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Lee World Ranking

In the United States, the name Lee is the 24th most popular surname with an estimated 547,140 people with that name. 1 However, in Canada, the name Lee is ranked the 7th most popular surname with an estimated 83,424 people with that name. 2 And in Quebec, Canada, the name Lee is the 528th popular surname. 3 Newfoundland, Canada ranks Lee as 153rd with 252 people. 4 France ranks Lee as 3,497th with 2,000 - 2,500 people. 5 Australia ranks Lee as 11st with 61,483 people. 6 New Zealand ranks Lee as 16th with 6,297 people. 7 The United Kingdom ranks Lee as 49th with 81,795 people. 8 Netherlands ranks Lee as 861st with 2,315 people. 9 South Africa ranks Lee as 732nd with 9,412 people. 10

United States Lee migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Lee Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Bridget Lee, who landed in America in 1620 11
  • Samuel Lee, who arrived in America in 1620 11
  • Tryphosa Lee, who arrived in Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1623 11
  • Bridget Lee, who landed in Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1623 11
  • Christopher Lee, aged 30, who arrived in Virginia in 1623 aboard the ship "Southampton" 11
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Lee Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Pricilla Lee, who arrived in Virginia in 1700 11
  • Hump Lee, who landed in Virginia in 1700 11
  • Eliz Lee, who landed in Virginia in 1705 11
  • Bryan Lee, who landed in Virginia in 1711 11
  • Philip Lee, who landed in Virginia in 1712 11
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Lee Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Charles Lee, who arrived in New York in 1800 11
  • Arthur Lee, who landed in America in 1801-1802 11
  • Ezekiel Lee, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1802 11
  • Ephraim Lee, aged 26, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1803 11
  • Edward Lee, aged 23, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1803 11
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Lee Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Sol N Lee, who arrived in New York, NY in 1900 11
  • Mr. James Lee, (b. 1877), aged 26, Cornish baker, from Pelynt, Cornwall, UK travelling aboard the ship "Celtic" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 24th April 1903 en route to Canton, Illinois, USA 12
  • Halvor Olson Lee, who landed in Wisconsin in 1907 11

Canada Lee migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Lee Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Benjamin Lee, who landed in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1749-1752
  • Edward Lee, who landed in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1749-1752
  • Mr. Daniel Lee Sr., U.E. (b. 1754) born in Worcester, England from Pembroke, Maine, USA who settled in St. George, Charlotte County, New Brunswick c. 1784 married to Martha Ash they had 9 children, he died in 1818 Bonny River, New Brunswick 13
  • Mr. David Lee U.E. who settled in Bastard [Rideau Lakes], Leeds and Greenville, Ontario c. 1784 13
  • Mr. Edward Lee U.E. who settled in Parr Town, Saint John, New Brunswick c. 1784 13
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Lee Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • William Lee, who landed in Canada in 1829
  • Sarah Lee, aged 26, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1833 aboard the ship "Britannia" from Sligo, Ireland
  • Daniel Lee, aged 27, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1833 aboard the ship "Britannia" from Sligo, Ireland
  • Judith Lee, aged 10, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1833 aboard the ship "Elizabeth" from Galway, Ireland
  • Andrew Lee, aged 20, a smith, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Salus" in 1833
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Lee Settlers in Canada in the 20th Century
  • Mrs. Lee, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1907
  • Miss E Lee, who landed in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1907
  • Miss F Lee, who landed in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1907
  • H Lee, who landed in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1907
  • J Lee, who landed in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1907

Australia Lee migration to Australia +

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

Lee Settlers in Australia in the 18th Century
Lee Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. George Lee, British convict who was convicted in Worcester, Worcestershire, England for 14 years, transported aboard the "Calcutta" in February 1803, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 15
  • Mr. Charles Lee, British Convict who was convicted in Lancaster, Lancashire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Coromandel" on 4th December 1803, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 16
  • Mr. John Lee, British Convict who was convicted in Leicestershire, England for life, transported aboard the "Earl Spencer" in May 1813, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 17
  • Mr. John Lee, British Convict who was convicted in York, Yorkshire, England for life, transported aboard the "Earl Spencer" in May 1813, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 17
  • Mr. William Lee, English labourer who was convicted in Surrey, England for life, transported aboard the "Fanny" on 25th August 1815, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 18
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

New Zealand Lee 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:

