Leroy (name)

LeroyPronunciation| /ˈliːrɔɪ/ LEE-roy, /ləˈrɔɪ/ lə-ROY

|

Gender| Male
Origin
Word/name| Old Norman, Old French
Meaning| The King
Region of origin| France, England
Other names
Alternative spelling| Leroi
Variant form(s)| Roy
Related names| Fitzroy, Rey

Leroy, also Leeroy, LeeRoy, Lee Roy, LeRoy, Le Roy or Roy is both a male given name and a surname.

## France

[edit]

Coat of arms of Le Roy, Normandy. Bibliothèque nationale de France.

In France, this family name originated from the Normans, the descendants of Norse Vikings who migrated to Amigny, a commune in Manche, Normandy.[1][2][3][4] The derivation is from the Old French roy, roi (French pronunciation: [ʁwa]), meaning "king", which was a byname used before the Norman Conquest and a personal name in the Middle Ages.[5]

Coat of arms for the Knights Templar.

Earliest references cite Guillaume de Roy (William of Roy), who was a knight of the Knights Templar and one of several knights and feudal lords (seigneur)[6][7][8][9] of the Roy family in France and Switzerland.[10][11][12]

Arms of the Association of Roy Families of America.

In Canada and in the United States, the descendants of the families of Roy, Le Roy that immigrated to North America have been granted a coat of arms by the Governor General of Canada.[13][14][15]

## England

[edit]

"Roy" Edward III, King of England. Bruges Garter Book.

After the Norman Conquest, the victorious Normans and their allies settled England and eventually formed the ruling class of nobles called Anglo-Normans.[16][2] Le Roy, or Le Roi was a family name and also a title that was used by the kings of England & royal administration (such as Norroy and Viceroy).[17][18][19] This is seen with patronymic surnames like Fitzroy, from Fi(t)z, meaning "son of" and Roy, le Roy meaning "king", denoting the name bearer as a "son of the king".[20][21][22]

Le Roy le veult ("The King wills it"), is a Norman French phrase still used in the Parliament of the United Kingdom to this day as royal assent. A legacy of a time prior to 1488 when parliamentary and judicial proceedings were conducted in Norman.[23][24]

## Given name

[edit]

* Leroy (musician), American musician
* Leroy Anderson, American composer
* Leroy Baptiste, Trinidad and Tobago politician
* Leroy Brown (athlete), Olympic medal-winning American athlete
* Leroy Brown (wrestler), a ring name of professional wrestler Roland Daniels
* Leroy "Shaq" Buchanan (born 1997), American basketball player
* Leroy Burrell, American athlete
* Leroy Carr, blues singer and pianist
* Leroy Gordon Cooper, American astronaut
* Leroy DeLeon (1948–2025), Trinidad and Tobago footballer
* Leroy D'Sa (born 1953), Indian badminton player and coach
* LeRoy Edwards, American professional basketball pioneer
* "Baby Face" Leroy Foster, Chicago blues musician
* Leroy George, Dutch footballer
* Leroy Griffiths, professional footballer
* Leroy Grumman, American aircraft designer and industrialist
* LeRoy Hurd, American basketball player
* Leroy Hurte (1915–2011) American musician, businessman
* Leroy Jenkins (jazz musician), jazz musician
* Leroy Jenkins (televangelist), American televangelist
* Leroy Jetta, professional Australian rules footballer
* Leroy S. Johnson, leader of the polygamist denomination of FLDS
* Leroy Lita, Congolese-born English footballer
* Leroy Looper (1924–2011), American community organizer and housing activist in San Francisco
* Leroy Major, Bahamian politician
* Leroy Nash, American criminal
* LeRoy Neiman, American artist
* Leroy Robert "Satchel" Paige, American professional baseball player
* Leroy Parmelee (1907–1981), American baseball player
* Leroy Rosenior, English footballer and coach
* Leroy Sané, German footballer
* Lee Roy Selmon, former NFL football defensive lineman
* Leeroy Stagger, Canadian alternative country singer-songwriter
* Leeroy Thornhill, British electronic music artist
* Leroy Van Dyke, American singer
* Leroy A. Wilson, American businessman
* Leroy Wright, American professional basketball player
* LeeRoy Yarbrough, NASCAR racer

## Surname

[edit]

* Christopher LeRoy

(1988- Present)), Commercial Diver,Philosopher,Explorer.

