym of the USCGC Legare (WSC-144) and the USCGC Legare (WMEC-912)
  • George Swinton Legaré (1869-1913), American politician, Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from South Carolina (1903-1913)
  • James Matthews Legaré (1823-1859), American poet
  • Pierre Légaré (1949-2021), Canadian humorist, born in Sherbrooke, Quebec
  • Simon Legare (b. 1989), Canadian CIS football offensive lineman
  • Jean-Louis Légaré (1841-1918), French-Canadian trader, one of the founding members of Willow Bunch, Saskatchewan, close friend of Sitting Bull
  • Ovila Légaré (1901-1978), French-Canadian actor and singer
  • Étienne Légaré (b. 1984), Canadian CFL football defensive tackle, awarded the J. P. Metras Trophy (2008)
  • Joseph Légaré (1795-1855), Canadian painter and glazier, artist, seigneur and politician in Lower Canada
  • Gérard Légaré (1908-1997), Canadian Liberal party member of the House of Commons (1953-1958)
  • ... (Another 1 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)


  1. Burke, John Bernard, The Roll of Battle Abbey. London: Edward Churton, 26, Holles Street, 1848, Print.
  2. "Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
  3. "The first 1,000 family names by rank, Quebec (in French only)" Institut de la statistique du Quebec, https://statistique.quebec.ca/en/document/family-names-in-quebec/tableau/the-first-1000-family-names-by-rank-quebec
  4. 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)
  5. Ellis Island Search retrieved 15th November 2022. Retrieved from https://heritage.statueofliberty.org/passenger-result
  6. Internoscia, Arthur E., and Claire Chevrier. Dictionnaire National des Canadiens Français 1608-1760. Vol. 2, Institut Drouin, 1958.


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