Contents [hide]

Lee History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables World Ranking

United States Canada Australia New Zealand West Indies

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Motto Suggested Reading Citations

Lee History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
China
England
Ireland

As a native Irish surname, Lee is derived from the Gaelic name Mac Laoidhigh, which comes from the word "laoidh," which means "a poem;" or from Mac Giolla Iosa, which means "son of the devotee of Jesus." However, Lee is also a common indigenous name in England, many families of which have been established in Ireland since at least the 17th century. 1

Early Origins of the Lee family

The surname Lee was first found in Connacht (Irish: Connachta, (land of the) descendants of Conn), where they were prominent in the west being anciently associated as hereditary physicians to the O'Flahertys.

Families with the McLees or McAlees spellings were traditionally doctors or physicians.

By the 16th century different branches had developed in Galway, in Leix, and in Munster at Cork and Limerick. The name in Gaelic was O'Laidhigh.

Early History of the Lee family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Lee research. Another 121 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1253, 1600, 1650 and 1734 are included under the topic Early Lee History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Lee Spelling Variations

Those scribes in Ireland during the Middle Ages recorded names as they sounded. Consequently, in this era many people were recorded under different spellings each time their name was written down. Research on the Lee family name revealed numerous spelling variations, including McAlea, McAlee, MacAlee, MacAlea, MacLee, McLee, MacLees, McLees, MacLeas, McLeas, O'Lees, O'Leas, Lee and many more.

Early Notables of the Lee family

Prominent amongst the family at this time was

Colonel Lee of the Irish Brigades

Lee World Ranking

In the United States, the name Lee is the 24^th most popular surname with an estimated 547,140 people with that name. 2 However, in Canada, the name Lee is ranked the 7^th most popular surname with an estimated 83,424 people with that name. 3 And in Quebec, Canada, the name Lee is the 528^th popular surname. 4 Newfoundland, Canada ranks Lee as 153^rd with 252 people. 5 France ranks Lee as 3,497^th with 2,000 - 2,500 people. 6 Australia ranks Lee as 11^st with 61,483 people. 7 New Zealand ranks Lee as 16^th with 6,297 people. 8 The United Kingdom ranks Lee as 49^th with 81,795 people. 9 Netherlands ranks Lee as 861^st with 2,315 people. 10 South Africa ranks Lee as 732^nd with 9,412 people. 11

Lee migration to the United States +

A massive amount of Ireland's native population left the island in the 19th century for North America and Australia in hopes of finding more opportunities and an escape from discrimination and oppression. A great portion of these migrants arrived on the eastern shores of the North American continent. Although they were generally poor and destitute, and, therefore, again discriminated against, these Irish people were heartily welcomed for the hard labor involved in the construction of railroads, canals, roadways, and buildings. Many others were put to work in the newly established factories or agricultural projects that were so essential to the development of what would become two of the wealthiest nations in the world. The Great Potato Famine during the late 1840s initiated the largest wave of Iris immigration. Early North American immigration and passenger lists have revealed a number of people bearing the name Lee or a variant listed above:

Lee Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Bridget Lee, who landed in America in 1620 12
Samuel Lee, who arrived in America in 1620 12
Tryphosa Lee, who arrived in Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1623 12
Bridget Lee, who landed in Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1623 12
Christopher Lee, aged 30, who arrived in Virginia in 1623 aboard the ship "Southampton" 12
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Lee Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Pricilla Lee, who arrived in Virginia in 1700 12
Hump Lee, who landed in Virginia in 1700 12
Eliz Lee, who landed in Virginia in 1705 12
Bryan Lee, who landed in Virginia in 1711 12
Philip Lee, who landed in Virginia in 1712 12
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Lee Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Charles Lee, who arrived in New York in 1800 12
Arthur Lee, who landed in America in 1801-1802 12
Ezekiel Lee, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1802 12
Ephraim Lee, aged 26, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1803 12
Edward Lee, aged 23, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1803 12
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Lee Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Sol N Lee, who arrived in New York, NY in 1900 12
Mr. James Lee, (b. 1877), aged 26, Cornish baker, from Pelynt, Cornwall, UK travelling aboard the ship "Celtic" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 24th April 1903 en route to Canton, Illinois, USA 13
Halvor Olson Lee, who landed in Wisconsin in 1907 12

Lee migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Lee Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Benjamin Lee, who landed in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1749-1752
Edward Lee, who landed in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1749-1752
Mr. Daniel Lee Sr., U.E. (b. 1754) born in Worcester, England from Pembroke, Maine, USA who settled in St. George, Charlotte County, New Brunswick c. 1784 married to Martha Ash they had 9 children, he died in 1818 Bonny River, New Brunswick 14
Mr. David Lee U.E. who settled in Bastard [Rideau Lakes], Leeds and Greenville, Ontario c. 1784 14
Mr. Edward Lee U.E. who settled in Parr Town, Saint John, New Brunswick c. 1784 14
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Lee Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