* Adolphe Leroy, French entrepreneur, co-founder of Leroy Merlin
* Adrian Le Roy (c.1520–1598), French music publisher, lutenist, guitarist, and composer
* Adrien Leroy (born 1981), French chess player and poet
* Ali LeRoi (born 1962), American television producer and writer
* Alphonse Leroy (engraver) (1820–1902), French engraver and photographer
* Alphonse Leroy (physician) (1742–1816), French physician and obstetrician
* Amélie Claire Leroy (1851–1934), English writer, pen-name Esmé Stuart
* André Leroy (1801–1875), French botanist and nurseryman
* Benjamin Leroy (born 1989), French professional footballer
* Benoît Leroy (born 1982), French retired footballer
* Camille Leroy (1892–1952), Belgian racing cyclist
* Catherine Leroy (1945–2006), French war photojournalist
* Charles-Georges Le Roy (1723–1789), French man of letters
* Claire Leroy (born 1980), French sailor
* Claude Le Roy (born 1948), French football manager and former player
* David H. Leroy (born 1947), American lawyer and politician
* Dominique Leroy (born 1964), Belgian businesswoman
* Edouard Le Roy (1870–1954), French philosopher
* Edward Webster Le Roy (1874–1940), American politician and newspaper editor
* Emarlos Leroy (born 1975), American former professional footballer
* Eugène Le Roy (1836–1907), French novelist
* Félix Morisseau-Leroy (1912–1998), Haitian writer
* Henri Leroy (1887–1960), Belgian footballer
* James Leroy (1947–1979), Canadian singer-songwriter
* Jean-François Leroy (1729–1791), French architect
* Jennifer LeRoy (born 1974), American model and actress
* Jérôme Leroy (composer) (born 1981), French composer
* Jérôme Leroy (footballer) (born 1974), French footballer
* Jim LeRoy (1961–2007), American aerobatics pilot
* José Leroy (born 1957), French boxer
* Jules Leroy (1903–1979), French priest and researcher
* Julien Le Roy (1686–1759), French clockmaker and watchmaker
* Julien-David Le Roy (1724–1803), French architect and archaeologist, son of Julien
* Kitty Leroy (c.1850–1877), American dancer, gambler, saloon owner
* Lalou Bize-Leroy (born 1932), French businesswoman and winery owner
* Laurent Leroy (born 1976), French former professional footballer
* Léo Leroy (born 2000), French professional footballer
* Louis Leroy (1812–1885), French 19th-century printmaker, painter, playwright
* Margaret Leroy, British romantic novelist
* Marie-Colline Leroy (born 1984), Belgian politician
* Maxime Leroy (1873–1957), French jurist and social historian
* Mehdi Leroy (born 1978), French former professional footballer
* Mervyn LeRoy (1900–1987), American actor and director
* Nolwenn Leroy (born 1982), French singer-songwriter
* Oswald Leroy (1936–2022), Belgian mathematician, acousto-optics theorist
* Paul Leroy (1860–1942), French painter noted for Orientalist works
* Paul Leroy (archer) (1884–1949), French archer, Olympic medalist
* Philippe Leroy (1930–2024), French actor
* Philippe Leroy (politician) (1940–2019), former member of the Senate of France
* Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu (born 1963), French actress
* Pierre Le Roy (1717–1785), French clockmaker, son of Julien
* Pierre Le Roy de Boiseaumarié (1890–1967), French co-founder of the Institut National des Appellations d'Origine (INAO)
* Robert LeRoy (1885–1946), American tennis player
* Roland Leroy (1926–2019), French politician
* Serge Leroy (1937–1993), French film director and screenwriter
* William Leroy, American reality television personality, actor, businessman
* William E. Le Roy (1818–1888), United States Navy admiral
* Xavier Leroy (born 1968), French computer scientist and programmer

