Contents [hide]

Leitch History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Ireland United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Citations

Leitch History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland
Scotland

The origins of the Leitch surname lie with the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name Leitch began when someone in that family worked as a doctor. Throughout the Middle Ages, doctors were known as "leaches" as the practice of bleeding sick people was the generally accepted manner of curing them. There are countless people in the Middle Ages who died thanks to the common cold; not because the virus killed them, but because they bled to death on the advice of their physicians. Bleeding was accomplished by placing a dozen or so leaches on the person who was ill so that they could remove the poisons that were making them ill, hence the name "leach" for the occupation of doctor. It is small wonder that illness was so feared in the medieval period; many people died from illnesses that would not have otherwise killed them because their doctors were weakening them through loss of blood.

Since the 1970s, Hirudo medicinalis, better known as the European medicinal leech has been routinely used to drain blood after reconstructive surgery, particularly in finger reattachment and reconstructive surgery of the ear, nose, lip, and eyelid.

Early Origins of the Leitch family

The surname Leitch was first found in Oxfordshire where the earliest records of the family were found as Edmund le Leche and William le Leche who were both listed in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273. A few years later, Robert le Leche was listed in the Writs of Parliament of 1307. 1

Further north in Scotland, many records were found including: Henry Leche held a tenement in Glasgow in 1325. "Henry Leche, is later referred to in a safe conduct by Edward III of England in 1348 as "Hector medicus David de Bruys." From another reference to him in 1369, he turns out to be a MacBeth, perhaps one of the family of hereditary doctors of that name so famous in West Highland history. Wilham de Lech or Leche was burgess of Aberdeen, 1362. He may be William Leche, merchant of Aberdeen, whose goods were plundered in England, 1370, when his ship was driven ashore in Kirklee Rode, Suffolk." 2 They also settled in Monteith where they gave their name to Leitchtown.

Early History of the Leitch family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Leitch research. Another 431 words (31 lines of text) covering the years 1150, 1363, 1367, 1372, 1386, 1421, 1429, 1440, 1452, 1466, 1484, 1487, 1500, 1511, 1520, 1550, 1580, 1587, 1624, 1638, 1639, 1666, 1767, 1779 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Leitch History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Leitch Spelling Variations

One relatively recent invention that did much to standardize English spelling was the printing press. However, before its invention even the most literate people recorded their names according to sound rather than spelling. The spelling variations under which the name Leitch has appeared include Leach, Leech, Leche, Leitch, Leich, Leetch and others.

Early Notables of the Leitch family

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

Leitch Ranking

In the United States, the name Leitch is the 10,604^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 3

Migration of the Leitch family to Ireland

Some of the Leitch family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 50 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Leitch migration to the United States +

At this time, the shores of the New World beckoned many English families that felt that the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. Thousands left England at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. A great portion of these settlers never survived the journey and even a greater number arrived sick, starving, and without a penny. The survivors, however, were often greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. These English settlers made significant contributions to those colonies that would eventually become the United States and Canada. An examination of early immigration records and passenger ship lists revealed that people bearing the name Leitch arrived in North America very early:

Leitch Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Robert Leitch, who settled in New York in 1774

Leitch Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

John, Samuel and William Leitch, who arrived in Pennsylvania between 1840 and 1860
Alex Leitch, who settled in America, in 1892

Leitch Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Andrey Leitch, aged 53, who immigrated to the United States from Hamilton, in 1903
Alfred Leitch, aged 20, who immigrated to the United States, in 1904
A. Leitch, who landed in America, in 1908
Anne Leitch, aged 36, who immigrated to America, in 1908
Charles Nicol Leitch, aged 64, who immigrated to the United States from Belfast, Ireland, in 1910
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Leitch migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Leitch Settlers in Canada in the 20th Century

Archibald Leitch, aged 65, who settled in St. Thomas, Canada, in 1912
Christine Leitch, aged 40, who immigrated to Montreal, Canada, in 1922

Leitch migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Leitch Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Dugald Leitch, Scottish convict from Stirling, who was transported aboard the "Asia" on September 3rd, 1820, settling in New South Wales, Australia 4
John Leitch, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Constance" in 1848 5
Mary Leitch, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Emily" in 1849 6
Jane Leitch, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Emily" in 1849 6
Jane Leitch, aged 18, who arrived in South Australia in 1849 aboard the ship "Emily" 6
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Leitch migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Leitch Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Miss Fanny Leitch, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Harwood" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 4th November 1858 7
J. Leitch, Scottish settler travelling from Greenock aboard the ship "Robert Henderson" arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 9th February 1858 8
Mr. Peter Leitch, Scottish settler travelling from Greenock aboard the ship "Robert Henderson" arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 9th February 1858, he later married Margart Adam 8
Elizabeth Leitch, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Edwin Fox" in 1875

Contemporary Notables of the name Leitch (post 1700) +

William T. Leitch (1808-1885), American politician, Mayor of Madison, Wisconsin, 1862-65
Gordon Lambert Leitch (1903-1945), American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Illinois, 1940
Ashleigh Leitch, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Minnesota, 2008
David Leitch (1753-1794), Scottish-born founder of Leitch's Station, Kentucky, United States
David Leitch, American actor and stuntman
Christopher John "Chris" Leitch (1953-2023), New Zealand politician, 11th Leader of the Social Credit Party from 2018 until his death in 2023
Patricia Leitch (b. 1933), Scottish writer, best known for her series of children's books
William Leighton Leitch (1804-1883), Scottish landscape watercolour painter and illustrator
Sam Leitch, Scottish-born, British television sports presenter
Bryan Leitch (b. 1984), Canadian professional ice hockey player
... (Another 4 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Leitch family +

Frank Rock Slide

Mr. Alexander Leitch, Canadian resident of Frank, Alberta who was buried in the Frank Rock Slide on 29th April 1903 9
Mrs. Rosemary Leitch, Canadian resident of Frank, Alberta who was buried in the Frank Rock Slide on 29th April 1903 9
Mr. John Leitch, Canadian resident of Frank, Alberta who was buried in the Frank Rock Slide on 29th April 1903 9
Mr. Wilfred Leitch, Canadian resident of Frank, Alberta who was buried in the Frank Rock Slide on 29th April 1903 9
Mr. Allan Leitch, Canadian resident of Frank, Alberta who was buried in the Frank Rock Slide on 29th April 1903 9
... (Another 4 entries are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Halifax Explosion

Master Arthur P. Leitch (1909-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 10

RMS Lusitania

Mrs. M. Leitch, English Matron from England, who worked aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and survived the sinking 11

RMS Titanic

Miss Jessie Wills Leitch, aged 31, English Second Class passenger from London, England who sailed aboard the RMS Titanic and survived the sinking escaping on life boat 11 12

Citations +

Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
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)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Asia 1 voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1820 with 192 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/asia/1820
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) CONSTANCE - 1848. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1848Constance.htm
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) The EMILY 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849Emily.htm
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
Calgary Herald news article retrieved 11th August 2021. Retrieved from https://smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital/calgaryherald/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Calgary_Herald_Thu__Apr_30__1903_-copy-scaled.jpg
Halifax Explosion Book of Remembrance | Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. (Retrieved 2014, June 23) . Retrieved from https://maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca/what-see-do/halifax-explosion/halifax-explosion-book-remembrance
Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 7) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/
Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html