| ![Show Contents]() Legay History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 Scotland Ireland The history of the Legay family begins among the Pictish clans ancient Scotland. The name Legay comes from at Leckie in the county of Stirlingshire. The place name is derived from the Gaelic leac, or "flagstone," and the suffix -ach, which means "place." Early Origins of the Legay familyThe surname Legay was first found in the shires of Dumbarton and Stirling, derived from the barony of Leckie in the parish of Gargunnock, Stirlingshire. The first on record was "Murdoch Leckie [who] received a grant of two fourth parts of Bathewnn and Altremony from Robert III." 1 Robert III, John Stewart, was King of Scots from 1390 to his death in 1406. From this early recording, we must move to the 16th and 17th centuries to find the next records. "David Lekky was denounced [as a] rebel in 1537, Janet Laiky appears in Cammok, parish of Glenylla, 1599, and Euphemia Laikie in Carneleithe, 1694." 1 "The surname appears as Lecque among the Scots Guards in France, and the Leckies of Antrim and Carlow in Ireland are of Scottish descent. In Forman's heraldic MS. the name is spelled Leuke. The individual who had a charter of the lands of Leckie in the reign of David II was a descendant of Corc, brother of Maldouen, third Earl of Lennox." 1 Early History of the Legay familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Legay research. Another 108 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1380, 1390, 1406, 1537, 1784, 1797 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Legay History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Legay Spelling VariationsIn the Middle ages, spelling and translation were not yet regulated by any general rules. spelling variations in names were common even among members of one family unit. Legay has appeared Leckie, Leck, Leckey, Lecky, Lackey, Lackie, Lachey, Lakey and many more. Early Notables of the Legay familyAnother 28 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Legay Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Legay RankingIn France, the name Legay is the 743rd most popular surname with an estimated 6,599 people with that name. 2  Migration of the Legay family to Ireland
Some of the Legay family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 78 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
| Legay migration to the United States | + |
Faced by this persecution and the generally unstable political climate of those days, many Scots chose to leave their homeland for Ireland, Australia, and North America in search of greater opportunity and freedom. The colonies across the Atlantic were the most popular choice, but a passage there was neither cheap nor easily suffered. Passengers arrived sick and poor, but those who made it intact often found land and more tolerant societies in which to live. These brave settlers formed the backbone of the burgeoning nations of Canada and the United States. It is only this century that the ancestors of these families have begun to recover their collective identity through the patriotic highland games and Clan societies that have sprung up throughout North America. Research into early immigration and passenger lists revealed many immigrants bearing the name Legay:
Legay Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- Mr. Legay, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1851 3
- Mr. Edouard Legay, aged 54, German settler who arrived in New York in 1893 aboard the ship "La Bourgogne" 4
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: Virtutis praemium
Motto Translation: Virtues reward
- 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)
- http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
- 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)
- Germans to America retrieved 21st October 2021. Retrieved from Glazier, Ira. A., and Filby, P. William. Germans to America: Lists of Passengers Arriving at U.S. Ports. Vol. 62, Scholarly Resources Inc, 2044
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Legay migration to the United States 