## Fictional characters

[edit]

* "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown", protagonist of a song by Jim Croce
* "Leroy Johnson", a character in the film Fame, played by Gene Anthony Ray
* "Bring Back That Leroy Brown", subject of a song by Queen
* Leroy Encyclopedia Brown, the titular protagonist of the Encyclopedia Brown children's novels
* Leroy (Lilo & Stitch), also known as Experiment 629, a character introduced in Leroy & Stitch
* Leroy (South Park), a South Park character
* Leroy Jethro Gibbs, a fictional character in the NCIS TV series
* Leeroy Jenkins, World of Warcraft character
* The fictional Leroy family in the TV show Corner Gas:
* Brent Herbert Leroy, one of the main characters in Corner Gas, played by Brent Butt
* Emma Leroy, one of the main characters in Corner Gas, played by Janet Wright
* Oscar Leroy, one of the main characters in Corner Gas, played by Eric Peterson
* Leroy, a junkyard dog in the DIC show, The Catillac Cats.
* Leroy Smith, a character from Tekken series

## See also

[edit]

* Leroi, given name and surname
* Roy

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Du Cluzel de Remaurin, Chevalier. (1863). "Généalogie de la noble et ancienne maison des Le Roy". Bibliothèque nationale de France, département Philosophie, histoire, sciences de l'homme. Retrieved 30 May 2023. "Ecrit indifféremment dans quelques actes: Roi, Le Roi, De Roy et Le Roy." "D'origine normande, la noble maison des LE ROY 1, divisée en quatre principales bran-ches, dont nous donnons ici la généalogie, remonte à la plus haute antiquité, c'est-à-dire à ces fiers enfants du Nord (Nort-mans) qui, du fond de la Norwège 2, sous la conduite des Hadding, des Gerlon, des Héric et autres chefs non moins inhumains et farouches, inon-dèrent la Gaule au septième siècle, et ne laissèrent rien d'entier sur leur passage que les traces sanglantes de leur barbarie, la désolation et des' ruines, assiégèrent trois fois Paris et en effrayèrent si fort les habitants..." "GUILLAUME LE ROY, — alias DE ROY, — écuyér, chevalier du Temple..." "D'origine chevaleresque, la maison des LE ROY a donné à l'armée une longue série d'officiers distingués de tous grades, soit dans l'infanterie, la cavalerie, la maison du roi et rartillerie ; elle a eu deux chevaliers de l'ordre du Roi et plusieurs chevaliers de l'ordre royal et militaire de Saint-Louis, des chambellans, des sénéchaux, des gouverneurs, des magistrats intègres dans les baillages et les cours souveraines, et enfin des conseillers du roi et des trésoriers de ses épargnes..." "les LE ROY ont été maintenus dans leur noblesse, en outre de l'arrêt de la Cour des aides de Normandie de 1494, cité plus haut, par des sen-tences, des années 1546, 1637 et 1671 ; et après avoir fourni par devant d'Hozier, juge d'armes de France, les preuves irréfragables de leur noblesse..."
2. ^ a b Patrick Hankes (2003). Dictionary of American Family Names. Vol. 1\. Oxford University Press. p. xcvii. ISBN 0-19-508137-4. "Roy: English (of Norman origin): from Old French roi 'king' used as a nickname (see 3 below) and also as a personal name." "French: from Old French rey roy 'king'. Compare Deroy and Leroy."".
3. ^ "Leroy". Dictionary of American family names. Retrieved 22 May 2023. "French: from Old French rey, roy 'king' (from Latin rex, genitive regis) (see Roy.), with the definite article le... King: The word was already used as a byname before the Norman Conquest, and the nickname was common in the Middle Ages...French LEROY."
4. ^ Du Cluzel de Remaurin, Chevalier. Lithographique de Jean Baptiste Joseph Constant, Graveur (1863). "Armorial de la maison Le Roy". Bibliothèque nationale de France, département Philosophie, histoire, sciences de l'homme. Retrieved 15 July 2023. "Le Roy Normandie."`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
