Buchanan
Gaelic Name: Cononach
Motto: Clarior hinc honos (Hence the brighter honour)
Badge: Bilberry
Lands: Loch Lomond-shire
Origin of Name: from Both-Charain (Canon’s Seat)
Associated Names and Septs (with spelling variations):
Aslan Auslan Bochnannane Boqhannan Boquhennane Boquhennnan Buchanan Buchquannan Buchquhannan Buchquhannane Bucqhannane Bucquannane Buhannane Buquhannan Buquhannane Calman Clay Coleman Colman Conlay Conley Cormac Cormack Cormag Cormick Cosland Cousland Cowsland Dewar Deware Dewere Donleavy Donlevy Dove Dow Dowe Dunleavy Dunslef Gebbieson Geib Gib Gibb Gibbeson Gibbie Gibbieson Gibbinson Gibbisone Gibbon Gibbons Gibbs Gibson Gibsone Gibsoun Gibsoune Gilbert Gilbertson Gilbertsone Gipson Gipsone Gipsoun Gracey Gracie Gracy Graisich Grasich Grass Grasse Grasseich Grassiche Grassichsone Grassick Grassie Grasycht Graysich Greasaighe Greasich Grecie Greishich Greoschich Greoshich Greshach Gresich Gressiche Greusach Greusaich Grevsach Griasaich Griesck Gybbesone Gybson Gybsone Gybsoun Gypsone Harper Harperson Harpeur Harpur Jore Lanie Lanye Lenay Lenna Lennie Lenny Leny MacAbin MacAbsolon MacAldonich MacAlman MacAlmant MacAlmont MacAmhaoir MacAnally MacAndeoir MacAnnally MacArmick MacAslan MacAsland MacAslen MacAslin MacAuselan MacAuslan MacAusland MacAuslane MacAuslin MacCallman MacCalmain MacCalman MacCalmin MacCalmon MacCalmont MacCamant MacCannally MacCarmick MacCarmike MacCaslan MacCasland MacCaslane MacCaslen MacCaslin MacCasline MacCausland MacChananaich MacChormaig MacChritter MacChruitar MacChruiter MacChruter MacChruytor MacChrytor MacChurteer MacClae MacClay MacCleay MacClew MacColeman MacCollea MacColmain MacColman MacComok MacConlea MacCormack MacCormaic MacCormaig MacCormick MacCormock MacCormok MacCornack MacCornick MacCornock MacCornok MacCowatt MacCowbyn MacCuabain MacCubben MacCubbin MacCubbine MacCubbing MacCubbon MacCubein MacCubeine MacCuben MacCubene MacCubine MacCubyn MacCubyne MacCurchie MacDimslea MacDonleavy MacDonnslae MacGibbon MacGibbone MacGibboney MacGibon MacGibonesoun MacGiboun MacGibson MacGilbert MacGormick MacGormock MacGrasaych MacGrassych MacGrassycht MacGrasycht MacGrayych MacGreische MacGreish MacGresche MacGresich MacGressich MacGressiche MacGreusach MacGreusaich MacGreusich MacGubb MacGubbin MacGybbon MacHouat MacHrurter MacHruter MacHuat MacIldonich MacInair MacInally MacInayr MacInchruter MacIndeoir MacIndeor MacIndoe MacIndoer MacInnuer MacInnuier MacInnyeir MacInuair MacInuar MacInuire MacInuyer MacJore MacKeandla MacKermick MacKernock MacKibbin MacKibbon MacKindew MacKindlay MacKinla MacKinlay MacKinley MacKmaster MacKnaer MacKnair MacKnaire MacKornock MacKornok MacKwatt MacKynnair MacKynnayr MacLae MacLay MacLea MacLeay MacLey MacMagister MacMaster MacMaurice MacMhurchaidh MacMorice MacMories MacMoris MacMoroquhy MacMurachy MacMurchaidh MacMurchie MacMurchou MacMurchy MacMurd MacMurdo MacMurdoch MacMurdy MacMuredig MacMurphy MacMurquhe MacMurquhie MacMurtchie MacNair MacNally MacNar MacNare MacNayair MacNayer MacNayr MacNayre MacNear MacNeer MacNeir MacNeur MacNewer MacNoyar MacNoyare MacNoyiar MacNuer MacNuir MacNuire MacNure MacNuyer MacNvyr MacObyn MacOldonich MacOnlay MacOrmack MacOuat MacOwat MacQharter MacQherter MacQuaben MacQuarter MacQuat MacQuattie MacQuatty MacQueeban MacQuhartoune MacQuhat MacQuhatti MacQuhattie MacQuhirtir MacQuhirtour MacQuhirtoure MacQuhorter MacQuhriter MacQuibben MacQuibbon MacQuiben MacQuirter MacRob MacRobb MacRobe MacRuter MacUbein MacUbin MacUbine MacUrchie MacUrchy MacVannan MacVat MacVorchie MacVurchie MacWat MacWatt MacWatte MacWattie MacWatty MacWete MacWhirter MacWhirtour MacWhorter MacWhrurter MacWhyrter MacWirter MacWorthie MacWurchie