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LAY FAMILY
COAT OF ARMS |
Naturally the coat of arms or
family crest should be thought of as art or entertainment and not taken too seriously. The
arms on this page are an attempt to illustrate the descriptions from the Burke's General
Armory and some other sources. Whether or not they can be actually connected to our modern-day
families is in dispute. The original illustration was purchased by me and belongs to
me - copy or vary it as you like.
Suggestions and corrections for the illustrations
and information are welcome
(Donna Hollingsworth Hocking
donna@olivehill.org).
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Family tradition in several families in various parts of the country maintains that the first Lays in the Virginia territory were Jesse, John, and David Lay. They were perhaps brothers and came into Virginia (which encompassed everything west of Jamestown at the time) from Canada. According to the stories, Jesse Duncan (1811-1896) told his family, they were of French Descent and detested the English, and came to Virginia to help the colonists "whip the English".
The origin of the Lay family is believed to be France,
but there is absolutely no proof whatever as to the actual
ancestry of the patriarch Jesse Duncan Lay (1811 - 1896).
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The chance that we are related to the men that
actually bore the Lay crest is almost nonexistent. |
| Click on any image for
a larger view.
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LAY
[England] |
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BLAZON: |
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Or, lion rampant, gules. |
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Shield of gold. Red lion erect. |
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MOTTO: |
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Force avec vertu. |
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Strength with virtue. |
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