Show ContentsAdeane History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

This Irish family claim descent from the Tribes of Galway, and was a native family that when the name is Anglicized from Gaelic, it becomes Dean(e) or a family that came from England to the Emerald Isle.

Early Origins of the Adeane family

The surname Adeane was first found in Galway (Irish: Gaillimh) part of the province of Connacht, located on the west coast of the Island, and Mayo. According to Hardiman, the name came from England when William Den of Bristol arrived in Galway.

But we defer to MacLysaght, who notes the family claim descent as "one of the 'Tribes of Galway', and was originally le Den. Another family of Ormond was de Denne. Some Tipperary families are Ó Déagháin; while those of Ulster are Mac an Deagánaigh. " 1

Early History of the Adeane family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Adeane research. Another 113 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1350, 1400, 1509, 1547, 1610, 1628, 1653, 1659, 1674, 1708 and 1715 are included under the topic Early Adeane History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Adeane Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Dean, Deane, Dene, Deans, Deanes, Denes, Adeane and others.

Early Notables of the Adeane family

Distinguished members of the family include Joseph Deane PC (1674-1715), an Irish politician and judge, Chief Baron of the Irish Exchequer; Henry Deane, Archbishop of Canterbury and Lord High Chancellor of England during...
Another 32 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Adeane Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Adeane family to Ireland

Some of the Adeane family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 39 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Adeane family

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: Stephen Deane who arrived on the 'Fortune', just one year after the arrival of the "Mayflower" in 1621. He built the first corn mill in New England. John Deane, his brother Walter and their wives arrived in New England in 1635.


Contemporary Notables of the name Adeane (post 1700) +

  • Tony Adeane (1952-2024), New Zealand lawyer and judge
  • Henry John Adeane (1789-1847), English politician, Member of the Parliament Cambridgeshire 1830 to 1832
  • Lieutenant-Colonel Michael Edward Adeane GCB, GCVO, PC (1910-1984), Baron Adeane, Private Secretary to Queen Elizabeth II (1953-1972)
  • James Whorwood Adeane (1740-1802), English politician, Member of Parliament for Cambridgeshire (1789-1802)
  • George Edward Adeane CVO (1939-2015), Private Secretary to the Prince of Wales 1979 to 1985
  • Charles Robert Whorwood Adeane CB, JP (1863-1943), British soldier, Lord Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire (1915-1943), President of the Royal Agricultural Society in 1917


The Adeane Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Forti et fideli nihil difficile
Motto Translation: To the brave and faithful man nothing is difficult.


  1. MacLysaght, Edward, More Irish Families. Dublin: Irish Academic Press, 1982. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-0126-0)


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