William Lee, who landed in Canada in 1829
Sarah Lee, aged 26, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1833 aboard the ship "Britannia" from Sligo, Ireland
Daniel Lee, aged 27, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1833 aboard the ship "Britannia" from Sligo, Ireland
Judith Lee, aged 10, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1833 aboard the ship "Elizabeth" from Galway, Ireland
Andrew Lee, aged 20, a smith, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Salus" in 1833
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Lee Settlers in Canada in the 20th Century

Mrs. Lee, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1907
Miss E Lee, who landed in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1907
Miss F Lee, who landed in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1907
H Lee, who landed in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1907
J Lee, who landed in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1907

Lee migration to Australia +

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

Lee Settlers in Australia in the 18th Century

Mr. John Lee, English convict who was convicted in Leicester, Leicestershire, England for life, transported aboard the "Barwell" in September 1797, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 15

Lee Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. George Lee, British convict who was convicted in Worcester, Worcestershire, England for 14 years, transported aboard the "Calcutta" in February 1803, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 16
Mr. Charles Lee, British Convict who was convicted in Lancaster, Lancashire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Coromandel" on 4th December 1803, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 17
Mr. John Lee, British Convict who was convicted in Leicestershire, England for life, transported aboard the "Earl Spencer" in May 1813, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 18
Mr. John Lee, British Convict who was convicted in York, Yorkshire, England for life, transported aboard the "Earl Spencer" in May 1813, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 18
Mr. William Lee, English labourer who was convicted in Surrey, England for life, transported aboard the "Fanny" on 25th August 1815, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 19
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Lee 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:

Lee Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Walter Lee, who landed in Auckland, New Zealand in 1840
Michael Lee, aged 20, a sawyer, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Cuba" in 1840
James Lee, aged 30, a farmer, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Mary Ann" in 1842
Elizabeth Lee, aged 26, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Mary Ann" in 1842
Mr. John Lee, Cornish settler travelling from Launceston aboard the ship "Marys" arriving in New Zealand in 1848 20
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Lee migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 21

Lee Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

Mr. Thomas Lee, (b. 1614), aged 20, British settler travelling from Gravesend, UK aboard the ship "Hopewell" arriving in Barbados on 17th February 1634 12
George Lee, aged 16, who landed in Barbados in 1635 aboard the ship "Falcon" 12
Mr. Richard Lee, (b. 1613), aged 22, British settler travelling from London, England aboard the ship "Alexander" arriving in Barbados in 1635 22
Mr. Robert Lee, (b. 1602), aged 33, British settler travelling from London, England aboard the ship "Alexander" arriving in Barbados in 1635 22
Mr. Walter Lee, (b. 1614), aged 21, British settler traveling aboard the ship "John" arriving in St Christopher (Saint Kitts) in 1635 23
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Lee (post 1700) +

Robert Edward Lee (1807-1870), American and Confederate soldier, best known as a commander of the Confederate States Army
Nelle Harper Lee (1926-2016), American author who received the Pulitzer Prize in 1961 for her only novel "To Kill a Mockingbird" and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom of the United States in 2007 for her contribution to literature
Greg Lee (1971-2024), American singer for Hepcat
Jennifer Michelle Lee (b. 1971), née Rebecchi, an American Chief Creative Officer of Walt Disney Animation Studios, best known as the writer and one of the directors of Frozen (2013) and its sequel Frozen II (2019), recipient of an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award and an Annie Award
Frances Elaine Lee (1941-2023), née Newman, an American costume designer for stage and film who won multiple Tony Awards and Drama Desk Awards
Ralph Lee (1936-2023), American puppeteer and theatre artist from Middlebury, Vermont
Bob Lee (1979-2023), American tech executive and software engineer from San Francisco, California, founder of Cash App
Ronnie Lee (1956-2023), American NFL offensive tackle for the Miami Dolphins, Atlanta Falcons and the Seattle Seahawks from Pine Bluff, Arkansas
Thomas Haskell Lee (1944-2023), American businessperson, financier, and investor credited as one of the originators of leveraged buyouts; according to Forbes, he had a net worth of $2 billion at the time of his death
Eugene Lee (1939-2023), American six-time Primetime Emmy Award winning set designer, best known as the production designer for Saturday Night Live for 48 years, from the show's premiere in 1975 until his death
... (Another 58 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Lee family +

Empress of Ireland

Mr. Sydney Lee, British Cook from United Kingdom who worked aboard the Empress of Ireland (1914) and survived the sinking 24
Mrs. Ethel Mary Lee (1892-1914), née Durham Canadian Third Class Passenger from Weyburn, Saskatchewan, Canada who was traveling aboard the Empress of Ireland and died in the sinking 24
Miss Ailse Holland Lee (1891-1914), Canadian First Class Passenger from Toronto, Ontario, Canada who survived the sinking on the Empress of Ireland 24

