First found in Cheshire, where the Lie family held a family seat from the years following the Norman Conquest of 1066. King William granted the lands of England to those who had served him in the Battle of Hastings. Many of these land barons adopted the name of their new holdings as a surname, according to the Norman custom. Thus, the first bearer of the name was Hamond Leigh, who was Lord of the Manor of High Leigh in Cheshire.

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More about the Lie History...

Please remember that this page is only a small extract of our complete history that includes:

• Ancient origin of the name (usually pre-1100)
• Known spelling variations
• Early movement of the family name during the Middle Ages
• Noteworthy bearers from the 1500-1600s
• First settlers to North America
• Notable contemporary bearers of the name
• A description and/or full color picture of the Coat of Arms, Crest, and Motto (where available)

Faced with the chaos present in England at that time, many English families looked towards the open frontiers of the New World with its opportunities to escape oppression and starvation. People migrated to North America, as well as Australia and Ireland in droves, paying exorbitant rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, but those who did see the shores of North America were welcomed with great opportunity. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America carried the name Lie, or a variant listed above: George Henry Leigh, who came to Virginia in 1607, 13 years before the arrival of the Mayflower; George Lee and John Lee, who both settled in Virginia in 1635.

Motto Translated: Strength with virtue.

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