Clan Buchanan
Crest: A hand coupee holding a ducal cap, or duke’s cornet, proper, with two laurel branches wreathed surrounding the crest, disposed orleways proper.
Motto: Clarior Hinc Honos (Henceforth the honour grows brighter)
Tartan:(this is Buchanan Modern)
Clan Chief:Clan Buchanan has no chief. The last chief, John Buchanan, died in 1682 with no male heirs. Having inherited debt, he sold parts of the estate; the remaining house and lands were finally sold to the Marquess of Montrose, Chief of Clan Graham. Nevertheless, the Buchanan Society is the oldest clan society in Scotland, founded in Glasgow, Scotland on 5th March 1725 and having registered arms in 1919.
A Stirlingshire clan of Pictish origin, the Buchanans are associated with lands around the shores of Loch Lomond. One story is that there was a grant of lands east of Loch Lomond to clergyman Sir Absalon of Buchanan in 1225. A charter from King Alexander II granted the clan ownership of Clairinch (Clar Innes) an island in Loch Lomond; King David II recognised the Buchquhanane (Buchanan) family in the 14th century. The name has many spelling variations and the Clan has several cadet branches (branches of younger sons), and many sept names – including (but not limited to) Colman,
Cormack, Gibb,Gibson, Gilbert, MacAuslan,
MacAusland, MacCormack, MacGeorge,
MacGibbon, MacIndoe
MacKinlay,
MacMaster,MacMurchie, Masters,
Masterson, Morris,
Morrison,
Murchie,
Murchison,
Richardson,
Risk, Ruskin,
Spittal,
Spittel, Walters, Waters, Watson, Watt.
The historic seat of the Clan is Buchanan Auld House (Stirlingshire); it burned down in 1852 and in 1854, Buchanan Castle was built to replace it by the 4th Duke of Montrose (Clan Graham) - no Buchanans ever lived in the new castle, which has now fallen into disrepair. Other castles and monuments of Clan Buchanan include Craigend Castle, Dunglass Castle (Dunbartonshire), Northbar House, Francis Fort, Wolfshire Manor and the Buchanan Monument at Killearn. In the 1930s Clairinch Island was purchased on behalf of the Buchanan Clan Society by a wealthy clansman and now forms part of the Loch Lomond Nature Reserve.
During the Wars of Scottish Independence, Clan Buchanan supported King Robert the Bruce, fighting at the Battle of Bannockburn. In the English Civil Wars, Clan Buchanan supported the Royalist cause of King Charles with Sir George Buchanan commanding the Stirlingshire Regiment and leading the clan on the side of the Scottish Covenanters at the 1650 Battle of Dunbar.
James Buchanan was the fifteenth President of The United States of America (1857-1861); Professor James McGill Buchanan (from George Mason University, Virginia, USA) was awarded the 1986 Alfred Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences.
Clan Buchanan has been prominent throughout the history of Scotland and into modern times; for many more details of Clan history and traditions, order one of our clan books athttps://www.scotsinspirit.com/collections/clan-collection/products/scottish-clan-books?variant=42777077964
Sources:
Martine, R. Scottish clans and family names. Edinburgh: Bartholomew & Son Ltd; 1987.
Scottish Tartan Authority (http://www.tartansauthority.com/)
Wikipedia
