At some stage the family name seems to have been changed to DEDNAM. There has been a suggestion that the name originally was DEBENHAM. In some of the Baptism registers in South Africa the name has been spelled DEDNAM, DEDMAN, and DEADMAN. The author of an article entitled 'The Dednams of South Africa' has the spelling DEDNAM.
Later Isaac Debnam married Elizabeth Jane Flinn (not O'Flinn), who, with her parents, had been in George Smith's party of 1820 Settlers on the 'Stentor'. A party of 71 from Lancashire led by Lieutenant George SMITH sailed in the 'Stentor'. In Simon's Bay they were transferred to the 'Weymouth'. Elizabeth's family consisted of: FLINN, Daniel 42, Farmer and army pensioner; w Catherine 42; c Ann 13; John 9.
www.1820settlers.org [McArthur-306 : Ian McArthur - 21 Oct 2016]