Leap History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The surname Leap and it's variations have long been in England. It is thought that the name may have come to Britain with the Anglo-Saxons, as a German version of this name exists to this day. In other cases, the name may have derived from the French 'lapin," meaning "rabbit," and arrived in Britain with the Normans. 1
Early Origins of the Leap family
The surname Leap was first found in Wiltshire where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor. The Saxon influence of English history diminished after the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The language of the courts was French for the next three centuries and the Norman ambience prevailed. But Saxon surnames survived and the family name was first referenced in the 13th century when they held lands. Early instances of the name in England include one Robert Lapyn who is mentioned in the Feet of Fines for Kent in the year 1320. 1
Early History of the Leap family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Leap research. Another 70 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1455 and 1487 are included under the topic Early Leap History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Leap Spelling Variations
The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries; therefore,spelling variations are common among early Anglo-Saxon names. As the form of the English language changed, even the spelling of literate people's names evolved. Leap has been recorded under many different variations, including Lapp, Leap, Lap and others.
Early Notables of the Leap family
More information is included under the topic Early Leap Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Leap migration to the United States +
For many English families, the political and religious disarray that shrouded England made the far away New World an attractive prospect. On cramped disease-ridden ships, thousands migrated to those British colonies that would eventually become Canada and the United States. Those hardy settlers that survived the journey often went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Leap or a variant listed above:
Leap Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
- Anna Christina Leap, aged 24, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1733 2
- Anna Margaretha Leap, aged 12, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1733 2
- Anna Maria Leap, aged 14, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1733 2
- Catherina Leap, aged 50, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1733 2
- Georg Leap, aged 56, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1733 2
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Leap 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:
Leap Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
- Mr. Thompson Leap, (b. 1839), aged 35, Scottish carver, from Dumfries travelling from Greenock aboard the ship "Nelson" arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 31st December 1874 3
- Mrs. Margaret Leap, (b. 1842), aged 32, Scottish settler, from Dumfries travelling from Greenock aboard the ship "Nelson" arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 31st December 1874 3
- Miss Mary Jane Leap, (b. 1867), aged 7, Scottish settler, from Dumfries travelling from Greenock aboard the ship "Nelson" arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 31st December 1874 3
- Miss Ellen Leap, (b. 1869), aged 5, Scottish settler, from Dumfries travelling from Greenock aboard the ship "Nelson" arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 31st December 1874 3
Contemporary Notables of the name Leap (post 1700) +
- William Arch Leap (1883-1978), American Democratic Party politician, Member of West Virginia State House of Delegates from Cabell County, 1949-50; Defeated, 1950 4
- Sedgwick Rusling Leap (b. 1886), American Republican politician, Member of New Jersey State House of Assembly from Salem County, 1927-29; Member of New Jersey State Senate from Salem County, 1930-35 4
- R. C. Leap, American politician, Member of West Virginia State House of Delegates from Wetzel County, 1933-34; Appointed 1933 4
Citations +
- Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
- 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)
- New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
- The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 15) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html