Show ContentsLachey History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

An ancient Strathclyde-Briton family from the Scottish/English Borderlands were the first to use the name Lachey. They lived 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 Lachey family

The surname Lachey 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 Lachey family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Lachey 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 Lachey History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Lachey Spelling Variations

Before the printing press standardized spelling in the last few hundred years, no general rules existed in the English language. Spelling variations in Scottish names from the Middle Ages are common even within a single document. Lachey has been spelled Leckie, Leck, Leckey, Lecky, Lackey, Lackie, Lachey, Lakey and many more.

Early Notables of the Lachey family

Another 28 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Lachey Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Lachey family to Ireland

Some of the Lachey 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.

Migration of the Lachey family

For Scottish immigrants, the great expense of travel to North America did not seem such a problem in those unstable times. Acres of land awaited them and many got the chance to fight for their freedom in the American War of Independence. These Scots and their ancestors went on to play important roles in the forging of the great nations of the United States and Canada. Among them: Catherine Leckie, who settled with her husband in Virginia in 1685; Jane Lackey settled in Maryland in 1699; Andrew Leckie, who came to New York in 1775.



The Lachey 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: Virtutis praemium
Motto Translation: Virtues reward


  1. 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)


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