The name is derived from the lands that were known as "Lesslyn" in Aberdeenshire.

The term "Grip Fast!" in modern English would translate to "Hold on tightly". Legend states that c.1067, Queen Margret, wife of King Malcolm of Scotland was thrown from a horse during a river crossing and was rescued by her protector, Barthollemew de Lessley. In one variation he drew his sword and held out the handle toward her saying "Grip fast the sword M'lady!" and another has him hanging onto the reins of his horse while he pulls her from the water, and she extolling him to "Grip fast".

The end result of both stories is the queen requested that "Grip Fast" be his family motto from then on. True or not, the motto is still in use almost a thousand years later.

In the lowland areas where the clan originates from, English, or a Scottish dialect of it commonly known as 'Scots', was the common language of the day. Highlanders to the north and west spoke Gaelic, and some in the south-west spoke Cumbrian.

The More, and Abernethy septs' mottos were in Latin, the language of the church.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scots_gaelic

A sept is a family, or armigerous clan that is associated with a recognized clan. Armigerous clans are clans that are not recognized by the Court of Lord Lyon. In most cases these are historical clans who no longer have a recognized clan chief, or have been stripped of their lands and titles for one reason or another. In such cases members of these clans have historically sought protection within another clan. Family links also determine septs. For instance, the Abernethy clan were stripped of land and title by Robert the Bruce, and after marriage of one of the former chief's daughters to a Leslie, the Leslies inherited those lands and titles. Therfore, the Abernethys became a sept of Clan Leslie through both family links and the revocation of the crown's recognition.

Clan Leslie has four septs:

Abernethy

Cairney

Laing

More

There are many spellings of each.

Barthollomew may be considered a sept, but it can be more accurately considered the surname that Leslie was decended from.

There is no legal recognition of septs in Scottish Law. Many clans claim the same families as septs. This is due to clan members joining other clans when theirs lost their leadership, or through marriage.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armigerous_clan

Anyone who is a member of, or decended from the Leslie family, or it's septs, and their family members are eligible for membership.

For more information about eligibility and costs, please see our membership page.

www.clanleslie.com/membership/

Only as far back as you need to show your relation to the clan or it's septs. If your surname (or maiden name) is Leslie, More, Abernethy, Cairny, Lang, or one of the other spellings of these names, you won't have to look far. Adoptees are viewed the same as blood relations, so if you have been adopted into one of these families it makes no difference. You are eligible.

You will find it rewarding though, to search through your family history. These days much geneology research is done online, with companies like Ancestry, and Family Search hosting many original records in their archives.

www.ancestry.ca/

familysearch.org/

There's no shortage of places to order clan items, but you don't get better deals on it like you will get from the Clan Leslie Quartermaster. Availible items can be viewed on the CLSI website.

clanlesliesociety.org/Saleitems.html

Ballinbreich! (Baaal - in - breek)

After the Castle that is unfortunately now in ruin.

www.rampantscotland.com/castles/blcastles_ballinbreich.htm