5. ^ Anselme de Sainte-Marie (1733). "Histoire généalogique et chronologique de la maison royale de France, des pairs, grands officiers de la couronne & de la maison du Roy, & des anciens barons du royaume". Compagnie des Libraires, Paris. Retrieved 15 July 2023. "Genealogie De La Maison De Le Roy...Guillaume le Roy III, du nom, seigneur de Chavigny, du Chillou...Femme, Françoise de Fontenays...1.René le Roi, seigneur de Chavigny, qui fuit...2.Guyon le Roy, seigneur du Chillou & de Mondon..."
6. ^ "François Le Roy, chevalier de l'ordre du Roi". France Archives (Portail National Des Archives). Retrieved 14 July 2023. "François Le Roy, chevalier de l'ordre du Roi, capitaine des Cent gentilshommes de sa maison, conseiller du Roi au conseil privé, comte de Clinchamp et de Chavigny et Antoinette de La Tour, dame de Vaurineux, sa femme : testament...."
7. ^ "Armorial du Saint-Esprit : Seigneur François Le Roy". Bibliothèque nationale de France. Département des Manuscrits. Retrieved 14 July 2023. "Recueil de tous les chevaliers de l'ordre du Saint Esprit, depuis l'institution jusques en la presente année mil six cens trente un, avec les armoiries... le tout recueilly et mis en ordre par le Sr DE VALLES, de la ville de Chartres, en Beauce. A Paris."
8. ^ "Domaine de La Grange-le-Roi (Grisy-Suisnes)". France Archives (Portail National Des Archives) - Archives départementales de Seine-et-Marne. 2020. Retrieved 4 February 2025. "Les historiens et chercheurs sont revenus de la théorie du XIXe siècle attribuant la fondation du château de la Grange à François Ier. L'appellation « Le-Roy », ou plus tardivement « le-Roi », ne découle en effet d'aucune intervention du roi ou quelconque appartenance au domaine royal. Elle résulte plutôt de l'acquisition du domaine par Jacques Le Roy, mis en possession du château et de la seigneurie de la Grange les 8 et 21 octobre 1579. Le village de la Grange, composé d'habitants travaillant presque tous pour le château, est érigé en paroisse en 1580. Le 7 novembre 1581, Jacques de Camprémy, un des successeurs des Le Picart à Grisy, vend la terre et seigneurie éponyme à Jacques Le Roy. Ce dernier obtient du pouvoir royal la haute justice sur Grisy et ses dépendances, qui restent entre les mains des propriétaires du château de la Grange jusqu'à la Révolution française et l'abolition des privilèges."Jacques Le Roy est un personnage de premier plan dans l'entourage d'Henri IV. Conseiller du roi, il est aussi Grand Louvetier de France (1582-1601), trésorier de l'Épargne (1580-1588) et surintendant des Bâtiments à Fontainebleau. Il occupe également la charge de lieutenant du gouverneur de Melun en 1590 avant de devenir lui-même gouverneur de la place l'année suivante. En 1594, il achète au roi le comté de Melun. La famille Le Roy pourvoit ses membres de nombreux bénéfices ecclésiastiques dans les environs, comme au monastère d'Hermières en Brie, à l'abbaye des Bénédictins de Melun ou à l'abbaye de Quincy. Un des fils de Jacques Le Roy, François Le Roy, hérite de son titre de seigneur de la Grange-le-Roy en 1608."
9. ^ "Congrès archéologique de France : séances générales tenues ... par la Société française pour la conservation des monuments historiques". Société française d'archéologie. 1997. Retrieved 23 August 2023. "Du château fort au château neuf Modeste fief de Lerné, la terre de Chavigny, qui relevait du château de Loudun et qui est érigée en châtellenie en 1518, appartenait dès le XIV e siècle â la famille Le Roy. Le 19 juillet 1432, Guillaume Le Roy obtient l'autorisation de fortifier son manoir, qui présente bientôt « fossés, tour, pont-levis, barbacane, mâchicoulis et autres rempare-ments » (5). En 1543, François Le Roy (1519-1606), capitaine d'une compagnie d'archers qui combat en Piémont sous les ordres du maréchal de Brissac, modernise le château familial en bâtissant un corps de galeries (6)."
