The Clan Leask Society

Origins of the name Leask

A considerable variety of opinions have been put forward regarding the origin of the name of Leask. One old Family Tree traces it down from the Norse God Thor through the Norse Sagas. In Norse it means “a stirring fellow”. Other authorities believe that it comes from the Gaelic, Lasgair, meaning “active” or “brave”.

Professor Keith Leask of Aberdeen University noted the similarity to the name Liscus, a Gallic chief mentioned by Julius Caesar, who opposed the Roman advance in Gaul and later rose to a high rank in the Roman Army. In France, the Counts of Boulogne were the de Lesques and owned the Castle of Boulogne which was one of the greatest castles in France.

The famous Laski family in Poland are also thought to be connected.

In early times, families were often known by the name of the place they came from, hence the belief that the Leask name may have originated from the Aberdeenshire Lands of Leask, Leskgoroune.

The earliest references traced so far to Leasks, appear in a document recording the name of William de Laskereske in 1296, which confirmed his recognition of Edward I (on pain of forfiture of his lands). In ancient documents the name is variously spelled Lesk, Lask, Laysk, and Leisk, as well as Leask, for in these days spelling often depended on how a name was pronounced. At this time few people could read or write, and books were copied by hand, by Monks; it took a whole day to copy one page – this was long before the time of Caxton and his Printing Press which saw for the first time, the mechanical printing of books both quickly and in large numbers.

In 1341-1346 a Charter of Confirmation of the Leask Lands of Leskgoroune was granted by David II, son of Robert the Bruce, to William Lesk, the first Chief of the Leasks in Aberdeenshire, to replace the earlier lost Charters.

The Chapel of Leask dates back to the earliest of times. It is thought that a Colomban Oratory stood on this land about the end of the sixth century. The ruins of the present building, constructed about the thirteenth century, stand on the site of the ancient chapel.

Despite having their own Chapel, it is recorded in the Parish records of the Church at nearby Ellon, that the Leask Chief, his family, and retainers, were regular attenders at St. Marys Church. Thus in 1380 the parish records reveal that William de Laysk, the Elder, Lord of that Ilk, bequeathed ‘one stone of wax from the Lands of Logy, together with twelve pence of silver in order that candles might be burned for ever, for himself and his wives, Alice de Rath and Mariota de Saint Michael, and for the salvation of his sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, on the Sabbath and other feast days, on their tomb’.

Over the years the Lands of Leask steadily expanded beyond the boundaries of Slains Parish, partly by inheritance, partly by exchange of lands, and by purchase. The Estate included the Home Farm, Mains of Leask, Moss Leask, Byreleask, Knapsleask, Nether Leask, Milton of Leask, and Mill of Leask.