The Ancient History of the Most Distinguished Surname - Buchanan
England
Ancient Origins
The annals of Scottish history reveal that the name Buchanan began in the Boernician tribe of the Scottish-English border region. The Buchanan family lived in the great lands of Buchanan in Stirlingshire where this illustrious clan held extensive territories since early times. Although many of today's members of the Clan Buchanan can trace their heritage as far back as McAlpin, the first to establish the name of Buchan was Anselan O'Kyan, son of the King of Ulster about 1016. It is generally believed that the Buchanans of Auchmar received lands bordering Loch Lomond by King Malcolm II for services rendered against the Danes. And records do confirm that Walter de Buchanan had a land grant in Auchmarr in 1373. A Maurice Buchanan also acted as treasurer to Princess Margaret of France at this time.Ancient History
According to the Venerable Bede, the "Father of English History" who was born in 673, the Pictish race, one of the founding races of the British Isles, arrived in Scotland from Brittany about the 5th century B.C. From France the Picts had sailed northward to Ireland. The ancient Monarchies of Ireland refused them permission to land, but they were llowed to settle in the eastern part of Scotland on condition that all their Kings marry an Irish Princess. The family name Buchanan is believed to be descended from this source. Nechtan was a recorded Pictish King about 724 A.D., although, according to Roman history, many Pictish kings before him had fought gallantly at Hadrian's Wall against the Roman invasion many centuries before. From the north, after the year 900, the Picts were invaded by the Orcadian Vikings who penetrated as far south as Caithness, and they were left with a territory on the eastern coast of Scotland from Aberdeen, south to Edinburgh. Among some of the early documents examined were such records as the Inquisitio, 1120 A.D., the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, the Chronicles of the Picts and Scots; and various other cartularies of parishes in Scotland. From these archives and other sources, the Buchanan surname was found in Lennox. In Gaelic, "both-chanain" means "the seat of the canon," suggesting an ecclesiastical origin. The clan received its name from the great lands of Buchanan in Stirlingshire where they had held extensive territories since early times. The earliest mention of the name placed him in Stirling (now part of the modern region of Central) where in an early document, a Dominus Absolone de Buchkan was a witness to a charter in 1224. "The name of this place was originally Inchcaileoch, which it received from an island in Loch Lomond. This name is of uncertain origin; but the family who used it in consequence of having, at a very early period, obtained a grant of the lands so called, sprang from Anselan, a native of Ireland, who is supposed to have located himself here in the 11th century."
Spelling Variations
The surname Buchanan was found in many different forms and spellings. From time to time the surname was spelt Buchanan, Bucanan, Bucanion, Bucanen, Bucanon, Buchannan, Buchannon, Buchannen, Buchanon, Buchanen, Bohannon and Canonach (Gaelic), and some of these versions are still used today. Scribes and church people frequently selected their own version of what they thought the spelling should be.
Early History
The name Buchanan emerged as a Scottish Clan or family in Lennox where they were descended from Anselan O'Kyan, King of Ulster and of the Picts, through the Prince O'Kyan who was granted a large territory by King Malcolm of Scotland in 1016. Malcolm Boquhanan declared his allegiance to King Edward I of England on his brief conquest of Scotland in 1296. The Clan supported the French Dauphin against King Henry V of England and claimed the death of the Duke of Clarence and his brother, by the hand of Sir Alexander Buchanan. The Buchanans ever Scottish Royalists where at the forefront of many battles including Pinkie. Their Clan territories are on the shores of Loch Lomond. George Buchanan (1506-82) was a Scottish humanist who spent most of his life in France, he was the best Latin scholar of his time, Montaigne, Mary Queen of Scots and James VI of Scotland were his pupils. The Clan was on the side of Prince Charles Edward Stuart at Culloden and was forfeited of their lands. Buchanan of Arnprior was beheaded. The Clan plant badges are bilberry and oak, while the tartan sett consists of red, green and yellow. The war cry is "Clar Innis."
Early Notables
Notable amongst the Clan at this time was George Buchanan (1506-1582), Scottish humanist, scholar, and educator; as well as John Buchanan of that Ilk (d. 1681), Clan Chief and last Laird of Buchanan and Buchanan of Arnprior. Andrew Buchanan (1690-1759), of Drumpellier, was Lord Provost of Glasgow, and was descended from a branch of the old family of Buchanan of Buchanan and Leny. He was the second of four sons of George Buchanan, maltster, Glasgow, one of the covenanters who fought at Bothwell Bridge. George Buchanan (1506-1582), was a Scottish scholar, and third son of Thomas Buchanan,who was son of Buchanan of Drumnakill, a poor laird. He was born at the farm of Mid Leowen, or the Moss, in the parish of Killearn in Stirlingshire, in February 1506. At an early age he lost his father but thanks to a scholarship, he was at the age of fourteen sent by his uncle, James Heriot, from the parish school of Killearn to Paris, where he studied chiefly Latin. [2] David Buchanan (1595?-1652?), was a Scotish writer, descended from the same family as the famous George Buchanan.
