Contents [hide]

Léger History Etymology Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables World Ranking

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Motto Sources

Léger History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
France
Ireland

Etymology of Léger

What does the name Léger mean?

Léger is a name that was brought to England by the ancestors of the Léger family when they emigrated following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The name Léger comes from St. Leger. "The St. Legers came from Caen in Normandy (Chron. of Battel Abbey, p. 59), and a family tradition asserts that the patriarch, Robert, was not only present at William's invasion in 1066, but actually supported him with his hand as he quitted the ship! There are six places bearing this name mentioned in the Itin. de la Normandie. Its Latinization is De Sancto." 1

Another source notes that it was a "name of a warlike king of the Saxons in the Nibelungen Lied, which occurs in some local names in Anglo-Saxon charters, as Ludegarsttin and Lutegáreshale, which latter Kemble thinks may be Ludgershall, in Wiltshire." 2

Saint Leodegar (or Leger), known as Leodegar of Poitiers (Latin: Leodegarius; French: Léger; c. 615-679) was a martyred Burgundian Bishop of Autun.

Early Origins of the Léger family

The surname Léger was first found in Kent where Robert St. Leger was granted estates at Ulcombe and became Lord of the Manor of Ulcombe. "Ulcombe Place and manor belonged to the family of St. Leger, of whom Sir Robert, of an ancient house in Normandy, is said to have supported the Conqueror with his hand when landing on the Sussex coast. The present edifice, [(church)] which is in the later English style, contains some very old monuments to the St. Legers." 3 He also held estates at Bexhill in Sussex.

Early History of the Léger family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Léger research. Another 220 words (16 lines of text) covering the years 1440, 1441, 1475, 1476, 1483, 1496, 1526, 1535, 1536, 1540, 1544, 1555, 1558, 1559, 1560, 1563, 1571, 1572, 1583, 1584, 1585, 1589, 1596, 1600, 1613, 1618, 1619, 1621, 1627, 1631, 1650, 1665, 1678 and 1767 are included under the topic Early Léger History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Léger Spelling Variations

A multitude of spelling variations characterize Norman surnames. Many variations occurred because Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England also had a pronounced effect, as did the court languages of Latin and French. Therefore, one person was often referred to by several different spellings in a single lifetime. The various spellings include St.Leger, Leger, Legere, Sallinger, Sellinger, St. Ledger and many more.

Early Notables of the Léger family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Sir Thomas St Leger KB (c. 1440-1483) second son of Sir John St Leger (d.1441) of Ulcombe, Kent, and his wife, Margery Donnet. He was executed on 13 November 1483, at Exeter Castle, despite the offer of large sums of money on his behalf. Sir John St Leger (died 1596), of Annery in the parish of Monkleigh, Devon, was an English landowner who served in local and national government. He was the son of Sir George St Leger (c.1475-1536), of Annery, by his wife, Anne Knyvett, daughter of Sir Edmund Knyvett of Buckenham. He...
Another 182 words (13 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Léger Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Léger World Ranking

In the United States, the name Léger is the 3,483^rd most popular surname with an estimated 9,948 people with that name. 4 However, in Canada, the name Léger is ranked the 447^th most popular surname with an estimated 10,623 people with that name. 5 And in Quebec, Canada, the name Léger is the 458^th popular surname. 6 France ranks Léger as 193^rd with 17,322 people. 7

Migration of the Léger family to Ireland

Some of the Léger family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 249 words (18 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Léger migration to the United States +

Many English families left England, to avoid the chaos of their homeland and migrated to the many British colonies abroad. Although the conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and some travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute, once in the colonies, many of the families prospered and made valuable contributions to the cultures of what would become the United States and Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Léger or a variant listed above:

Léger Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

John Leger, who landed in Virginia in 1664 8

Léger Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Joseph Leger, who landed in South Carolina in 1755 8
Francois Leger, who arrived in Connecticut in 1763 8
Angelique Legar, (nee Pinet), aged 44, French settler traveling aboard the ship "Le Bon Papa" arriving in New Orleans, Louisiana on 29th July 1785 8
Mr. Louis Leger, (b. 1766), aged 19, French sailor traveling aboard the ship "Le Bon Papa" arriving in New Orleans, Louisiana on 29th July 1785 9
Mr. Jean Leger, (b. 1770), aged 15, French sailor traveling aboard the ship "Le Bon Papa" arriving in New Orleans, Louisiana on 29th July 1785 9
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Léger Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Jean Leger, who arrived in Louisiana in 1805-1809 8
Urbin Leger, who landed in Mississippi in 1849 8
Jacob Leger, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1866 8

Léger migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Léger Settlers in Canada in the 17th Century

César Léger married in Quebec in 1644
Cesar Leger, son of Jean and Marie, who married Marguerite Bénard, daughter of Denys and Marie, in Quebec on 26th August 1647 10
Maurice Leger, who arrived in Montreal in 1653
Maurice Leger, aged 16, who landed in Montreal in 1653
Morice Leger, who arrived in Montreal in 1653
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Léger Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Pierre Leger, son of Pierre and Marguerite, who married Jeanne Boilard, daughter of Jean and Jeanne, in Quebec on 15th May 1706 10
Pierre Leger, son of Pierre and Louise, who married Anne-Marguerite Fortier, daughter of Étienne and Marguerite, in Quebec on 7th January 1711 10
François Léger married in Port-Royal in 1714
Jacques Leger, son of Jacques and Anne-Madeleine, who married Anne Amirault, daughter of François and Marie, in Port-Royal, Acadia on 12th January 1717 10
Jean Leger, son of François and Anne, who married Marguerite Marchand, daughter of Jacques and Marguerite, in Quebec on 11th December 1726 10
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Léger (post 1700) +

Omer Léger (1931-2023), American-born Canadian merchant and politician, born in Gardner, Massachusetts
Walter “Walt” J. Leger III, American politician, Speaker pro tempore of the Louisiana House of Representatives
Omer Léger (b. 1931), American-born, Canadian merchant and politician
Richard "Dick" Leger (1925-1999), American Square Dance Caller known as the 'Man with the Guitar', inducted into the International Square Dance Hall of Fame in 1978
Gilles Leger (1941-2024), Canadian ice hockey coach, scout, and executive from Cornwall, Ontario
Joseph Ernest Roger Leger (1919-1965), Canadian professional NHL ice hockey player who played 187 games
Nicole Léger (b. 1955), Canadian politician and the Member of the National Assembly of Quebec
Marcel Léger (1930-1993), Canadian politician, supporter of Quebec sovereignty, and founder of the polling firm Leger Marketing
Louis Léger (1843-1923), French writer and pioneer in Slavic studies
Jacques Nicolas Léger (1859-1918), Haitian lawyer, politician, and diplomat
... (Another 10 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

The Léger 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: Haut et bon
Motto Translation: High and good.

Sources +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Charnock, Richard, Stephen, Ludus Patronymicus of The Etymology of Curious Surnames. London: Trubner & Co., 60 Paternoster Row, 1868. Print.
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
"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
http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
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)
7 Ships Arcadian Expedition of 1785. Retrieved 28th September 2021 from http://www.Arcadian-cajun.com/7ships.htm
Internoscia, Arthur E., and Claire Chevrier. Dictionnaire National des Canadiens Français 1608-1760. Vol. 2, Institut Drouin, 1958.