A Chinese, English and Irish surname with different origins. From the Chinese the name Lee means ‘plum tree.’ During the China’s Tang dynasty it was considered a royal surname. In England, the surname of Lea is another spelling form of Lee. From the Middle English it meant a clearing in the woods and one who lived near it, which was called a laye. Many locations in England has the name of Lee or Leigh. For the Irish, the surname Lee is a form of the ancient Irish name of O'Liathain.

In England and Ireland the Lee surname is very popular as well as in the United States. The southern states of Virginia, Georgia, Alabama, Texas and Louisiana have citizens with the Lee surname as a common name. In China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Korea and numerous Southeast Asian countries the surname of Lee is very frequently used.

There are numerous versions for the Lee surname including Li, Lay, Leagh, Leigh, Leh, Lea, Leese and Leighe.

Famous: Robert E. Lee (Civil War Confederate General), Bruce Lee (actor), Brandon Lee (actor), Sir Christopher Lee (English actor), Richard Henry Lee (18th century U. S. Congress President), Brenda Lee (singer), Sook-Yin Lee (Canadian actor, musician and filmmaker), Peggy Lee (singer), Jim Lee (comic book artist), Harper lee (author) and Derrick Lee (professional baseball player).