Show ContentsBuccent History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The annals of Scottish history reveal that Buccent was first used as a name by descendants of the Pictish tribe of ancient Scotland. The Buccent family lived in the lands of Buchan in Aberdeenshire having derived from the Gaelic word for little or small.

Early Origins of the Buccent family

The surname Buccent 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 Buccent family

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

Buccent Spelling Variations

During the Middle Ages, there was no basic set of rules and scribes wrote according to sound. The correct spelling of Scottish names were further compromised after many haphazard translations from Gaelic to English and back. Spelling variations of the name Buccent include Buchan, Buccan, Buckan, Buchane and others.

Early Notables of the Buccent family (pre 1700)

Notable amongst the Clan at this time was 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...
Another 86 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Buccent Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Buccent family

Scots left their country by the thousands to travel to Australia and North America. Desperate for freedom and an opportunity to fend for themselves, many paid huge fees and suffered under terrible conditions on long voyages. Still, for those who made the trip, freedom and opportunity awaited. In North America, many fought their old English oppressors in the American War of Independence. In recent years, Scottish heritage has been an increasingly important topic, as Clan societies and other organizations have renewed people's interest in their history. An examination of passenger and immigration lists shows many early settlers bearing the name of Buccent: 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 Buccent 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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