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

France

In France, this family name originated from the

Normans The Normans (Norman language, Norman: ''Normaunds''; ; ) were a population arising in the medieval Duchy of Normandy from the intermingling between Norsemen, Norse Viking settlers and locals of West Francia. The Norse settlements in West Franc ...

, the descendants of Norse

Vikings Vikings were seafaring people originally from Scandinavia (present-day Denmark, Norway, and Sweden), who from the late 8th to the late 11th centuries raided, pirated, traded, and settled throughout parts of Europe.Roesdahl, pp. 9� ...

who migrated to

Amigny Amigny () is a commune in the Manche department in the Normandy region in northwestern France. History When the Vikings raided northern France and their leader Rollo was granted Normandy, several Norwegian settlers came to migrate to Amigny. O ...

, a commune in

Manche Manche (, ; Norman language, Norman: ) is a coastal Departments of France, French ''département'' in Normandy (administrative region), Normandy on the English Channel, which is known as , literally "the sleeve", in French. Manche is bordered by ...

Normandy Normandy (; or ) is a geographical and cultural region in northwestern Europe, roughly coextensive with the historical Duchy of Normandy. Normandy comprises Normandy (administrative region), mainland Normandy (a part of France) and insular N ...

.. The derivation is from the

Old French Old French (, , ; ) was the language spoken in most of the northern half of France approximately between the late 8th

byname An epithet (, ), also a byname, is a descriptive term (word or phrase) commonly accompanying or occurring in place of the name of a real or fictitious person, place, or thing. It is usually literally descriptive, as in Alfred the Great, Suleima ...

used before the Norman Conquest and a personal name in the Middle Ages. Blason Ordre du Temple

Earliest references cite ''Guillaume de Roy'' (William of Roy), who was a

knight A knight is a person granted an honorary title of a knighthood by a head of state (including the pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church, or the country, especially in a military capacity. The concept of a knighthood ...

of the

Knights Templar The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon, mainly known as the Knights Templar, was a Military order (religious society), military order of the Catholic Church, Catholic faith, and one of the most important military ord ...

and one of several knights and feudal lords (

seigneur A seigneur () or lord is an originally feudal title in France before the Revolution, in New France and British North America until 1854, and in the Channel Islands to this day. The seigneur owned a seigneurie, seigneury, or lordship—a form of ...

) of the Roy family in France and Switzerland. Familles roy coatofarms

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

and in the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

, the descendants of the families of Roy, Le Roy that immigrated to North America have been granted a

coat of arms A coat of arms is a heraldry, heraldic communication design, visual design on an escutcheon (heraldry), escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the last two being outer garments), originating in Europe. The coat of arms on an escutcheon f ...

by the

Governor General of Canada The governor general of Canada () is the federal representative of the . The monarch of Canada is also sovereign and head of state of 14 other Commonwealth realms and resides in the United Kingdom. The monarch, on the Advice (constitutional la ...

England

After the Norman Conquest, the victorious Normans and their allies settled England and eventually formed the ruling class of nobles called

Anglo-Normans The Anglo-Normans (, ) were the medieval ruling class in the Kingdom of England following the Norman Conquest. They were primarily a combination of Normans, Bretons, Flemings, French people, Frenchmen, Anglo-Saxons and Celtic Britons. Afte ...

. 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 A viceroy () is an official who reigns over a polity in the name of and as the representative of the monarch of the territory. The term derives from the Latin prefix ''vice-'', meaning "in the place of" and the Anglo-Norman ''roy'' (Old Frenc ...

). This is seen with

patronymic A patronymic, or patronym, is a component of a personal name based on the given name of one's father, grandfather (more specifically an avonymic), or an earlier male ancestor. It is the male equivalent of a matronymic. Patronymics are used, b ...

