Contents [hide]

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

United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Motto Suggested Reading Citations

Leslie History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland
Scotland

The surname Leslie comes from the Irish Gaelic "O Loiste." The name was sometimes anglicized as Lastly, which sometimes was corrupted to Leslie.

Early Origins of the Leslie family

The surname Leslie was first found in County Donegal (Irish: Dún na nGall), northwest Ireland in the province of Ulster, sometimes referred to as County Tyrconnel, where the Annals of Loch Ce mention the death of John O'Loisde, the abbot of Assaroe, in 1502.

Early History of the Leslie family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Leslie research. Another 29 words (2 lines of text) covering the year 1669 is included under the topic Early Leslie History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Leslie Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Losty, Lasty, Lusty, Lastly, Leslie, O'Losty and others.

Early Notables of the Leslie family

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

Leslie World Ranking

In the United States, the name Leslie is the 1,244^th most popular surname with an estimated 24,870 people with that name. 1 However, in Canada, the name Leslie is ranked the 796^th most popular surname with an estimated 6,751 people with that name. 2 And in Australia, the name Leslie is the 571^st popular surname with an estimated 6,750 people with that name. 3 New Zealand ranks Leslie as 521^st with 1,326 people. 4 The United Kingdom ranks Leslie as 937^th with 7,389 people. 5

Leslie migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Leslie Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

John Leslie, who settled in the Barbadoes in 1678 with his son
Andrew Leslie, who landed in New Jersey in 1685 6
Margaret Leslie, who arrived in New Jersey in 1685 6

Leslie Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Robert Leslie, who landed in America in 1745 6
George Leslie, who landed in New York in 1784 6

Leslie Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Samuel Leslie, aged 22, who arrived in Charleston, South Carolina in 1803 6
William Leslie, aged 20, who arrived in Charleston, South Carolina in 1803 6
James Leslie, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1808 6
Alexander, Leslie Jr., who arrived in America in 1809 6
William Leslie, who landed in America in 1812 6
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Leslie Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

D B Leslie, who arrived in Mississippi in 1904 6

Leslie migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Leslie Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Mr. Samual Leslie U.E. who arrived at Port Roseway [Shelburne], Nova Scotia on December 13, 1783 was passenger number 467 aboard the ship "HMS Clinton", picked up on November 14, 1783 at East River, New York, USA 7
Mrs. Elizabeth Leslie U.E. who arrived at Port Roseway [Shelburne], Nova Scotia on December 13, 1783 was passenger number 521 aboard the ship "HMS Clinton", picked up on November 14, 1783 at East River, New York, USA 7
Miss.Lucy Leslie U.E. (b. 1772), aged 11 who arrived at Port Roseway [Shelburne], Nova Scotia on December 13, 1783 was passenger number 609 aboard the ship "HMS Clinton", picked up on November 14, 1783 at East River, New York, USA 7
Master.James Leslie U.E. (b. 1770), aged 13 who arrived at Port Roseway [Shelburne], Nova Scotia on December 13, 1783 was passenger number 608 aboard the ship "HMS Clinton", picked up on November 14, 1783 at East River, New York, USA 7
Master.Robert Leslie U.E. (b. 1767), aged 16 who arrived at Port Roseway [Shelburne], Nova Scotia on December 13, 1783 was passenger number 607 aboard the ship "HMS Clinton", picked up on November 14, 1783 at East River, New York, USA 7
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Leslie Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Mr. James Leslie, aged 45 who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Christiana" departing 8th April 1847 from Londonderry, Ireland; the ship arrived on 10th June 1847 but he died on board 8
Miss. Margaret Leslie, aged 8 who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Lord Ashburton" departing 13th September 1847 from Liverpool, England; the ship arrived on 1st November 1847 but she died on board 8
Miss. Margaret Leslie, aged 3 who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Lord Ashburton" departing 13th September 1847 from Liverpool, England; the ship arrived on 1st November 1847 but she died on board 8
Mr. Thomas Leslie, aged 12 who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Lord Ashburton" departing 13th September 1847 from Liverpool, England; the ship arrived on 1st November 1847 but he died on board 8
William Leslie, who landed in Victoria, British Columbia in 1862

Leslie migration to Australia +

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

Leslie Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

George Leslie, English convict from Middlesex, who was transported aboard the "Albion" on September 21, 1826, settling in New South Wales, Australia 9
Mr. William Leslie, (b. 1804), aged 26, English convict who was convicted in Somerset, England for life for stealing, transported aboard the "Burrell" on 22nd July 1830, arriving in New South Wales 10
Donald Leslie, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Tomatin" in 1840 11
Christina Leslie, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Tomatin" in 1840 11
Robert Leslie, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Tomatin" in 1840 11
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Leslie 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:

Leslie Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mary Leslie, aged 17, a servant, who arrived in Port Nicholson aboard the ship "Olympus" in 1841
Miss Mary Leslie, (b. 1823), aged 17, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Olympus" arriving in Wellington, New Zealand on 20th April 1841 12
Robert Leslie, who landed in Auckland, New Zealand in 1842
Robert Leslie, aged 22, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Duchess of Argyle" in 1842
Agnes Leslie, aged 21, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Duchess of Argyle" in 1842
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Leslie (post 1700) +

Alfred Leslie (1927-2023), American Abstract Expressionist painter and filmmaker from New York
Captain Sir John Norman Ide Leslie (b. 1916), 4th Baronet American-born, Irish peer
Joan Leslie (1925-2015), stage name of Joan Agnes Theresa Sadie Brodel, an American actress, best known for her roles in High Sierra, Sergeant York and Yankee Doodle Dandy
Frank Leslie (1821-1880), English-born, American engraver and publisher
Bethel Leslie (1929-1999), American theatre, film, and television actress and a screenwriter
Fred Weldon Leslie (b. 1951), American scientist, NASA payload specialist on the NASA STS-73 Space Shuttle mission
Lisa Leslie (b. 1972), American basketball player
Felix Leslie, American politician, Delegate to Florida State Constitutional Convention from Jackson County, 1865 13
Clyde C. Leslie, American Republican politician, Chair of Webster County Republican Party, 1961-63 13
Charles P. Leslie, American politician, Delegate to South Carolina State Constitutional Convention from Barnwell County, 1868 13
... (Another 42 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Leslie family +

RMS Titanic

Lucy Noël Martha Leslie, aged 27, Canadian First Class passenger from Vancouver, British Columbia who sailed aboard the RMS Titanic and survived the sinking escaping in life boat 8 14

The Leslie 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: Suivez moi
Motto Translation: Follow me.

Citations +

"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
"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
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)
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
Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 84)
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Albion voyage to New South Wales, Australia in 1826 with 192 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/albion/1826
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 5th November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/burrell
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) TOMATIN 1840. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1840Tomatin.htm
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 3) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html