MacLeigh family genealogy

A Branch of the "MacNamee" family

John O’Hart

Irish Pedigrees; or the Origin and Stem of the Irish Nation

1892 (5th Edition)

Arms of McLeay: Ar. on a chev. gu. betw. three bucks' heads of the last, armed or, a hawk's head erased of the last betw. two salmon erect ppr. on a chief az. an anchor betw. two garbs or. Crest: A buck's head erased ppr. Motto: Spes anchora vitae.

THIS sirname is derived from the Irish "leigh," a physician, and means "the son of the physician." The name has been modernized McLeigh, McLea,[1] McLeay, McAlea, etc.

The name is found in the counties Down, Tyrone, and also in Derry. In Lanigan we find MacLiag (King Brian Boru's Poet), anglicised McLigh. At the Norman Invasion of Ireland we had an Archbishop of Armagh named Gilla McLiagh, whose name is latinized Gelasius. Of this family is the Rev. Thomas McLeigh, of St. Martin's, Brown County, Ohio, United States, America.

Line of Heremon

Heremon Genealogies

Notes

[1] McLea: This name is believed to be a modern form of McLear, and of McAler. In the graveyard of Lower Langfield, near Drumquin, county Tyrone, are tombstones with the following inscriptions: On one of them—"Here lyeth the body of Edmund McLear who departed this life February 16 ano Dom 1721, aged 68." And on the other tombstone: "Here lyeth the body of Neckel McAler who died the 11 of April ano Dom 1708, aged 22 years."

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