10. ^ Alain Demurger (2019). The Persecution of the Knights Templar: Scandal, Torture, Trial. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 978-1-64313-089-7. Retrieved 12 July 2023. "Seven of these nine Templars are also on the list of brothers who came from Gisors on 26 February 1310: Henri Zappellans or Chapelain, Anceau de Rocheria, Enard de Valdencia, Guillaume de Roy, Geoffroy de Cera or de La Fere-en-Champagne, Robert Harle or de Hermenonville, and Dreux de Chevru; the two others, Robert de Mortefontaine and Robert de Monts-de-Soissons, perhaps appear under different names. We don't know the reasons why those nine Templars were not taken back to Gisors. They are catalogued as 'non-reconciled': that is, they had not been absolved and reconciled with the Church by a diocesan commission. They attended neither the Council of Sens nor that of Reims in May 1310. They were from different dioceses: Toul, Sens, Chalons-en-Champagne, Treves but also Soissons (Guillaume de Roy), Laon (Geoffroy de La Fere) and Senlis (Robert Harle)."
11. ^ Société académique de Laon (1864). "Bulletin de la Société académique de Laon". Bibliothèque nationale de France. Retrieved 12 July 2023. "Procès des Templiers" "Nicolas de Celles; Gauthier de Villesavoye; Etienne de Compiègne; Robert de Montreuil-aux-Lions, pètre; Guillaume de Roy; Geoffroy de Cère; Eloi de Pavant; Raoul et Pierre de Compiègne, Pierre d'Anizy défendront tous l'Ordre."
12. ^ De Philippe Antoine Grouvelle (1805). "Les Templiers". Mémoires historiques sur les Templiers, ou Éclaircissemens nouveaux sur leur histoire, leur procès, les accusations intentées contr'eux, et les causes secrètes de leur ruine. Retrieved 12 July 2023. "Noms des Frères rassemblés le 28 mars 1310, devant les Commissaires charges par le Pape de l'Enquête sur les griefs imputés à l'Ordre du Temple en général... 184. Guillaume De Roy"
13. ^ "Association des familles Roy d'Amérique". Governor General of Canada. Register of Arms, Flags, and Badges of Canada. 1997. Retrieved 5 August 2023. "Grant of Arms, September 14, 1997, Vol. III, p. 195. Arms of the Association des familles Roy d'Amérique Blazon Azure upon a base barry-wavy Argent and Azure a 17th century French ship Or sails and flags Argent in chief a man's and a woman's hands clasped Argent the whole between two ears of wheat totaling forty-two grains Or; Crest Blazon A compass rose Argent; Motto Blazon JOIE • FRATERNITÉ • RESPECT, meaning "Joy • Brotherhood • Respect"; Background Canada Gazette Information The announcement of the letters patent was made on November 22, 1997 in Volume 131, page 3591 of the Canada Gazette."
14. ^ "Tristan Roy". Governor General of Canada. Register of Arms, Flags, and Badges of Canada. 2013. Retrieved 12 August 2023. "Mont Royal, Quebec Grant of Arms, with differences to Ariël Thériault-Roy and Lancelot Thériault-Roy August 15, 2013 Vol. VI, p. 254. The blue from the arms of the kings of France symbolizes Mr. Roy's surname ("king" in English). The colour also appears on the flag of the Carignan-Salières Regiment, with which his ancestor, Antoine Roy, served upon arriving in New France in 1665. The ship and waves are taken from the arms of the Association des familles Roy d'Amérique. The compass rose is taken from the arms of the Association des familles Roy d'Amérique and symbolizes exploration and astronomy, two of Mr. Roy's passions. The fleurs-de-lis, symbols of the kings of France, refer to his surname and French roots."
15. ^ "Plaque de Nicolas Leroy et Jeanne Lelièvre. Vue avant". Gouvernement du Québec, Culture et Communications. 2000. Retrieved 24 August 2023. "Association des familles Roy d'Amérique... Texte de la plaque...Hommage à une famille pionnière...Nicolas Leroy et Jeanne Lelièvre arrivés en Nouvelle-France en 1661, de Dieppe, Normandie, établis en la seigneurie de La Durantaye en 1676, et dont plusieurs enfants ont vécu à Saint-Vallier...Dévoilement fait en l'an 2000, à la veille du 325e anniversaire de leur établissement sur la Rive sud."
