Show ContentsBunche History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The annals of Scottish history reveal that Bunche was first used as a name by ancestors of the Pictish tribe of ancient Scotland. The Bunche family lived in the lands of Perthshire since the early 15th century.

Early Origins of the Bunche family

The surname Bunche was first found in Perthshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Pheairt) former county in the present day Council Area of Perth and Kinross, located in central Scotland. The family dates back to the first half of the 15th century in this area. "Alexander Bunshe held a land in the burgh in 1444. William Bunch also held land there and John Bunche was witness there c. 1450. 1

Early History of the Bunche family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bunche research. Another 100 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1468, 1478, 1488, 1500, 1505, 1508, 1526 and 1551 are included under the topic Early Bunche History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bunche Spelling Variations

Before the first dictionaries appeared in the last few hundred years, scribes spelled according to sound. spelling variations are common among Scottish names. Bunche has been spelled Bunch, Bunsche, Bunche and others.

Early Notables of the Bunche family

Notable amongst the Clan at this time was

  • John Bunche, Sheriff of Perth in 1505

Migration of the Bunche family

In those unstable times, many had no choice but to leave their beloved homelands. Sickness and poverty hounded travelers to North America, but those who made it were welcomed with land and opportunity. These settlers gave the young nations of Canada and the United States a strong backbone as they stood up for their beliefs as United Empire Loyalists and in the American War of Independence. In this century, the ancestors of these brave Scots have begun to recover their illustrious heritage through Clan societies and other heritage organizations. Early passenger and immigration lists reveal many Scottish settlers bearing the name Bunche: Robert Bunch who settled in Maryland in 1742; William Bunch settled in Philadelphia in 1850; Alexander Bunch settled in New York City with his wife in 1820..


Contemporary Notables of the name Bunche (post 1700) +

  • Ralph Johnson Bunche (1904-1971), American administrator and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom


  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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