Show ContentsBucan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Bucan

What does the name Bucan mean?

The ancestors of the Bucan family were part of an ancient Scottish tribe called the Picts. They lived in the lands of Buchan in Aberdeenshire having derived from the Gaelic word for little or small.

Early Origins of the Bucan family

The surname Bucan was first found in Aberdeenshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Obar Dheathain), a historic county, and present day Council Area of Aberdeen, located in the Grampian region of northeastern Scotland.

Some of the first records of the family were Ricardus de Buchan, who was clerk of the bishopric of Aberdeen c. 1207-1208 and William de Buchan who held land in Aberdeen in 1281. A few years later, Thomas de Boghan of Edinburghshire rendered homage to King Edward I in 1296. 1

Early History of the Bucan family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bucan research. Another 231 words (16 lines of text) covering the years 1272, 1291, 1296, 1301, 1309, 1318, 1369, 1376, 1391, 1405, 1436, 1446, 1458, 1477, 1708 and 1720 are included under the topic Early Bucan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bucan Spelling Variations

Prior to the invention of the printing press in the last hundred years, documents were basically unique. Names were written according to sound, and often appeared differently each time they were recorded. Spelling variations of the name Bucan include Buchan, Buccan, Buckan, Buchane and others.

Early Notables of the Bucan family

Andrew of Buchan (d. 1309?), Bishop of Caithness, former Abbot of the Cistercian abbey of Cupar (Coupar) Angus, to which he had been preferred in 1272. His name appears on the Ragman Rolls as paying homage to Edward at the church of Perth 24 July 1291, and at Berwick-on-Tweed 28 Aug. 1296. He was nominated to the bishoric of Caithness by Pope Boniface VIII, 17 Dec. 1296. "The date of his death is usually given as 1301, but this appears to be mere conjecture, and there is...
Another 86 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Bucan Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Bucan family

The freedom of the North American colonies was enticing, and many Scots left to make the great crossing. It was a long and hard journey, but its reward was a place where there was more land than people and tolerance was far easier to come by. Many of these people came together to fight for a new nation in the American War of Independence, while others remained loyal to the old order as United Empire Loyalists. The ancestors of Scots in North America have recovered much of this heritage in the 20th century through Clan societies and other such organizations. A search of immigration and passenger lists revealed many important and early immigrants to North America bearing the name of Bucan: James Buchan who arrived in New York in 1774; George Buchan arrived in Boston Massachusetts in 1821; Thomas Buchan arrived in New York city in 1775.



The Bucan 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.

Motto: Non inferioria secutus
Motto Translation: Not having followed mean pursuits.


  1. Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)


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