Leigh
/liː/noun
A given name, surname, or place name traditionally derived from an Old English word for a meadow or woodland clearing.
Did you know?In English place names, Leigh preserves the same ancient landscape element found in names such as Stoneleigh and Hadleigh.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
Proto-Germanic
*lauhaz
“A reconstructed word referring to a clearing or open woodland area.”
Old English
Old English
lēah
“A woodland clearing, meadow, or open place within wooded land.”
Middle English
Middle English
legh
“A clearing or meadow; a spelling form used in developing English place names.”
14th–15th Century
English
ley / leigh
“Variant spellings used in surnames and place names for a meadow or clearing.”
Modern English
English
Leigh
“A surname, given name, and place-name form, usually pronounced like “Lee.””