Lee Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Walter Lee, who landed in Auckland, New Zealand in 1840
  • Michael Lee, aged 20, a sawyer, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Cuba" in 1840
  • James Lee, aged 30, a farmer, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Mary Ann" in 1842
  • Elizabeth Lee, aged 26, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Mary Ann" in 1842
  • Mr. John Lee, Cornish settler travelling from Launceston aboard the ship "Marys" arriving in New Zealand in 1848 19
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

West Indies Lee migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 20
Lee Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century
  • Mr. Thomas Lee, (b. 1614), aged 20, British settler travelling from Gravesend, UK aboard the ship "Hopewell" arriving in Barbados on 17th February 1634 11
  • George Lee, aged 16, who landed in Barbados in 1635 aboard the ship "Falcon" 11
  • Mr. Richard Lee, (b. 1613), aged 22, British settler travelling from London, England aboard the ship "Alexander" arriving in Barbados in 1635 21
  • Mr. Robert Lee, (b. 1602), aged 33, British settler travelling from London, England aboard the ship "Alexander" arriving in Barbados in 1635 21
  • Mr. Walter Lee, (b. 1614), aged 21, British settler traveling aboard the ship "John" arriving in St Christopher (Saint Kitts) in 1635 22
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Lee (post 1700) +

  • Robert Edward Lee (1807-1870), American and Confederate soldier, best known as a commander of the Confederate States Army
  • Nelle Harper Lee (1926-2016), American author who received the Pulitzer Prize in 1961 for her only novel "To Kill a Mockingbird" and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom of the United States in 2007 for her contribution to literature
  • Greg Lee (1971-2024), American singer for Hepcat
  • Jennifer Michelle Lee (b. 1971), née Rebecchi, an American Chief Creative Officer of Walt Disney Animation Studios, best known as the writer and one of the directors of Frozen (2013) and its sequel Frozen II (2019), recipient of an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award and an Annie Award
  • Frances Elaine Lee (1941-2023), née Newman, an American costume designer for stage and film who won multiple Tony Awards and Drama Desk Awards
  • Ralph Lee (1936-2023), American puppeteer and theatre artist from Middlebury, Vermont
  • Bob Lee (1979-2023), American tech executive and software engineer from San Francisco, California, founder of Cash App
  • Ronnie Lee (1956-2023), American NFL offensive tackle for the Miami Dolphins, Atlanta Falcons and the Seattle Seahawks from Pine Bluff, Arkansas
  • Thomas Haskell Lee (1944-2023), American businessperson, financier, and investor credited as one of the originators of leveraged buyouts; according to Forbes, he had a net worth of $2 billion at the time of his death
  • Eugene Lee (1939-2023), American six-time Primetime Emmy Award winning set designer, best known as the production designer for Saturday Night Live for 48 years, from the show's premiere in 1975 until his death
  • ... (Another 58 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Empress of Ireland
  • Mr. Sydney Lee, British Cook from United Kingdom who worked aboard the Empress of Ireland (1914) and survived the sinking 23
  • Mrs. Ethel Mary Lee (1892-1914), née Durham Canadian Third Class Passenger from Weyburn, Saskatchewan, Canada who was traveling aboard the Empress of Ireland and died in the sinking 23
  • Miss Ailse Holland Lee (1891-1914), Canadian First Class Passenger from Toronto, Ontario, Canada who survived the sinking on the Empress of Ireland 23
Halifax Explosion
  • Mr. John Francis  Lee (1917-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 24
  • Mrs. Mary Murphy  Lee (1888-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 24
  • Mr. Russell  Lee (1888-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 24
HMS Hood
  • Mr. Wilfred Lee (b. 1913), English Assistant Steward serving for the Royal Navy from Norton, County Durham, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 25
HMS Prince of Wales
  • Mr. William Lee, British Able Seaman from, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking 26
  • Mr. John Lee, British Able Seaman, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking 26
HMS Repulse
  • Mr. Robert Lee, British Leading Telegraphist, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking 27
HMS Royal Oak
  • John H. Lee, British Signalman with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he survived the sinking 28
Prince of Wales colliery
  • Mr. John Lee (b. 1854), Welsh coal miner who was working at the Prince of Wales Colliery in Abercarn, Wales on the 11th September 1878 when there was a coal mine explosion; he died 29
RMS Lusitania
  • Mr. William Lee, English Trimmer from England, who worked aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking 30
  • Mr. Daniel Lee, Irish Fireman from Liverpool, England, who worked aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking and was recovered 30
  • Mr. Richard  Lee, English First Waiter from West Derby, Liverpool, England, who worked aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and survived the sinking 30
  • Miss Bridget Lee, Irish 2nd Class passenger residing in New York, New York, USA, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and survived the sinking 31
RMS Titanic
  • Mr. H. Lee (d. 1912), aged 18, English Trimmer from Southampton, Hampshire who worked aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking 32
  • Mr. Reginald Robinson Lee, aged 41, English Lookout from Southampton, Hampshire who worked aboard the RMS Titanic and survived the sinking escaping on life boat 13 32
  • Mr. Ling Lee (d. 1912), aged 28, Chinese Third Class passenger from Hong Kong who sailed aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking 32
  • Mr. Bing Lee, aged 32, Chinese Third Class passenger from Hong Kong who sailed aboard the RMS Titanic and survived the sinking in collapsible C 32
SS Atlantic
  • Jas Lee, Irish traveler aboard the ship "SS Atlantic" when it struck rocks off Nova Scotia in 1873, died in the sinking
  • Rudolph Lee, who was traveling aboard the ship "SS Atlantic" when it struck rocks off Nova Scotia in 1873, died in the sinking
St. Francis Dam
  • Mr. Bruce Lee, American resident in Santa Clarita killed when the St. Francis Dam failed and flooded the area in 1928
USS Arizona
  • Mr. Carroll Volney Lee Jr., American Seaman First Class from Texas, USA working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he died in the sinking 33
  • Mr. Henry Lloyd Lee, American Seaman First Class from South Carolina, USA working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he died in the sinking 33

