The family name comes from the Leslie lands of Aberdeenshire and was to become famous in Germany, Poland, France and Russia. A Flemish noble named Bartholf settled in this area and in the 12th century one of his sons obtained a charter for the Barony of Lesly from William the Lion.

Sir Andrew de Lesly was one of the signatories when a letter, the Declaration of Arbroath, was sent to the Pope in 1320 asserting Scotland’s independence. When his son Walter died before gaining a son of his own the Battle of Harlaw resulted in 1411.