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". '' Le Roy le veult'' ("The King wills it"), is a Norman French phrase still used in the

Parliament of the United Kingdom The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body of the United Kingdom, and may also legislate for the Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories. It meets at the Palace ...

to this day as

royal assent Royal assent is the method by which a monarch formally approves an act of the legislature, either directly or through an official acting on the monarch's behalf. In some jurisdictions, royal assent is equivalent to promulgation, while in othe ...

. A legacy of a time prior to 1488 when parliamentary and judicial proceedings were conducted in Norman.

Given name

* Leroy (musician), American musician *

Leroy Anderson Leroy Anderson ( ; June 29, 1908 – May 18, 1975) was an American composer of short, Light music, light concert pieces, many of which were introduced by the Boston Pops Orchestra under the direction of Arthur Fiedler. John Williams descri ...

, American composer *

Leroy Baptiste Leroy Baptiste is a Trinidad and Tobago politician representing the United National Congress (UNC). Career Baptiste was president of the Public Service Association (PSA). Following the 2025 Trinidad and Tobago general election, he joined the ...

, Trinidad and Tobago politician * Leroy Brown (athlete), Olympic medal-winning American athlete *

Leroy Brown (wrestler) Roland C. Daniels (November 30, 1950 – September 6, 1988), better known by his ring name "Bad Bad" Leroy Brown, was an American professional wrestler. He took his ring name from the Jim Croce song " Bad, Bad Leroy Brown", which also became hi ...

, 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 Clampitt (born 1992), New Zealand record producer * 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 Leroy Randle "Roy" Grumman (4 January 1895 – 4 October 1982) was an American aeronautical engineer, test pilot, and industrialist. In 1929, he co-founded Grumman Aircraft Engineering Co., later renamed Grumman Aerospace Corporation, and no ...

, 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 Lee Roy Selmon (October 20, 1954 – September 4, 2011) was an American professional football player who was a defensive end for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football as a defensive tackle ...

, 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

*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 Mervyn LeRoy (; October 15, 1900 – September 13, 1987) was an American film director and producer. During the 1930s, he was one of the two great practitioners of economical and effective film directing at Warner Bros., Warner Brothers studios, ...

(1900–1987), American actor and director *

Nolwenn Leroy Nolwenn Le Magueresse (; born 28 September 1982), known by her stage name Nolwenn Leroy (), is a French singer-songwriter and actress. Originally classically trained (violin and opera singing), she rose to fame after winning the second season o ...

(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 Philippe Marie Paul Leroy-Beaulieu (15 October 1930 – 1 June 2024) was a French actor. He appeared in over 150 films between 1960 and 2019, and worked extensively in Italian cinema, as well as in his native country. After an early career as ...

(1930–2024), French actor *

Philippe Leroy (politician) Philippe Leroy (3 February 1940 – 19 August 2019) was a member of the Senate of France from 2001 until 2017, representing the Moselle (department), Moselle department. He was a member of the Union for a Popular Movement. References Page on ...

(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 (INAO) * Robert LeRoy (1885–1946), American tennis player * Roland Leroy (1926–2019), French politician *

Serge Leroy Serge Leroy (14 May 1937 – 27 May 1993) was a French film director and screenwriter. Selected filmography References External links

* 1937 births 1993 deaths Film directors from Paris French male screenwriters 20th-century French ...

(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

*" Bad, Bad Leroy Brown", protagonist of a song by

Jim Croce James Joseph Croce (; January 10, 1943 – September 20, 1973) was an American Folk music, folk and rock singer-songwriter. Between 1966 and 1973, he released five studio albums and numerous singles. During this period, Croce took a series of o ...

*"Leroy Johnson", a character in the film ''Fame'', played by Gene Anthony Ray *"

Bring Back That Leroy Brown ''Sheer Heart Attack'' is the third studio album by the British rock band Queen, released on 8 November 1974 by EMI Records in the United Kingdom and by Elektra Records in the United States. Departing from the progressive themes featured on t ...

", 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 is a Japanese media franchise centered on a series of fighting games developed and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment (formerly Namco). The franchise also includes film and print adaptations. The main games in the series follow the events ...

'' series

References