Robert Edward Lee a oa bet ganet e Stratford Hall Plantation er Westmoreland County, e Virginia. An tad a oa ar Major jeneral Henry Lee III (Light Horse Harry) (1756–1818), Gouarnour Virginia, ar vamm a oa eil gwreg ar jeneral, Anne Hill Carter (1773–1829). Deiziad ar ganedigezh a vez lakaet dan 19 a viz Genver 1807. En gwirionez, hervez an istorourez Elizabeth Brown Pryor, Lees writings indicate he may have been born the previous year. (Skridoù Lee a lak war-raok e vefe bet ganet bloaz a-raok).