Show ContentsLeather History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Leather Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Etymology of Leather

What does the name Leather mean?

Leather was first used as a surname by the descendents of the Boernician clans of Scotland. The Leather family lived in Berwickshire, where they took their name from the lands of Lauder, first granted to them by King Malcolm Ceanmore about 1057 AD. "This place, of which the name, in the Celtic language, is descriptive of its situation in the valley of the Leader [River], was granted in the early part of the 12th century, by David I." 1

Another source claims the name was from Lauder (Lowther) meaning famous warrior. 2

Early Origins of the Leather family

The surname Leather was first found in Berwickshire an ancient county of Scotland, presently part of the Scottish Borders Council Area, located in the eastern part of the Borders Region of Scotland, where Robert Lauder was the first Chief of the Clan. His successor Sir Robert de Lauedre, witnessed a charter by John de Mautelent to the Abbey of Dryburgh at an undetermined date some time in the early to mid 13th century. "Bass Isle in the parish of North Berwick, county of Haddington was an ancient possession of the family of Lawder, and was purchased, in 1671, by Charles II." 1

Early record show: "Robert de Lavedre is said to have obtained lands in Berwickshire from Malcolm Canmore. Sir Robert de Lauedre witnessed a charter by John de Mautelent to the Abbey of Dryburgh (Dryburgh), and William de Lawedre appears as sheriff of Perthshire in reign of Alexander III. As early as 1297 the Lauders were possessors of the Bass Rock in the Firth of Forth. Robert de Lauueder, who had a charter of the lands of Colden in barony of Dalkeith, 1316, may be Robert de Loweder, justiciar of Lothian, 1327-1331. Another Robert de Lawdre was one of the borowis for the earl of Douglas's bounds on the Middle March, 1398." 3

Early History of the Leather family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Leather research. Another 174 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1239, 1315, 1333, 1388, 1413, 1420, 1425, 1426, 1445, 1451, 1465, 1477, 1478, 1480, 1498, 1550, 1595, 1646, 1669, 1692, 1698, 1699, 1701, 1702, 1714, 1722, 1728, 1730 and 1771 are included under the topic Early Leather History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Leather Spelling Variations

Scribes in the Middle Ages simply spelled according to sound. The result is an enormous number of spelling variations among names that evolved in that era. Leather has been spelled Lauder, Laudor, Lawder, Lawther, Leather, Lauther and others.

Early Notables of the Leather family

Sir John Lauder, 1st Baronet, of Newington and Fountainhall (1595-1692), Scottish baillie and Treasurer of the City of Edinburgh; Sir John Lauder of Fountainhall, 2nd Baronet, Lord Fountainhall (1646-1722), one of Scotland's leading jurists; Sir John Lauder of Fountainhall, 3rd Baronet (1669-1728), Scottish burgess of Aberdeen (1701), city of...
Another 48 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Leather Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Leather family to Ireland

Some of the Leather family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Leather migration to the United States +

Most of the Boernician-Scottish families who came to North America settled on the eastern seaboard of what would become the United States and Canada. Families who wanted a new order stayed south in the War of Independence, while those who were still loyal to the crown went north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. In the 20th century, the ancestors of these families have gone on to rediscover their heritage through Clan societies and other patriotic Scottish organizations. Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Leather or a variant listed above:

Leather Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Richard Leather, who arrived in Virginia in 1655 4
Leather Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Robert Leather, who landed in Virginia in 1703 4
Leather Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Thomas Leather, who arrived in New York in 1845 4

Leather migration to Australia +

Leather Settlers in Australia in the 18th Century
Leather Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Thomas Leather, British Labourer who was convicted in Stafford, England for life for theft and assault, transported aboard the "Asia" on 5th November 1835, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land)1836 6
  • Mr. William Leather, (b. 1812), aged 28, English miner who was convicted in West Riding, Yorkshire, England for 7 years for felony, transported aboard the "Duncan" on 10th December 1840, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 7
  • Samuel Leather, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "William Hyde" in 1849 8
  • James Leather, English convict from Lancaster, who was transported aboard the "Adelaide" on August 08, 1849, settling in Van Diemen's Land and Port Phillip, Australia 9
  • Mr. John Leather, (b. 1821), aged 27, English convict who was convicted in London, England for 7 years for breaking and entering, transported aboard the "Bangalore" on 1st January 1850, arriving in Moreton Bay, Queensland, Australia 10
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Leather 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:

Leather Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Mr. William Leather, British settler as part of the 8th Detachment of the Royal New Zealand Fencibles travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Oriental Queen" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 18th September 1849 11
  • Mrs. Hannah Leather née Toole, British settler travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Oriental Queen" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 18th September 1849 11

Contemporary Notables of the name Leather (post 1700) +

  • Diane Leather (1933-2018), English two-time silver medalist athlete who became the first woman to run a mile in less than 5 minutes
HMS Prince of Wales
  • Mr. Loos Verdun 'Ted'  Leather (b. 1916), DSM, English Petty Officer from England, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking 12
  • Mrs Elizabeth May Leather, aged 41, English Stewardess from Liverpool, Lancashire who worked aboard the RMS Titanic and survived the sinking by escaping in life boat 16 13

The Leather Motto +

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: Repullulat
Motto Translation: It buds afresh.
  1. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of Scotland. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  2. Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
  3. 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)
  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. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 30th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/Britannia
  6. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 28th January 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/asia/1835
  7. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 11th August 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/duncan
  8. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) WILLIAM HYDE 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849WilliamHyde.htm
  9. State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2014, November 17) Adelaide voyage to Van Diemen's Land and Port Phillip, Australia in 1849 with 303 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/adelaide/1849
  10. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 11th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/australasia
  11. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  12. HMS Prince of Wales Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listprincecrew.html
  13. Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html

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