Life in Ireland
Scotland, during the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, was ravaged by religious conflict. The newly found passionate fervour of Presbyterianism and the Church of Scotland rejected all who could not pass "The Test" of taking an oath of belief in the Church. Those failing the "Test" were sometimes burnt at the stake or, more kindly, banished to Australia, the Carolinas or the West Indies. Many Clansmen were freely "encouraged" to migrate to Ireland with promises of cheap Irish land. In 1890, a birth census of Scottish families in Ireland was taken. From that census, it was estimated that there were over 1,075 people bearing the surname Buchanan throughout Ireland; about 87 percent were living in the province of Ulster where the families were found in Tyrone. Here, their name was spelt and pronounced Bohannon.
The Great Migration
The migration or banishment to the New World also continued, some went voluntarily from Ireland, but most went directly from Scotland, their home territories. These overcrowded "coffin ships," were racked with disease, sometimes landing with only 60 percent of their original passenger lists. Early settlers bearing the surname Buchanan, or a spelling variation of the family surname spelling included John Buchanan, who settled in Boston Massachusetts in 1651; David Buchanan, who arrived in Boston in 1652; Jane Buchanan, who settled in 1664 in New Jersey, Alexander Buchanan, listed as a Scot banned to America in 1678; Agnes Buchanan, who came to Connecticut in 1755; Henry Buchanan who settled in Salem Mass in 1775; as well as Archibald Buchanan, who arrived through the port of New York in 1775. Many Buchanans settled in Canada in the Ottawa Valley with the MacNabs.
Motto
The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.
The motto for the Buchanan coat of arms displayed here is:
Clarior hinc honos
This translates as:
Brighter hence the honour.
The Buchanan Tartan
Symbolism
The practice of using symbols to represent people is ancient, and in Scotland it evolved into a complex system of armory. Although greatly influenced by England’s example, Scotland’s heraldic tradition also developed on its own, and there are many devices that are uniquely, and sometimes, exclusively Scottish.
Achievement of Arms
An Achievement of Arms such as the Buchanan arms depicted on the left typically consists of these parts: the Escrolls, displaying the family motto and name, the family crest (if any) seen above the helmet, the actual Coat of arms (also known as 'arms,' or 'the shield'), the Helmet depicted below the crest, the Torse on top of the helmet, and the Mantle draped from the helmet. Each of these elements will be described below. Supporters were a later addition to the Achievement; they are somewhat rare, and are usually personal to the grantee.
The Mantle
The mantle was spread over and draped from the helmet and served as a protection, 'to repel the extremities of wet, cold, and heat, and to preserve the armour from rust.' The numerous cuts and slits suggest that it had been torn and hacked on the field of battle. The style or design of the mantling is up to the individual heraldic artist, and it is usually depicted in the main color and metal from the shield. The helmet (or Helm) varied in shape in different ages and countries, often depicting rank. The Esquire's Helm, as depicted here, is generally shown silver, with a closed visor and facing to the dexter (its right). On top of the helmet is a Torse or wreath which was formed by two pieces of silk twisted together. Its purpose was to hold the crest and mantle on the Helm.
The Shield
Shields (or Escutcheons) at first were painted simply with one or more bands of color or 'ordinaries'. Later, the ordinaries were used in conjunction with other figures or symbols. The Coat of Arms for the surname Buchanan can be described as follows:
Buchanan Arms
Gold with a black lion rampant within a black border double tressure flory couterflory.
Gold
"Or" (from the French word for gold) is the tincture of Gold, or in heraldic terms "or," was considered the noblest color. One of only two metals used in heraldry, it exceeds all others in value, purity and finesse. It represents the light of the sun, and was once borne only by princes. Gold is said to gladden the heart and destroy all works of magic. It is also associated with excellence and achievement, and the bearer surpasses all others in valor. It is represented on coats of arms by the color yellow, and in engravings by a dotted pattern.
Black
Sable (Archaic or literary English for black) or black, the coldest of the colors, corresponds to lead. Black, or "sable," is symbolic of sadness. It also corresponds with winter and is a humble color, suitable for the deeply religious. It denotes the qualities of knowledge, piety, serenity and work. Engravers represent it with numerous horizontal and vertical lines crossing each other.
