| ![Show Contents]() Legat History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The name Legat is derived from the Middle English and Old French word "legat," and the Latin legatus 1 meaning "ambassador, deputy." 2 "Often a pageantname. In 1377, in the procession for the entertainment of Richard, the young son of the Black Prince, was ‘one stately attired like a pope, whom followed twenty-four cardinals, and after them eight or ten with black visors, not amiable, as if they had been legates from some foreign prince’ " 3 Early Origins of the Legat familyThe surname Legat was first found in Somerset where the Latin entry Hugolinus Legatus was recorded in 1084, two years before the Domesday Book of 1086. However, another source explores this previous entry in more detail. "At the date of the Domesday Survey, Hervey Legatus was a tenant in capite in co. Bucks, and Richard Legatus had the same tenure in co. Gloucester." 1 Peter Legat was recorded in the Pipe Rolls for Cornwall in 1199 and later, Ralph le Legat was listed in the Assize Rolls for Northumberland in 1279. Richard Leget was found in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379. 3 The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 include: Geoffrey le Legat, Devon; Robert Legat, Cambridgeshire; and Thomas Legat, Norfolk. 2 Hugh Legat (fl. 1400), was a Benedictine, a native of Hertfordshire, was not improbably a member of the family which held a manor at Abbots Walden in that county, belonging to the monks of St. Albans. Bale says that Hugh Legat was brought up in the monastery school at St. Albans, displayed a strong love for learning, and went with the abbots leave to pursue his studies at Oxford, where, in the Benedictine hostelry of Gloucester Hall, St. Albans, like other abbeys of its order, had a house for its own scholars. 4 In Scotland, "Adam Legate who rendered to Exchequer the accounts of the bailies of Stirling in 1406 appears again in 1412 as burgess of the town. Walter Leget or Legat of Scotland had safe conducts into England in 1421-1422, and Master John Legat had a safe conduct to pass to Rome in 1448. Thomas Legat of Tayn witnessed a notarial instrument, 1477." 5 Early History of the Legat familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Legat research. Another 131 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1400, 1403, 1406, 1407, 1408, 1412, 1540, 1549, 1574, 1575, 1586, 1588, 1589, 1590, 1591, 1597, 1602, 1604, 1608, 1609, 1611, 1612, 1620, 1635, 1651, 1660, 1668, 1669, 1670, 1671, 1672, 1676, 1685, 1693, 1708, 1710, 1715, 1716, 1730, 1755, 1780, 1797, 1809 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Legat History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Legat Spelling VariationsSpelling variations of this family name include: Legat, Leggat, Leggatt, Leggate, Legatt, Legget, Liggat, Ligget, Liggett and many more. Early Notables of the Legat familyNotable among the family at this time was - Bartholomew Legate (c.1575-1612), an English anti-Trinitarian martyr from Essex
 Migration of the Legat family to Ireland
Some of the Legat family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 59 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
| Legat migration to the United States | + |
Some of the first settlers of this family name were: Legat Settlers in United States in the 17th Century- Ja Legat, who arrived in Virginia in 1635 6
- Gabriel Legat, who arrived in New York in 1640 6
- John Legat, who landed in New England in 1646 6
Legat Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- George Legat, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1876 6
Legat Settlers in United States in the 20th Century- Adele Legat, aged 36, who landed in America, in 1907
- Angela Legat, aged 34, who immigrated to the United States from London, England, in 1908
- Emil Legat, aged 33, who landed in America, in 1921
- Emile Legat, aged 33, who settled in America, in 1922
- Emile Legat, aged 34, who landed in America, in 1922
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
| Contemporary Notables of the name Legat (post 1700) | + |
- Michael Legat (1923-2011), British writer of romance novels
- Arthur Legat (1898-1960), Belgium Formula One racing driver
- Thorsten Legat (b. 1968), former German footballer
- Nicolai Legat (1869-1927), Russian dancer
The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.
Motto: Jesus hominum salvatore
Motto Translation: Jesus. The savior of mankind.
- Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
- Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
- Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
- Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. 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)
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Legat migration to the United States 
Scotland
Ireland
England
