The ancestors of the Deese family were part of an ancient Scottish tribe called the
Picts. They lived in
Angus (in the modern region of Tayside), and claim descent from Gaelic
MacDhai, son of David.
Early Origins of the Deese family
The surname Deese 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.
Early History of the Deese family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Deese research.
Another 127 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1611, 1627, 1638, 1677, 1683, and 1804 are included under the topic Early Deese History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Deese Spelling Variations
In medieval Scotland, names were more often spelled according to sound than any regular set of rules. An enormous number of
spelling variations were the result. Over the years, the name Deese has been spelled Deas, Dease, Deasey, Deasy, Dais, Daes, Deasson, Deason, Dasone and many more.
Early Notables of the Deese family (pre 1700)
More information is included under the topic Early Deese Notables in all our
PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Deese family to Ireland
Some of the Deese family moved to
Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 96 words (7 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 Deese family to the New World and Oceana
In such difficult times,
Ireland,
Australia, and North America looked like better homes for many Scots. The trips were expensive and grueling, but also rewarding, as the colonies were havens for those unwelcome in the old country. That legacy did not die easily, though, and many were forced to fight for their freedom in the American
War of Independence. The Scottish legacy has resurface in more recent times, though, through
Clan societies, highland games, and other organizations. Immigration and passenger lists have shown many early immigrants bearing the old Scottish name of Deese:
Deese Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
- Carl Deese, aged 60, who landed in America, in 1924
Contemporary Notables of the name Deese (post 1700)
- James Henry Deese (1914-2001), American manager at NASA, Senior Research Administrator for the Future Studies Office at Kennedy Space Center from 1966 to 1973
- Mary Deese (b. 1961), American film and television actress
- Derrick Deese (b. 1970), former American NFL football offensive tackle
- James Earle Deese (1921-1999), American psychologist who developed Deese-Roediger-McDermott (or DRM) paradigm
- Rupert Julian "Rummy" Deese (1924-2010), American ceramic artist