Lion Rampant
A Lion Rampant is shown upright with the left paw on the ground and the rest of the legs in an attacking position. The whole beast, unless otherwise blazoned, faces the dexter (its right). Rampant is often referred to as the "fighting position" and thus reflects an awareness, readiness or alert attitude of the bearer. Early heralds permitted only the lion to be rampant, but over time, many animals were given this position. It is probably the most dignified of all positions. The Lion has always held a high place in heraldry as the emblem of deathless courage, and, hence, that of a valiant warrior. It is said to be a lively image of a good soldier, who must be "valiant in courage, strong of body, politic in council and a foe to fear." Through the somewhat dubious legend of their compassion, lions also came to symbolize Christ. As one medieval author asserted, "they prey on men rather than women, and they do not kill children except when they are very hungry." The Lion, with such repute of its noble nature and having the position and title of king of the beasts, is naturally one of the most common heraldic symbols on the continent of Europe. Lions like all other beasts of heraldry have little resemblance to the real thing. This is is part due to the relative ignorance when they were first drawn and then through the ages, heraldic artists have taken liberty with their design; in part to show the animal's ferocity but also to reflect the importance of the animal's unique features. By example, lion's claws are typically shown about the same size as the lion's head, exemplifying their importance. "'A lion rampant' is, as the term suggests, a lion in the act of fighting, rearing on his hind legs to meet his antagonist. He is therefore depicted with wildly tossed mane, staring eyes, and guly mouth; his muscular limbs and distended claws braced up for the combat betoken the energy and power of the noble brute. "
Border
The bordure or border is, as it sounds, a fairly wide border around the outside of a shield. Except for in more modern grants where the border is an original part of the shield, there is little doubt that the border is either a mark of cadency, displaying the status of a younger son or brother, or a mark of illegitimacy. The border is no longer used for these purposes; except for in England where a border wavy is still a mark of illegitimacy and the border compony serves the same purpose in Scotland. This is by no means a mark of dishonor, though; it is merely a heraldic tradition carried over from the days when it was necessary to distinguish the rightful heirs from others who might have some claim to the family title and fortune. The Orle or Tressure is the diminutive of a border and looks like the frame of a shield within the shield rather than a border. It is typically borne in the arms of Scotland, and was held to be the emblem of Preservation and Protection. "It is needless to credit the legend as to this tressure having anciently given to Achaius, King of Scots, by Charlemagne, in order to signify the French lilies should defend the Scottish lion. The Double Tressure in the arms of Scotland was first assumed by Robert Stuart, to testify his approval of the alliance which he had renewed with King Charles V. of France. " It is about half the width of a border. When charges are placed around the outside of it they are said to be ‘in orle.’ It was used as a mark to distinguish the arms of one branch of a family from those of another, and in some cases the orle was used as a symbol of honor.
Tressure
A tressure is two small borders in the outline of a shield, set close together, one within the other. It is often decorated with flowers that look somewhat like the fleur de lis, inserted through the tressure. This is referred to as a tressure-flory-counterflory, and it is a device that is particularly associated with Scottish heraldry. It is said that the charge commemorates the alliance of Charlemagne with Archaius, King of Scotland. In return for the services of the Scots, Charlemagne added the double tressure fleurs-de-lis to the Scottish lion to represent that the former had defended the French lilies and therefore the latter would surround the lion to be a defense to him. However, this story is not very securely based on fact. It is more likely that the lion and tressure were derived from the arms of the Earls of Northumberland and Huntingdon, from whom some of the Scottish kings were descended.
The Crest
The Crest was worn on top of the helmet, and was usually made of wood, metal, or boiled leather. It provided the double advantage of easy identification and the addition of height to the wearer. The Crest for the surname Buchanan is described as follows:
A hand holding the crown of Scotland on which there is a rose.
Hand
The Hand denotes a pledge of faith, sincerity and justice and it is symbolic of support and strength. In Irish arms a red hand has a particular legendary significance, from the landing of Ireland's earliestknown settlers, the sons of Milesius. The genealogical historian O'Hart tells the story: "According to tradition, two of the chieftains had agreed that whosoever first touched the 'Isle of Destiny' after leaving the vessel in their small boats should possess the right of selection over the portion of the land he was to rule. One, seeing his rival gaining apace, drew his sword from the sheath and, cutting off his left hand, hurled the gory member to the shore, and thus overcame his rival." Ever after, the bloody red hand has been the chief badge of his descendants, the O'Neill's, and those who pledged allegiance to them.
Crown
The crown is an emblem of victory, sovereignty, and empire. It is a visible sign of success, thus the term "crowning achievement," and its significance as the decoration of the ultimate level of rank and power, makes bearing the crown a great honor. Crowns are sometimes a symbol of God, as he is considered by some to be the “King of all.” There are different types of crown; the word "crown" blazoned without any additional details usually implies a ducal coronet without a cap.
Rose
The Rose is a symbol of hope and joy; it is first among flowers and expresses beauty and grace. With a red blossom, it is a symbol of martyrdom. The White Rose expresses love and faith; in Christian symbolism, it signifies purity. The Yellow Rose is a symbol of absolute achievement. The conventional form of a heraldic rose displays five petals that mimic the look of a wild rose on a hedgerow. The famous Wars of Roses, between the Red Rose of the house of Lancaster and the White Rose of the house of York, ended after the succession of the Tudors to the throne. After this, the heraldic rose developed a double row of petals which was obviously in effort to combine the rival emblems. During the reign of the Tudors there was a more naturalistic trend in heraldry, and stems and leaves were sometimes added to the rose. Heraldry has accomplished what horticulture could not, and roses can be found tinted blue, black and green, in addition to the more natural colors.