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Ley History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Citations

Ley History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Germany

Early Origins of the Ley family

The surname Ley was first found in Bavaria, where the name was closely identified in early medieval times with the feudal society which would become prominent throughout European history. The name would later emerge as a noble family with great influence, having many distinguished branches, and become noted for its involvement in social, economic and political affairs. Like many surnames, Ley began as a personal name, a variant of the French name Eloy or Eloi, which itself came from the Latin name Eligius. Eligius comes from the Latin word "eligere," meaning "to elect or choose." As with many personal names dating from that era, Eloy gained its popularity because it had been born by a famous saint; St. Eloy was a 6th century saint who came to be known as the patron saint of smiths and horses.

Early History of the Ley family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ley research. Another 94 words (7 lines of text) covering the year 1541 is included under the topic Early Ley History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ley Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Eloy, Elloy, Eley, Elley, Gloy, Gley, Loy, Ley and many more.

Early Notables of the Ley family

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

Ley Ranking

In the United States, the name Ley is the 7,081^st most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 1 However, in France, the name Ley is ranked the 6,238^th most popular surname with an estimated 1,000 - 1,500 people with that name. 2

Ley migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Ley Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

John Ley, who arrived in Virginia in 1635 3
Rachell Ley, who arrived in America in 1654-1679 3
Edward Ley, who landed in Maryland in 1664 3
William Ley, who landed in New Jersey in 1677 3
Hump Ley, who landed in Virginia in 1698 3
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Ley Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Hans Jurigh Ley, aged 28, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1733 3
Anna Maria Ley, aged 24, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1733 3
Johannes Ley, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1740 3
Hans Yerrick Ley, aged 21, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1753 3
Felix Ley, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1764 3
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Ley Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Karl Ley, who arrived in America in 1846 3
Matthias Ley, aged 47, who landed in Brazil in 1846 3
Hannis VanDer Ley, who arrived in Iowa in 1849 3
Mrs. P VanDer Ley, who arrived in Iowa in 1849 3
Rogina VanDer Ley, who arrived in Iowa in 1849 3
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Ley migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Ley Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Joseph Ley, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1749-1752
Michael Ley, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1749-1752

Ley Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Mr. Godfred Ley who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "General Hewitt" departing 22nd July 1847 from Bremen, Germany; the ship arrived on 12th September 1847 but he died on board 4

Ley migration to Australia +

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

Ley Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. John Ley, (b. 1803), aged 15 born in Cornwall, UK convicted in Cornwall on 14th July 1818, sentenced for 7 years for stealing iron gads, transported aboard the ship "Coromandel" in 1819 to Van Diemen's Land, Tasmania, Australia 5
Mr. John Ley(b. 1803), aged 15, Cornish settler convicted in Cornwall, UK on 14th July 1818, sentenced for 7 years for stealing a number of iron gads from Thomas Menheer and William Hancock, transported aboard the ship "Coromandel" on 27th October 1819 to Van Diemen's Land, Tasmania, Australia 6
Mr. John Ley, Cornish convict who was convicted in Cornwall, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Coromandel" on 27th October 1819, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 7
Mr. William Ley, (b. 1798), aged 30, English convict who was convicted in York, Yorkshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Eliza" on 25th June 1828, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he died in 1873 8
Robert Kent Ley, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Moffatt" in 1839 9
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Ley (post 1700) +

Douglas A. Ley (d. 2021), American educator and politician who served in the New Hampshire House of Representatives from Cheshire District 9 from 2013 to 2021
Bob Ley (b. 1955), American sportscaster for ESPN
Willy Ley (1906-1969), German-American science writer and space advocate
Mr. Alastair Belvins Ley M.B.E., British Lieutenant Commander for the Royal Navy, recipient of Member of the Order of the British Empire on 8th June 2018 10
Kem Ley (1970-2016), Cambodian political commentator and activist
David Ley, Welsh professor at the University of British Columbia
Sir Francis Ley (1846-1916), 1st Baronet, English businessman and politician who founded Ley's Malleable Castings Vulcan Ironworks in Derby and owned Ley's Baseball Ground from 1890 to 1924, High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire (1905)
Sussan Penelope Ley (b. 1961), Australian politician
Richard Norman "Rick" Ley (b. 1948), retired Canadian professional NHL and WHA ice hockey player
Henry George Ley MA DMus FRCO FRCM (1887-1962), English organist, composer and music teacher
... (Another 1 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)
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)
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 30th May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/tasmanian_convicts_cornish.pdf
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 30th May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_australia_convicts.pdf
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 12th March 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/coromandel
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 17th February 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/eliza
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) MOFFATT 1839. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1839Moffatt.htm
"Birthday and New Year Honours Lists (1940 to 2019)." Issue 62507, 28 December 2018 | London Gazette, The Gazette, Dec. 2018, www.thegazette.co.uk/honours-lists