Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions About the LeClaire Family
Summary
This page answers the questions most often asked about the LeClaire family: its origins in the Duchy of Lorraine, the earliest surviving record of the name, the strength of the documented evidence behind the lineage, the family's coat of arms, and the relationship between the recorded forms Le Clerc, Leclerc and LeClaire. Each answer links to the fuller treatment held elsewhere in this archive.
Who are the LeClaire family?
The LeClaire family is a documented noble lineage descending from Mengin Le Clerc of Lorraine, first attested in a charter of 1355. The family's name has taken many recorded forms, including Le Clerc, Leclerc, Le Claire and the Germanised Licklär, across six centuries of continuous descent to the present House of Greenland-LeClaire. The full record is set out in the History of the House of LeClaire, and every documented member of the line is listed in People.
Where did the LeClaire family originate?
The LeClaire family originated in the Duchy of Lorraine, on the medieval frontier between the Kingdom of France and the Holy Roman Empire. Its documented history begins with Mengin Le Clerc, and its reconstructed ancestry rises through the ministerial nobility of Lorraine, including the houses of Varize, Rollingen and Mengen. The Duchy's political geography and social order are described fully in the History of the House of LeClaire.
What is the earliest record of the LeClaire family?
The earliest record of the LeClaire family is a Lorraine charter of 1355 naming Moingins dis li Clers, Mengin called the Clerk. This charter is the foundation of the documented Le Clerc line from which the modern LeClaire family descends. Mengin Le Clerc's profile, including this identification, appears in the biography of Mengin Le Clerc, with the wider context in the History of the House of LeClaire.
Is the LeClaire family lineage documented?
Yes, the LeClaire family lineage is documented and evidenced. It rests on parish records, civil registration, notarial acts, land transactions, letters patent and heraldic records assembled across six centuries, graded by evidence level and set out in full on the Sources and Research Methodology page, alongside the narrative account in the History of the House of LeClaire.
What is the LeClaire family coat of arms?
The LeClaire family coat of arms is recorded on the Heraldry page of this archive, together with its blazon, associated crest and motto, and the allied arms borne by the families joined to the House by marriage, such as the Greenland arms. Each entry states the evidence supporting the blazon shown.
What is the connection between LeClaire, Le Clerc and Leclerc?
LeClaire, Le Clerc and Leclerc are recorded forms of a single documented surname, arising from the medieval French clerc, meaning a literate administrator or notary. The name passed from the original Le Clerc of Lorraine through Leclerc and the Germanised Licklär to the modern LeClaire form used by the present House. The full sequence of recorded forms is traced on the Surname Variants page and in the History of the House of LeClaire.
Who is the present head of the House of LeClaire?
Brandon Noble LeClaire is the present head of the House of LeClaire and custodian of this archive. His marriage to Abigail Jane Greenland-Pigott on 22 May 2027 founded the modern House of Greenland-LeClaire. His profile appears in People, and the modern generation is set out in Family Members.
How is the LeClaire family related to the Greenland family?
The LeClaire family is related to the Greenland family through the marriage of Brandon Noble LeClaire to Abigail Jane Greenland-Pigott, whose maternal line descends from Colin Greenland. This union founded the emerging House of Greenland-LeClaire. The Greenland family's own arms and members are described in Heraldry and Family Members.
How does the archive grade the strength of its evidence?
The archive grades every documented assertion on a five-level scale, from primary source and contemporary record through published genealogy to a single named point under active research. This scheme is described in full on the Sources and Research Methodology page.
How can I request a correction to the archive?
Corrections to the archive are received from family members, archivists and researchers and are assessed against the classes of evidence described on the Sources and Research Methodology page before any change is made. Accepted corrections are applied first to the History page and then to every page that depends on it.