Show ContentsLashlay History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Lashlay is an old Anglo-Saxon name that was given to a person who was a doctor. Throughout the Middle Ages, doctors were known as "leaches" as the practice of bleeding sick people was the generally accepted manner of curing them. There are countless people in the Middle Ages who died thanks to the common cold; not because the virus killed them, but because they bled to death on the advice of their physicians. Bleeding was accomplished by placing a dozen or so leaches on the person who was ill so that they could remove the poisons that were making them ill, hence the name "leach" for the occupation of doctor. It is small wonder that illness was so feared in the medieval period; many people died from illnesses that would not have otherwise killed them because their doctors were weakening them through loss of blood.

Since the 1970s, Hirudo medicinalis, better known as the European medicinal leech has been routinely used to drain blood after reconstructive surgery, particularly in finger reattachment and reconstructive surgery of the ear, nose, lip, and eyelid.

Early Origins of the Lashlay family

The surname Lashlay was first found in Oxfordshire where the earliest records of the family were found as Edmund le Leche and William le Leche who were both listed in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273. A few years later, Robert le Leche was listed in the Writs of Parliament of 1307. 1

Further north in Scotland, many records were found including: Henry Leche held a tenement in Glasgow in 1325. "Henry Leche, is later referred to in a safe conduct by Edward III of England in 1348 as "Hector medicus David de Bruys." From another reference to him in 1369, he turns out to be a MacBeth, perhaps one of the family of hereditary doctors of that name so famous in West Highland history. Wilham de Lech or Leche was burgess of Aberdeen, 1362. He may be William Leche, merchant of Aberdeen, whose goods were plundered in England, 1370, when his ship was driven ashore in Kirklee Rode, Suffolk." 2 They also settled in Monteith where they gave their name to Leitchtown.

Early History of the Lashlay family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Lashlay research. Another 431 words (31 lines of text) covering the years 1150, 1363, 1367, 1372, 1386, 1421, 1429, 1440, 1452, 1466, 1484, 1487, 1500, 1511, 1520, 1550, 1580, 1587, 1624, 1638, 1639, 1666, 1767, 1779 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Lashlay History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Lashlay 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. Lashlay has been recorded under many different variations, including Leach, Leech, Leche, Leitch, Leich, Leetch and others.

Early Notables of the Lashlay family

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

Ireland Migration of the Lashlay family to Ireland

Some of the Lashlay family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 50 words (4 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 Lashlay family

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 Lashlay or a variant listed above: John Leach arrived in Barbados in 1679; with his servants; Lawrence Leach settled in Salem in 1628; Margaret Leach settled in Boston in 1635; Rebecca Leach settled in Virginia in 1639.



  1. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  2. 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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