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• Arms: Argent, three lion's heads erased Sable langued Gules
• Crest: A sun shining upon a sunflower full blown Proper
• Tartans: Ancient, Hunting
• Branches: Buchan of Auchmacoy
• Mottos: Non inferiora secutus (Not having followed mean pursuits)
• Plant Badge: Sunflower
• Septs: Basken, Baskin, Bede, Bichan, Bonnieville, Boyne, Buchan, Buck, Buckie, Bucky, Cawsell, Chapp, Chrystal, Clapperton, Coscrach, Costie, Costy, Cranach, Crannach, Cruddon, Cruden, Crudon, Crystal, Crystall, Fitchie, Fitchy, Gammerie, Gammery, Hardin, Hardman, Hardnan, Kermack, Leisk, MacCrystal, Meason, Merson, Mondie, Mondy, Mundie, Mundy, Nible, Niblo, Ogston, Ogstone, Ogstoun, Prince, Ratcliff, Ratliff, Rattcliff, Rattliff, Runcie, Runcy, Shakle, Tarves, Tarvis, Teunion, Teunon, Tewnion, Tinnon, Tucks, Wadsworth, Wadsworther, West, Whammond, Whyman, Whymon, Willgook

The name Buchan was derived from the district of Buchan which is the north-eastern part of Aberdeenshire and part of Banffshire. The earldom of Buchan fell into the Comyns hands who later lost it after Robert the Bruce defeated them. The first Buchan on record was Ricadus de Buchan, clerk of the bishopic of Aberdeen in 1207.

We're not sure when the Buchans gained the lands of Auchmocoy, but Andrew Buchan, who died about 1309, was one of the assize appointed to settle the boundaries of the lands of St. Peter's Hospital in 1446. In 1503 Andrew received a charter to the lands from James IV.

In the 15th century, the Buchans of Auchmacoy first emerged. They were the most prominent family of the name Buchans in Aberdeenshire. The third son of James Buchan of Auchmacoy, Thomas Buchan, was a professional soldier. He served in Douglas's Scots Regiment until 1686. Then he was commissioned colonel in the the Earl of Mar's regiment by James VII. He succeeded Viscount Dundee after his death at the Battle of Killiecrankie in 1689. He became commander-in-chief of all Jacobite forces in Scotland, receiving his commission from the king in Ireland. He was defeated in 1690 and was allowed to go into exile in France but he fought again at the Battle of Sheriffmuir in 1715. He died in 1721.

The most famous Buchan of this century was John Buchan. He served in the colonial service in South Africa which inspired his writing career. His most famous work was The Thirty-nine Steps, which was made famous by the Alfred Hitchcock movie. In 1935 he was appointed Governor-General of Canada and was made first Baron Tweedsmuir.

Images and contacts provided by Narda Buchan of the Clan Buchan Association.