Show ContentsDeacy History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Pictish clans of ancient Scotland were the ancestors of first people to use the name Deacy. The name was found in Angus (in the modern region of Tayside), and claim descent from Gaelic MacDhai, son of David. 1

Early Origins of the Deacy family

The surname Deacy was first found in Angus (Gaelic: Aonghas), part of the Tayside region of northeastern Scotland, and present day Council Area of Angus, formerly known as Forfar or Forfarshire, where they were descended from the Gaelic MacDhai, son of David. From the 13th century onward the name was anglicized MacDavid, Davidson, Deasson and Deas. The branches using Deas and Deasson settled in Angus and in Banffshire at the end of the fifteenth century.

"James Dais is recorded in Dundee, 1611, and Mr. John Daes in Huntliewood, 1638. James Daes was minister of the church of Ersiltoune, 1643. Andrew Daes, stabler, appears in Edinburgh, 1627, and David Daes, tailor there, 1666." 2

Early History of the Deacy family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Deacy research. Another 72 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1611, 1627, 1638, 1677, 1683 and 1804 are included under the topic Early Deacy History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Deacy Spelling Variations

In the Middle ages, spelling and translation were not yet regulated by any general rules. spelling variations in names were common even among members of one family unit. Deacy has appeared Deas, Dease, Deasey, Deasy, Dais, Daes, Deasson, Deason, Dasone and many more.

Early Notables of the Deacy family

More information is included under the topic Early Deacy Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Deacy family to Ireland

Some of the Deacy family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 30 words (2 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Deacy migration to the United States +

Faced by this persecution and the generally unstable political climate of those days, many Scots chose to leave their homeland for Ireland, Australia, and North America in search of greater opportunity and freedom. The colonies across the Atlantic were the most popular choice, but a passage there was neither cheap nor easily suffered. Passengers arrived sick and poor, but those who made it intact often found land and more tolerant societies in which to live. These brave settlers formed the backbone of the burgeoning nations of Canada and the United States. It is only this century that the ancestors of these families have begun to recover their collective identity through the patriotic highland games and Clan societies that have sprung up throughout North America. Research into early immigration and passenger lists revealed many immigrants bearing the name Deacy:

Deacy Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Jeremiah Deacy, who landed in Washington County, Pennsylvania in 1856 3

Contemporary Notables of the name Deacy (post 1700) +

  • John J. Deacy, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Massachusetts, 1944 4


  1. Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
  2. Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
  3. 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)
  4. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 12) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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