The Deans Family

The Deans name and lineage are alive and well in 2020s, John Deans and his wife Margaret Stout have 3 male children John, Gordon and James who in turn have 3 male children Kevin, John and Joseph. As of 2022 Conal and Johnny are the youngest male members of the Deans family.

The Deans family are predominantly from East Lothian, specifically Whitkirk, Humbie, Dunbar and Dirleton. Compared with the information available on the Stout family the Deans data is sparse. The land owners of Fair Isle kept meticulous records. With Fair Isle’s size and low population, it was possible to track the entire population of the island.

Kathreen’s research and documentation get as far back as 1856. Often the name Deans was recorded as Dean or Deanis on Birth, Death, Marriage and Census records.

The oldest Deans found with any supporting documentation is David Deans born in Dunbar in 1674.

David marries Christian Maltman in 1698. Their Marriage certificate states that Davids’s father was James Deans and his Mother was Margaret Laurie. His occupation is ‘Agricultural Labourer’. The only other record related to David Deans is the birth of his son Robert Deans.

All that is known about Robert is taken from his son William Deans’ birth certificate. Robert was married to Margaret Denaval. He was born in 1703 in Inneerwick his wife Margaret was born in 1712.

William Deans were born in 1728 in Dunbar. He married Mary Foord in 1757 in Dunbar.

Their son Robert Deans is born in 1760. William died in 1786 in Dunbar, he worked as an agricultural labourer his whole life.

Robert Deans is the first found that has more than one child. No marriage certificate could be found but the mother of all 6 of thor children was Janet Hope born in 1757.

Their children are

1785 – William Deans

1787 – John Deans

1789 - Alison Deans

1792 – Janet Deans

1799 – Robert Deans

1801 - Mary Deans

No death record was found for Robert, his wife Janet died in 1837.

John Deans was born 1787 in Dunbar, he married Alison Yorkstone in 1805 and they had 6 children.

1807 - Alison Deans

1807 – Robert Deans

1814 – Jennet Deans

1815 - Thomas Deans

1817 – Anne Deans

1825 - Charles Deans

1829 - Hugh Deans

John Deans dies in 1841

Charles Deans is born in 1825 in Whitekirk East Lothian. Charles married Jessie Allan in 1849. They have 7 children.

1849 – Peter Deans

1850 – John Deans

1852 – Margaret Deans

1856 - James Allan Deans

1859 – Alice Deans

1864 – Charles Deans

1865 - Jessie Deans

Charles and his family are the first of the Deans family to appear on a national census.

1851 living at 3 Carnegie Street, Edinburgh. Working as a shop porter.

1861 living at 270 North Side Cowgate, Edinburgh. Working as a shop porter.

1871 living at 60 Buccleuch St, Edinburgh. Working as an upholsterer.

1881 living at 352 Castle Hill Boswells Close, Edinburgh. Working as an upholsterer.

1901 living at 17a Fettes Row, Edinburgh. Occupation - retired.

Charles dies in St Bernards Place Leith in 1903.