Leet History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Early Origins of the Leet family

The surname Leet was first found in Cambridge where there is some dispute over the origin on the name. One reference claims the name is a location name meaning "a meeting of crossroads" as in "court-leet and borough-leet," 1 while another claims the name was a baptismal name "the son of Lettice" (Latin laetitia, gladness) from the nickname Lete. Lettice was a very popular girl's name in its day but was rare by the late 1800s. 2 Regardless of the origin, the first records of the name were in Cambridge where Letia (no surname) was listed there in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273. The same rolls list Nicolas filius Lete in Bedfordshire; Walter Lete in Suffolk and Roge Lete in Oxfordshire. 2

Early History of the Leet family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Leet research. Another 60 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1455, 1487, 1612, 1661, 1665, 1676 and 1683 are included under the topic Early Leet History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Leet Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate spelled their names differently as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Leet have been found, including Leete, Leeth, Leety, Lety and others.

Early Notables of the Leet family

Distinguished members of the family include

William Leete (ca...

Leet Ranking

In the United States, the name Leet is the 17,688^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 3

Leet migration to the United States +

Families began migrating abroad in enormous numbers because of the political and religious discontent in England. Often faced with persecution and starvation in England, the possibilities of the New World attracted many English people. Although the ocean trips took many lives, those who did get to North America were instrumental in building the necessary groundwork for what would become for new powerful nations. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America bore the name Leet, or a variant listed above:

Leet Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Mr. Leet, who arrived in Jamestown, Va in 1624 4
William Leet, who arrived in New England in 1637 4
Samuel Leet, who landed in Maryland in 1664 4
Andrew Leet, who arrived in New England in 1678 4

Leet migration to Australia +

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

Leet Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mary Ann Leet, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Constance" in 1848 5

Leet 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:

Leet Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

George Leet, aged 29, a farm labourer, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Hurunui" in 1877
Jane Leet, aged 29, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Hurunui" in 1877
John Leet, aged 9, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Hurunui" in 1877
Mary Leet, aged 4, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Hurunui" in 1877
Jane Leet, aged 2, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Hurunui" in 1877

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) CONSTANCE - 1848. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1848Constance.htm