Suggested Readings for the name Lee +

  • Descendants & Ancestors of Charles & Fanny Crandall Lee by Earl Lee Smith.
  • Lee of Virginia by Edmund Jennings Lee.
  • Hezekiah Leigh by John D. Gifford.
  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. "Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
  3. "The first 1,000 family names by rank, Quebec (in French only)" Institut de la statistique du Quebec, https://statistique.quebec.ca/en/document/family-names-in-quebec/tableau/the-first-1000-family-names-by-rank-quebec
  4. The order of Common Surnames in 1955 in Newfoundland retrieved on 20th October 2021 (retrieved from Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland by E.R. Seary corrected edition ISBN 0-7735-1782-0)
  5. http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
  6. "Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
  7. "Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
  8. "UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
  9. "Most Common Last Names in Netherlands." Forebears, https://forebears.io/netherlands/surnames
  10. "Most Common Last Names in South Africa." Forebears, https://forebears.io/south-africa/surnames
  11. 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)
  12. Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_ellis_island_1892_on.pdf
  13. Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
  14. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 29th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/barwell
  15. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 25th November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/calcutta
  16. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 22nd March 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/coromandel-and-experiment
  17. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 8th September 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/earl-spencer
  18. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 28th September 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/fairlie
  19. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  20. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
  21. Pilgrim Ship Lists Early 1600's retrieved 28th September 2021 from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
  22. Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's. Retrieved October 4th 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/daphne
  23. Commemoration Empress of Ireland 2014. (Retrieved 2014, June 17) . Retrieved from http://www.empress2014.ca/seclangen/listepsc1.html
  24. Halifax Explosion Book of Remembrance | Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. (Retrieved 2014, June 23) . Retrieved from https://maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca/what-see-do/halifax-explosion/halifax-explosion-book-remembrance
  25. H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: Crew Information - H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour, Men Lost in the Sinking of H.M.S. Hood, 24th May 1941. (Retrieved 2016, July 15) . Retrieved from http://www.hmshood.com/crew/memorial/roh_24may41.htm
  26. HMS Prince of Wales Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listprincecrew.html
  27. HMS Repulse Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listrepulsecrew.html
  28. Ships hit by U-boats crew list HMS Royal Oak (08) - (Retrieved 2018 February, 9th) - retrieved from https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/crews/ship68.html
  29. Entombed in flood and flame (retrieved 3rd August 2021). Retrieved from https://web.archive.org/web/20120603025705/http://www.crosskeys.me.uk/history/prince.htm
  30. Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 7) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/
  31. Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 6) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/
  32. Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html
  33. Pearl Harbour: USS Arizona Casualties List Pearl Harbour December 7, 1941. (Retrieved 2018, July 31st). Retrieved from http://pearl-harbor.com/arizona/casualtylist.html
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