Deffains

Deffains family page

This family came to Jersey in the 19th century, from Brittany, and probably from the Cotes d'Armor department in the north-west of the region. It is still present in the island today.

Adeline Florance Deffains

Record Search

Direct links to lists of baptisms, marriages and burials for the Deffains family can be found under Family Records opposite. If you want to search for records for a spelling variant of Deffains, or for any other family name, just click below on the first letter of the
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Origins of surname

This is a name from the Cotes d'Armor and Ile-et-Vilaine departments of north Brittany. It identifies someone from a locality called Fain or Fains. There is a commune called Fains in Ile-et-Vilaine. The name may also be associated with the old French for fin, meaning 'end' and refer to someone living on or beyond the boundaries of a village.

It could also, it is suggested, be derived from fein, the old French for hay.

Early records

We are not entirely confident in the connection between the Joseph Deffains who is at the head of the first family to settle in Jersey and Joseph Jean Marie Deffains, and his ancestors from Plemy, Cotes d'Armor shown in the tree below, but we think there is a strong likelihood that this is the same family.

Variants

Deffains, the variant common in Jersey
Defains
Defain
Deffain

Family records

Family trees

Pierre Deffains: 18th-20th centuries

Births and baptisms

None of the Deffains children born in Jersey up to 1915 was baptised in an Anglican church

Great War service

Notes on our list, abbreviations used etc

Joseph Deffains (1899- ) (Tr), son of Joseph and Rosalie, Gunner, Royal Field Artillery

Family wills

These wills created by members of the Deffains family are now held by Jersey Archive. By visiting the archive site and using the names, dates and reference numbers shown here, it is possible to view a copy of each will. You will have to subscribe to the Archive's online service to do this. To find out more about this collection, which covers the period from 1663 to 1980, and how to search for your family's wills there, visit our Jersey wills page

Deffains : Joseph Francois , of La Tourelle, Gorey, St Martin - 18/Jun/1951 , 08/Oct/1963 , D/Y/B1/76/21
Deffains : Joseph Marie , Rosary Cottage, St Lawrence - 17/Aug/1935 , 15/Apr/1936 , D/Y/A/98/113
Deffains : Marie Francoise , nee Le Moine, widow of Joseph Francois Deffains, of La Chaumiere, Sion, St John - 14/Dec/1964 , 20/Nov/1965 , D/Y/B1/92/3
Deffains : Peter Paul , of Belle Vue, St Lawrence and formerly of Green Lodge, St Lawrence - 01/Jun/1963 , 12/Oct/1976 , D/Y/B1/247/40
Deffains : Raymonde Beatrice , wife of George Philip Merhet, of The Elms, St Mary - 29/Nov/1978 , 08/Oct/1980 , D/Y/B1/332/10
Deffains : Walter John Noel , of La Pointe, Vinchelez, St Ouen - 08/Mar/1940 , 28/Feb/1963 , D/Y/B1/72/72

Family album

Deffains family: Remy, Alfred, Annmarie, nee Herve, Joseph, Peter, Cyril; Walter, Adeline, Joseph and Anna. AnnMarie had already died when this family portrait was taken and she was added to the picture

Derrien-Deffains wedding
Adeline Florance Deffains
The 1923 wedding of Peter Deffains and Alice
Joseph Francis Deffains farmed at La Tourelle, Faldouet, and advertised his prize bull in the Chronique de Jersey in 1939