Origins of the Clan

The Clan names derives from the district of Buchan

Buchan

Buchan is one of the six committee areas and administrative areas of Aberdeenshire Council, Scotland. These areas were created by the council in 1996, when the Aberdeenshire unitary council area was created under the Local Government etc Act 1994...

. This in turn may have taken its name from ‘bwch’, a word meaning cow in the Brythonic language.
The first recorded Buchan was Ricardus de Buchan, clerk of the bishopric

Diocese

A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...

 of Aberdeen

Aberdeen

Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....

 around 1207 and in 1281 William de Buchan is recorded as holding land. Sir Thomas of Boghan of Edinburgh is documented in the Ragman Rolls

Ragman Rolls

Ragman Rolls refers to the collection of instruments by which the nobility and gentry of Scotland subscribed allegiance to King Edward I of England, during the time between the Conference of Norham in May 1291 and the final award in favor of Baliol in November 1292; and again in 1296...

 as rendering homage to Edward I of England

Edward I of England

Edward I , also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England from 1272 to 1307. The first son of Henry III, Edward was involved early in the political intrigues of his father's reign, which included an outright rebellion by the English barons...

 in 1296. His seal depicted an eight-rayed figure from which the current crest may have derived.

15th and 16th Centuries

It is not certain when the lands of Auchmacoy were gained, but Andrew Buchan of Auchmacwy (now generally considered the first chief of the clan) was one of the assize appointed to settle the lands of St Peter’s Hospital in 1446.

The lands of Auchmacoy and Oykthorn were granted by charter to Andrew’s eldest son, also Andrew, by James IV of Scotland

James IV of Scotland

James IV was King of Scots from 11 June 1488 to his death. He is generally regarded as the most successful of the Stewart monarchs of Scotland, but his reign ended with the disastrous defeat at the Battle of Flodden Field, where he became the last monarch from not only Scotland, but also from all...

 in 1503 but it seems the land may have been in the family’s hands since the beginning of the 14th century.

In 1598 the lands were erected into a Barony.

17th century and Civil War

Throughout the 17th century the Barons of Auchmacoy supported the House of Stewart. Thomas, 3rd son of the 8th chief, James Buchan, was a professional soldier who fought in both France

France

The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

 and Holland.

In 1686 he was commissioned as colonel

Colonel

Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...

 in the Earl of Mar

Earl of Mar

The Mormaer or Earl of Mar is a title that has been created seven times, all in the Peerage of Scotland. The first creation of the earldom was originally the provincial ruler of the province of Mar in north-eastern Scotland...

’s regiment by James VII

James II of England

James II & VII was King of England and King of Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...

. Ever loyal to his king he joined John Graham of Claverhouse, ‘Bonnie Dundee’ when the king was deposed in favour of William III of Orange

William III of England

William III & II was a sovereign Prince of Orange of the House of Orange-Nassau by birth. From 1672 he governed as Stadtholder William III of Orange over Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel of the Dutch Republic. From 1689 he reigned as William III over England and Ireland...

.

Following Dundee’s death at the Battle of Killiecrankie

Battle of Killiecrankie

-References:*Reid, Stuart, The Battle of Kiellliecrankkie -External links:* *...

 in 1689, Thomas Buchan was appointed commander-in-chief of the Jacobite

Jacobitism

Jacobitism was the political movement in Britain dedicated to the restoration of the Stuart kings to the thrones of England, Scotland, later the Kingdom of Great Britain, and the Kingdom of Ireland...

 forces in Scotland.

In 1690 General Buchan was taken by surprise at the Battle of Cromdale

Battle of Cromdale

The Battle of Cromdale took place at the Haugh of Cromdale near Cromdale in Speyside on April 30 and May 1, 1690.-Background:After their defeat at the Battle of Dunkeld in 1689, the Highland clans had returned to their homes in low spirits. Sir Ewen Cameron assumed control over the army's remnant...

 and the rebellion was effectively ended. Buchan was allowed to go into exile on France.

