The name in Ireland has several diverse origins, resulting in widely dispersed clusters of the name in South Western, Western (Galway) and North Eastern Counties.[5] One recognized root was the
anglicization of the
Irish surname "Ó Laoidigh" which resulted in a number of variants, such as Lee, Lea, and Maclee.[6] Other Lees have English roots and still others may have derived from the Norman "Du Lea".[citation needed] The 1901 Irish census[7] list 4912 entries primarily in the counties of Galway, Dublin, Cork, Antrim, Limerick and Down.
Norway
Originating from Norway as "Lie", this surname was altered when it arrived in the Americas in the late 1800s to fit the English language's pronunciation.[citation needed]
^Edward Neafsey The Surnames of Ireland: Origins and Numbers of Selected Irish .2002 .. – Page 132 "In the English language, Lee, Lea, Leigh and Ley are names derived from nominative or dative cases of the Anglo-Saxon 'leah'. Originally it meant a wood, glade or clearing ...
^Michael C. O'Laughlin -The Families of County Limerick, Ireland: Over One Thousand ...1997 – Page 93 "Lee is a common name in England, and some of the name are originally from there, Lee is also an old Irish family name, stemming from families of O'Lee and MacLee, This helps to account for the widespread location of the name in Ireland." The name Lee is a very common English, British, and American surname.
^Michael C. O'Laughlin The Book of Irish Families: Great & Small – 2002 reprinted from Michael C. O'Laughlin Families of County Galway, Ireland – 1998 – Page 125 "
Lea,
Maclee,
Macalea, Melee,
O'lee, Families of the surname of "Lee" in Ireland may stem from any one of several origins. Lee is an old Irish family name, stemming from families of
O'Lee and
MacLee. Lee is also a name of English origins ..."
This page lists people with the
surnameLee (English surname). If an
internal link intending to refer to a specific person led you to this page, you may wish to change that
link by adding the person's
given name(s) to the link.