The Lee Family Crest framed artprint - Anglo Saxon origin. Beautifully illustrated. Carefully researched. Uniquely personal.
Whether it’s a gift to celebrate a milestone birthday, a wedding or a housewarming—this piece is an instant heirloom.
The origin of the name Lee and the symbolism of the coat of arms
Versions of the Lee name go back to Anglo-Saxon England and Anglo-Saxon England commonly used lions as symbolic imagery long before the Norman heraldic system of coats of arms was established from the 12th century onward. A 19th-century genealogical account specifically refers to one Efward de Lega, who lived around the time of the Conquest who “appears from his name to have been of Saxon origin” and identifies him as the patriarch of the ancient High Legh family.
The Lee family name derives from the Old English lēah, meaning a woodland clearing or meadow. Families bearing the name were established in parts of England, including Cheshire, before and around the time of the Norman Conquest. Following 1066, these longstanding English families and communities were absorbed into the new Norman feudal system, and the Leghs of Cheshire emerged as a prominent medieval family, establishing themselves as substantial landholders and later bearing the red lion rampant in heraldry.
There is no direct evidence linking the lion to the Lee family during the anglo-saxon period but it can nonetheless not be ruled out. It is clear however that the lion became firmly associated with the Legh family during the medieval period. Evidence at Rostherne Church in Cheshire records a lion rampant carved in the Legh Chapel, while a Legh coat of arms was recorded in the chapel windows beneath a date of 1300. By the 16th century, members of the family were using the lion rampant on their seals, demonstrating that the emblem had become an established part of the Legh identity. The red lion therefore represents a longstanding medieval tradition of the Cheshire Leghs, linking the family to one of England’s oldest heraldic symbols.
Product details
- Ayous wood 0.75″ (1.9 cm) thick frame from renewable forests
- Paper thickness: 10.3 mil (0.26 mm)
- Paper weight: 189 g/m²
- Lightweight & acrylite front protector
- Hanging hardware included
No Warehouses. No Waste. Just for you, made to order
This product is printed especially for you when ordered, one at a time, by royal decree of Mother Nature to keep the realm beautiful. Family Crests Store guarantees your custom treasure meets all EU and USA safety standards.
About the artist
Each coat of arms in the Family Crests Store is an artwork by heraldic artist Éamonn Breathnach. All are carefully researched, drawing from the earliest available records across multiple heraldic archives. Noted for their elegance and attention to detail, these artworks make meaningful gifts for family occasions.
Don’t see your family name?
I’m always happy to add new crests and products to the collection, so please get in touch if you can’t find what you're looking for. ⚜️