Maistersone Maistertoun Maistertoune Maistertown Makarmik Makaslane Makcormok Makcubeyn Makcubyn Makcubyng Makgeboun Makgibboun Makley Makmoris Makmuldonych Makmurche Makmurquhy Maknair Maknare Maknayr Maknewar Maknoyar Makrutour Makrutur Makwat Makwatty Makwete Makynnair Masterson Masterton Mastertone Maurice Meldonich Mewhirter Mhurchaidh Mildonich Morice Morrice Morris Muldonich Muldonycht Murchad Murchadh Murchaidh Murcheson Murchesoun Murchie Murchieson Murchison Murchosone Murchosoun Murchy Murquhason Murquhasson Murquhessoun Murquhosoun Murtchie Reisk Risk Risken Rusken Ruskin Spetal Spetall Spetalle Spettale Spettall Spital Spitale Spitel Spittal Spittale Spittel Spittele Spittell Spytale Vair Vatsone Vatsoun Vatt Vcmurrochie Veir Vere Veyre Wair Ware Wason Wasson Wat Wateson Watson Watsone Watsoun Watsoune Watt Wattie Watts Wattsone Watty Wayre Wear Weare Weer Weir Weire Were Werr Weyir Weyr Whier Wier Wir Wire Yell Yoile Yool Yoole Youle Youll Yuel Yuill Yuille Yule Yull Yulle Zuill
History
The Buchanan name has been grounded in the lands surrounding the shores of Loch Lomond since 1225, when a grant by the Earls of Lennox to Sir Absalon of Buchanan, referred to in contemporaneous sources as ‘clericus meus’ i.e. he was a clergyman.
The derivation of the name in Gaelic lends validity to such a claim: ‘Buth chanain’ is Gaelic for the ‘House of the Canon’, an indication that the first Buchanan’s may have been a family that was dedicated to the service of the ancient Celtic church, or may have had a pre-charter, hereditary clerical tenure. Furthermore, the clan can trace its origins back to Anselan O Kyan, son of a King of Ulster who landed in Argyll circa 1016. For his services against the Danes he received the lands of Buchanan, lying to the east of Loch Lomond.
Equally, it has been argued that the benefactor was Gilbert, seneschal to the Earl of Lennox, and that the lands were in Stirlingshire. 1282 was when these lands were confirmed with baronial rights through a charter to Morris of Buchanan, who also held a small island called Clarinch, that subsequently became the clan battle cry.
The Buchanans supported the Bruce in the war of independence, thus assuring the predominance of the family in the post-Banockburn era. The Buchanan shield is virtually indistinguishable from the Royal Arms of Scotland, with a significant difference. The Buchanan version of the arms changes the lion and the double treasure of fleur de lis from red to black, thought to be an allusion to the marriage of Sir Walter Buchanan to the only daughter of Murdoch, Duke of Albany and Regent of Scotland.
The regent was to be beheaded by his cousin, James I in 1425, his lands confiscated and the line of the Regent’s family terminated when his son died heirless. It is reputed that the colouring of the Buchanan arms also reflects a mourning for loss of status as nearest relatives to this branch of the disinherited family.
Other descendants of this chiefly family were the Buchanan’s of Arnprior who held lands in Kippen, Perthshire, where they were known as ‘Kings of Kippen’. This popular nickname relates to a Walter Scott story in which James V arrived at Arnprior, unrecognised due to his penchant for travelling his lands in disguise. He was met with a degree of hospitality that was hardly sufficient given his status – the Laird was eating, and could not be disturbed, he was told.
The disguised James V asked the Laird’s doorman to tell the ‘King of Kippen’ that:
“the Goodman of Ballengreich is come to feast”.
Buchanan knew that these words signalled he was in the presence of true royalty, and begged forgiveness.
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