18th century and Jacobite Uprisings

However General Buchan fought again at the Battle of Sheriffmuir

Battle of Sheriffmuir

The Battle of Sheriffmuir was an engagement in 1715 at the height of the Jacobite rebellion in England and Scotland.-History:John Erskine, 6th Earl of Mar, standard-bearer for the Jacobite cause in Scotland, mustered Highland chiefs, and on 6 September declared James Francis Edward Stuart as King...

 in 1715. He died in 1721, still in communication with the exiled royals.

Ironically, another line, Buchan of Cairnbulg were descendants of John, younger brother to General Thomas Buchan who served in the army of William of Orange against James II. The Jacobite/Williamite schism was resolved when Thomas Buchan, 12th of Auchmacoy, married Nicola, heiress of Buchan of Cairnbulg.

Modern history

James Buchan, fourteenth of Auchmacoy, was recognised as chief of the name in April 1830 by Lord Lyon, King of Arms. Upon his death the title passed to Louisa, his daughter, who died without issue in 1910. The title then passed to her cousin, Sir Norman MacLeod Sinclair, 18th Earl of Caithness

Earl of Caithness

Earl of Caithness is a title that has been created several times in the Peerage of Scotland, and has a very complex history. Its first grant, in the modern sense as to have been counted in strict lists of peerages, is now generally held to have taken place in favor of Maol Íosa V, Earl of...

. In 1913 he petitioned the Lord Lyon, taking the surname and arms of Buchan of Auchmacoy. His daughter, Lady Olivia Buchan, was the mother of the present Chief.

Perhaps the most famous Buchan was John Buchan, 1st Baron Tweedsmuir

John Buchan, 1st Baron Tweedsmuir

John Buchan, 1st Baron Tweedsmuir was a Scottish novelist, historian and Unionist politician who served as Governor General of Canada, the 15th since Canadian Confederation....

, author of The Thirty-Nine Steps

The Thirty-nine Steps

The Thirty-Nine Steps is an adventure novel by the Scottish author John Buchan. It first appeared as a serial in Blackwood's Magazine in August and September 1915 before being published in book form in October that year by William Blackwood and Sons, Edinburgh...

 and Governor General of Canada

Governor General of Canada

The Governor General of Canada is the federal viceregal representative of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II...

.

Major General Ross Stuart Buchan, AO, was an Australian Soldier. In his career he served as a Major on a tour in Vietnam and went on to become the General Officer Commanding Headquarters Training Command. During his Vietnam tour, a close friend, Major Peter Badcoe was killed and subsequently posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross

Victoria Cross

The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....

. The Sydney Morning Herald has a decent article online regarding his career.

Septs

The clan has no official septs

Sept (social)

A sept is an English word for a division of a family, especially a division of a clan. The word might have its origin from Latin saeptum "enclosure, fold", or it can be an alteration of sect.The term is found in both Ireland and Scotland...

, but the following names have been linked to the Buchan region :
Basken/ Baskin, Bede, Buchan/ Bichan/ Bichen, Bonnieville, Boyne, Buck/ Buckie/ Bucky, Cawsell, Chapp, Chrystal, Clapperton, Coscrach/ Costie/ Costy, Cranach/ Crannach, Cruddon/ Cruden/ Crudon, Crystal/ Crystal/ Crystall, Fitchie/ Fitchy, Gammerie/ Gammery, Hardin/ Hardman/ Hardnan, Kermack, Leisk, Mac, Meason/ Merson, Mondie/ Mondy/ Mundie/ Mundy, Nible/ Niblo, Ogston/ Ogstone/ Ogstoun, Prince, Ratcliff/ Ratliff/ Rattcliff/ Rattliff, Runcie/ Runcy, Shakle, Tarves/ Tarvis, Teunion/ Teunon/ Tewnion/ Tinnon, Tucks, Wadsworth/ Wadsworther, West, Whammond/ Whyman/ Whymon, Willgook