Low-lying states in the odd-Z isotopes 221 89 Ac 132 and 225 91 Pa 134 have been studied using α-particle and αγcoincidence spectroscopy in the 225 Pa → 221 Ac → 217 Fr decay chain. Ground-state spin and parity assignments of I π = 5/2 − are proposed for both 221 Ac and 225 Pa, with the odd proton occupying the = 5/2 orbital of the quadrupole-octupole deformed shell model in both nuclei. In 221 Ac, excited states in the bands based on the = 5/2 and = 3/2 orbitals have been identified, including proposed parity-doublet states. The results suggest that reflection-asymmetric deformation of the ground state persists in the odd-A members of the isotope chains down to N = 132 for Ac and N = 134 for Pa, before reaching the transitional region at N = 130.