16. ^ "Anglo-Norman". Collins English Dictionary. Retrieved 17 September 2024. "Anglo-Norman in British English history adjective 1. relating to the Norman conquerors of England, their society, or their language noun 2. a Norman inhabitant of England after 1066 3. the Anglo-French language"
17. ^ "Les roys de Engeltere: An illustrated genealogy for King Edward I (Cotton MS Vitellius A XIII/1)". Les roys de Engeltere. 1272–1307. Retrieved 17 September 2024. "The series of images of English kings from Edward the Confessor to Edward I in London, British Library, Cotton MS Vitellius A. XIII/1 is widely familiar from television, textbooks, websites, and exhibitions. In spite of this, the origins and context of this set of four leaves are mysterious. The limited attention given to them has focused on the images rather than the Anglo-Norman captions attached to them, which forms a genealogy of the kings, derived from earlier sources. "Sir Lowys fiz le Roy Phylippe de Fraunce en Engletere. Le Roy Jon regna .xvii. aunz e demy..." "Sir Louis, the son of Philip king of France, came into England.... King John reigned for seventeen and a half years...""
18. ^ "Norroy". Collins English Dictionary. Retrieved 2 July 2023. "Word origin C15: Old French nor north + roy king"
19. ^ Burke, Bernard, Sir (1884). "The general armory of England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales; comprising a registry of armorial bearings from the earliest to the present time". London : Harrison & sons (Internet Archive). Retrieved 2 July 2023. ""Norroy King of Arms", the most ancient of the heraldic sovereigns in England possesses as his province, England north of the Trent. He is the North King — "Norroy." The English Heralds bear the designation of "Windsor", "Chester", "Somerset", "Lancaster", "York" and "Richmond" the Pursuivants, are known by the names of "Rouge Dragon", "Rouge Croix", "Bluemantle" and "Portcullis." The date of the creation of the historic and dignified office of Garter King of Arms may be fixed with certainty to have been between May and September, 1417. The first Garter was William Bruges, originally styled "Guyenne King of Arms" and subsequently "Garteir Roy d'Armes des Anglois." By the constitution of King Henry VIII., it was provided that Garter should be Sovereign within the College of Arms above all the other officers..."`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
20. ^ "Fitzroy". Dictionary of American family names. Retrieved 30 May 2023. "Irish: Anglo-Norman French patronymic from fi(t)z 'son' (see Fitz) + Roy 'king son of the king'. It is usually taken to imply that the original bearer was a bastard son of the king..."
21. ^ Bruges, William (1430–1440). "Stowe MS 594". William Bruges’ Garter Book. Archived from the original on 9 January 2020. Retrieved 28 May 2023. "Languages: Anglo-Norman"
22. ^ Bruges, William (1430–1440). "Roy Edward (Edward III) manuscript". William Bruges’ Garter Book. Archived from the original on 28 May 2023. Retrieved 28 May 2023. "Edward III and Henry, Duke of Lancaster, of the Order of the Garter."
23. ^ Roemer, Jean (1888). "Le roy". Origins of the English People and the English Languages. Retrieved 23 May 2023. "...the kings of England have retained the custom of using the Old Norman language when they give the royal assent... as: Le roy le veult;"
24. ^ "House of Commons Procedure and Practice Second Edition, 2009". House of Commons Canada. 2009. Retrieved 30 May 2023. "He did so using the formulas le roy le veult to signify assent and le roy s'avisera to withhold it. Until the latter part of the reign of Edward III (1327‑77), all parliamentary proceedings were conducted in Norman French. The use of English was extremely rare until the reign of Henry IV (1399‑1413). Beginning with the reign of Henry VII (1485‑1509), English was used for all proceedings, with the exception of the Royal Assent, which was always expressed in French"

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