Leyse History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland
Ireland

The ancient Anglo-Saxon surname Leyse came from the baptismal name for the son of Levison, which was a form of Lewis. Baptismal names are forms of patronymic surnames, and derive from either the religious or the vernacular given name traditions. In this case, the surname Leyse was originally derived from the given name of the father of the bearer.

Early Origins of the Leyse family

The surname Leyse was first found in Northumberland where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Leyse family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Leyse research. Another 84 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1332, 1379 and 1524 are included under the topic Early Leyse History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Leyse Spelling Variations

Sound was what guided spelling in the essentially pre-literate Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Also, before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Therefore, spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Leyse family name include Leeson, Leason and others.

Early Notables of the Leyse family

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

Migration of the Leyse family to Ireland

Some of the Leyse family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Leyse family

For political, religious, and economic reasons, thousands of English families boarded ships for Ireland, the Canadas, the America colonies, and many of smaller tropical colonies in the hope of finding better lives abroad. Although the passage on the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving, those families that survived the trip often went on to make valuable contributions to those new societies to which they arrived. Early immigrants bearing the Leyse surname or a spelling variation of the name include: Elizabeth Leeson settled in Virginia in 1749; Hester Leeson settled in Virginia in 1723; George, James, Thomas and William Leeson all arrived in Philadelphia between 1840 and 1860..

The Leyse 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: Clarior e tenebris
Motto Translation: The brighter from previous obscurity.