Buchan Clan

Buchan Crest: The sun shining upon a sunflower.

Buchan Clan Motto: Non Inferiora Secutus (Following not the inferior).

Buchan Clan History:

The name originates from the old district of Buchan in the North East of Grampian Region. This is an area which stretched from the River Don to the River Deveron, and the earliest record of the name in the vicinity is Ricardus de Buchan, clerk of the Bishopric of Aberdeen (c.1207-08).

This territory was once the fiefdom of the Pictish mormaers of Buchan who emerged in the 12th century as earls of Buchan, a title held by the Comyn family until it was confiscated by Robert the Bruce.  In c.1342, the earldom was conferred on Bruce's great-grandson, Alexander Stewart, better known as the Wolf of Badenoch.  After Alexander's death in 1406, the title reverted to the Crown and was allocated to various Royal relatives in turn until being settled by James III on his half-uncle, James Stewart, second son of Sir James Stewart, "the Black Knight of Lorne," by Joan Beaufort, the King's grandmother. With the death of the 5th Earl of Buchan in 1601, the title passed, in the old Celtic tradition of inheritance, through the female line and it is currently held by the Erskine family.  

The Buchan chief retains the ancient barony of Auchmacoy, near Ellon, in Aberdeenshire. Andrew Buchan of Auchmakwy was among those named on an assize appointed to settle a boundary dispute in 1446, but it was not until 1503 that he received a charter for the lands of Auchmacoy from James IV.     

The Buchan's of Auchmacoy were staunch supporters of the Royal House of Stuart.  When James VIII and II was deposed by William of Orange. Thomas, third son of James Buchan of Auchmacoy, served the exiled King's cause under John Graham of Claverhouse, Viscount Dundee. When Dundee died at the Battle of Killiecrankie in 1689, James appointed Buchan commander-in-chief of all Jacobite forces in Scotland.
In 1690, he attempted to rally those Highland chiefs sympathetic to the Jacobite cause at Keppoch, but found them reluctant to mobilise until the following year. The ensuing confrontations with Government troops under General Hugh Mackay of Scourie were therefore ineffective and led to his exile in France. He was back in Scotland again with the Earl of Mar for the Battle of Sheriffmuir in 1715, still fighting the cause of the exiled British Royal Family. He died in 1721.
In 1830, James Buchan, 14th Baron of Auchmacoy, was recognised by the Lord Lyon as Chief of the Name of Buchan. The title passed through his only daughter to her cousin, Sir Norman Sinclair, 18th Earl of Caithness, who, in 1913, took the surname and arms of Buchan of Auchmacoy.  These passed to his eldest daughter, and in 1949, his grandson, having changed his surname to Buchan, was confirmed as Chief of the Buchans.
Alexander Buchan (1829-1907) was an eminent British meteorologist who established the weather map as the basis for weather forecasting.  The best known Buchan internationally, however, remains John Buchan, 1st Baron Tweedsmuir (1875-1940), a clergyman's son born in Perthshire. He became a British Member of Parliament from 1927 until 1935. and subsequently served as Governor General of Canada.

Places of Interest: Auchmacoy House, near Ellon, Aberdeenshire. 19th Century mansion house built on lands held by the Buchans from the 12th century. The house is still occupied by the family and the Buchan chief owns the Barony. Beldorney Castle, Glass, near Huntly. 16th century castle held briefly by the Buchans in 1777 before selling to the Grants. Cairnbulg Castle, Cairnbulg, near Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire. Imposing 14th century stronghold held by the Buchans during the 1700s. Earl's Mount, Ellon, Aberdeenshire. Site of mediaeval motte where justice was administered by the earls of Buchan. John Buchan Centre, Broughton, Peeblesshire. The author John Buchan spent much of his childhood at Broughton Green, the farm owned by his maternal grandparents. Letham House, near Haddington, Lothian. 17th century house set in 12 acres of beautiful gardens and grounds. Built in 1645 by John Buchan, the Laird of Letham.

Surname distribution: The Buchan name is most commonly found in Moray (formerly Elginshire), which includes large parts of the historic county of Banffshire, Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, which takes in Kincardineshire and part of Banffshire, Dundee City and Angus (Forfarshire).

Clan Buchan membership certificates.