Show ContentsLease History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Lease

What does the name Lease mean?

Lease is a name of Anglo-Saxon origin and came from the baptismal name for the son of Levison, which was a form of Lewis. Baptismal names are forms of patronymic surnames, and derive from either the religious or the vernacular given name traditions. In this case, the surname Lease was originally derived from the given name of the father of the bearer.

Early Origins of the Lease family

The surname Lease was first found in Northumberland where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Lease family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Lease research. Another 84 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1332, 1379 and 1524 are included under the topic Early Lease History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Lease 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 Lease have been found, including Leeson, Leason and others.

Early Notables of the Lease family

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

Lease Ranking

In the United States, the name Lease is the 10,744th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1

Migration of the Lease family to Ireland

Some of the Lease family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Lease 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. Among the first immigrants of the name Lease, or a variant listed above to cross the Atlantic and come to North America were :

Lease Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Frederick Lease, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1762 2
  • Henry Lease, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1762 2
Lease Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Theodore Lorenzo Lease, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1854 2
  • Johan Henry Lease, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1860 2

Lease 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:

Lease Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Susan Lease, aged 39, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Bebington" in 1876
  • Jessie Lease, aged 9, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Bebington" in 1876

Contemporary Notables of the name Lease (post 1700) +

  • N. T. Lease, American politician, Mayor of Great Falls, Montana, 1913-15 3
  • John Lease, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Pennsylvania, 1940 3
  • Grace M. Lease, American Republican politician, Member of New York Republican State Committee, 1930 3


The Lease 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: Clarior e tenebris
Motto Translation: The brighter from previous obscurity.


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. 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)
  3. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 15) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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