Halifax Explosion

Mr. John Francis Lee (1917-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 25
Mrs. Mary Murphy Lee (1888-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 25
Mr. Russell Lee (1888-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 25

HMS Hood

Mr. Wilfred Lee (b. 1913), English Assistant Steward serving for the Royal Navy from Norton, County Durham, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 26

HMS Prince of Wales

Mr. William Lee, British Able Seaman from, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking 27
Mr. John Lee, British Able Seaman, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking 27

HMS Repulse

Mr. Robert Lee, British Leading Telegraphist, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking 28

HMS Royal Oak

John H. Lee, British Signalman with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he survived the sinking 29

Prince of Wales colliery

Mr. John Lee (b. 1854), Welsh coal miner who was working at the Prince of Wales Colliery in Abercarn, Wales on the 11th September 1878 when there was a coal mine explosion; he died 30

RMS Lusitania

Mr. William Lee, English Trimmer from England, who worked aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking 31
Mr. Daniel Lee, Irish Fireman from Liverpool, England, who worked aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking and was recovered 31
Mr. Richard Lee, English First Waiter from West Derby, Liverpool, England, who worked aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and survived the sinking 31
Miss Bridget Lee, Irish 2nd Class passenger residing in New York, New York, USA, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and survived the sinking 32

RMS Titanic

Mr. H. Lee (d. 1912), aged 18, English Trimmer from Southampton, Hampshire who worked aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking 33
Mr. Reginald Robinson Lee, aged 41, English Lookout from Southampton, Hampshire who worked aboard the RMS Titanic and survived the sinking escaping on life boat 13 33
Mr. Ling Lee (d. 1912), aged 28, Chinese Third Class passenger from Hong Kong who sailed aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking 33
Mr. Bing Lee, aged 32, Chinese Third Class passenger from Hong Kong who sailed aboard the RMS Titanic and survived the sinking in collapsible C 33

SS Atlantic

Jas Lee, Irish traveler aboard the ship "SS Atlantic" when it struck rocks off Nova Scotia in 1873, died in the sinking
Rudolph Lee, who was traveling aboard the ship "SS Atlantic" when it struck rocks off Nova Scotia in 1873, died in the sinking

St. Francis Dam

Mr. Bruce Lee, American resident in Santa Clarita killed when the St. Francis Dam failed and flooded the area in 1928

USS Arizona

Mr. Carroll Volney Lee Jr., American Seaman First Class from Texas, USA working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he died in the sinking 34
Mr. Henry Lloyd Lee, American Seaman First Class from South Carolina, USA working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he died in the sinking 34

The Lee 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: Fide et fortitudine
Motto Translation: By fidelity and fortitude.

Citations +

MacLysaght, Edward, Irish Families Their Names, Arms and Origins 4th Edition. Dublin: Irish Academic, 1982. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2364-7)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
"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
The order of Common Surnames in 1955 in Newfoundland retrieved on 20th October 2021 (retrieved from Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland by E.R. Seary corrected edition ISBN 0-7735-1782-0)
http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
"Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
"Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
"UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
"Most Common Last Names in Netherlands." Forebears, https://forebears.io/netherlands/surnames
"Most Common Last Names in South Africa." Forebears, https://forebears.io/south-africa/surnames
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)
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_ellis_island_1892_on.pdf
Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 29th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/barwell
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 25th November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/calcutta
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 22nd March 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/coromandel-and-experiment
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 8th September 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/earl-spencer
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 28th September 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/fairlie
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
Pilgrim Ship Lists Early 1600's retrieved 28th September 2021 from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's. Retrieved October 4th 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/daphne
Commemoration Empress of Ireland 2014. (Retrieved 2014, June 17) . Retrieved from http://www.empress2014.ca/seclangen/listepsc1.html
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
H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: Crew Information - H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour, Men Lost in the Sinking of H.M.S. Hood, 24th May 1941. (Retrieved 2016, July 15) . Retrieved from http://www.hmshood.com/crew/memorial/roh_24may41.htm
HMS Prince of Wales Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listprincecrew.html
HMS Repulse Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listrepulsecrew.html
Ships hit by U-boats crew list HMS Royal Oak (08) - (Retrieved 2018 February, 9th) - retrieved from https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/crews/ship68.html
Entombed in flood and flame (retrieved 3rd August 2021). Retrieved from https://web.archive.org/web/20120603025705/http://www.crosskeys.me.uk/history/prince.htm
Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 7) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/
Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 6) . 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
Pearl Harbour: USS Arizona Casualties List Pearl Harbour December 7, 1941. (Retrieved 2018, July 31st). Retrieved from http://pearl-harbor.com/arizona/casualtylist.html