Show ContentsDeady History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Deady has a rich and ancient history. It is an Anglo-Saxon name that was originally derived from the baptismal name Dade. This Old English personal name was originally derived from the Old English word daed, when translated means a deed or an exploit. Baptismal names began to appear as surnames relatively late in the growth of the naming tradition. This is a little surprising, given the popularity of biblical figures in the Christian countries of Europe. Nevertheless, surnames derived from baptismal names grew in popularity during the Middle Ages, and have become one of the foremost sources for surnames.

Early Origins of the Deady family

The surname Deady was first found in Norfolk where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Deady family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Deady research. Another 49 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1621, 1650, 1658 and 1662 are included under the topic Early Deady History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Deady Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Deady include Dade, Dadey, Dady and others.

Early Notables of the Deady family

Notables of this surname at this time include: Reverend Thomas Dade, Rector of Broadway and Bincombe in Dorset; and Major Francis Dade (1621-1662), also known as John Smith, a Virginia politician and...
Another 32 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Deady Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Deady Ranking

In the United States, the name Deady is the 16,986th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1


United States Deady migration to the United States +

A great wave of immigration to the New World was the result of the enormous political and religious disarray that struck England at that time. Families left for the New World in extremely large numbers. The long journey was the end of many immigrants and many more arrived sick and starving. Still, those who made it were rewarded with an opportunity far greater than they had known at home in England. These emigrant families went on to make significant contributions to these emerging colonies in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants:

Deady Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • David Deady, aged 50, who arrived in Rhode Island in 1812 2
  • Thomas Deady, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1856 2
  • Judge Deady, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1860 2

Canada Deady migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Deady Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • James Deady, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1831
  • Robin Deady, aged 40, a shoemaker, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1834 aboard the brig "Ann & Mary" from Cork, Ireland
  • Eugene Deady, aged 19, a shoemaker, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1834 aboard the brig "Ann & Mary" from Cork, Ireland
  • Mary Deady, aged 20, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1834 aboard the brig "Ann & Mary" from Cork, Ireland

Contemporary Notables of the name Deady (post 1700) +

  • Matthew Paul Deady (1824-1893), American politician and jurist in the Oregon Territory
  • Matthew P. Deady (b. 1824), American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Oregon State Constitutional Convention from Douglas County, 1857 3
  • John A. Deady, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to New York State Constitutional Convention 14th District, 1894 3
  • George M. Deady, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Michigan, 1916 3
  • Catherine D. Deady, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from New Jersey, 1948 3
  • Moira Deady (1922-2010), Irish actress, best known for her starring role as Mary Riordan in The Riordans from 1965 to 1979


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  3. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 12) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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