J. Buchanan

Scotland

General Notes

The Buchanan's themselves represent a renowned Scottish family from Clarinch in Loch Lomond. These lands were originally known by the Gaelic name "Buth Chanain", meaning "Canon's House".

The first ancestor recorded appears in 1225 as Absalon, son of Macbed, a cleric to whom a charter of the Island Clarines, Loch Lomond was granted by Maldouen, third earl of Lennox. Between 1208-1214 he witnessed gifts by Alewin, the second earl of Lennox, of the Church Kamsi to God and S. Kentigem and also witnessed the gift of the Church of Cadinros (now Cardross) by Maldouen son to Alewin. As "dominus Absalone de Buchkanan" he is recorded as witness to a charter grant by the earl Maldouen to Sir Robert Herthford cir 1224. This Absalon is merited as being the ancestor to the MacAuslan [and the numerous derivates of the same] clan. He is believed to have had a son Absalone who was also a cleric 'senescallus meus', and was duly recorded as witness to charter grants on several occasions between 1238 and 1240. This Absalone is believed to have fathered three sons, Absalone, Gilbert and Matthew. It is Gilbert, the second brother, who adopted the name and became the 1st laird Buchanan.

Another commonly accepted account relates that Anselan Buey O'Kyan also known as Auslan O'Cahan (pronounced O'Kane), descended from the long line of Irish Kings, was son to the King of Ulster. He was obliged to flee from Ireland because of the Danes who under King Chanute, overran that country in the early eleventh century. In 1016 he took refuge in Scotland in Argyll and it is from him that the MacAuslan name was derived [MacAuslan meaning "of the clan of Auslan"]. In service to the Scottish King, he was rewarded with a land charter in Loch Lomand. Auslan son of Macbeath [Absalone son of Macbed] was 6th in line from Anselan Buey O'Kyan, and it was his son Gilbert, 7th laird MacAuslan, who adopted the name Buchanan and it is from him that the clan is supposed to have descended.

Both accounts are consistent in that the Buchanans are descended from Gilbert Buchanan (MacAuslan), and there is evidence to support the MacAuslans' origins from Ireland. King David II officially recognised the family of Buchquhanane in the 14th century from which the cadet branches; Arnprior, Auchamar, Carbeth, Drumakill, Leny and Spittal are all established. It is also well known that branches of clan Buchanan returned to Ireland in the early 17th century, several of these families establishing themselves in County Tyrone.

The Spittal cadet of the clan remained the lairds Buchanan until 1682 when the 22nd laird died and the estates were sold to the Duke of Montrose to repay debts. In the 1930's a wealthy Clansman William George Buchanan of the family of Drummakill purchased Clairinch from the Montrose estate and on his death in 1939 gifted the island to The Buchanan Society of Glasgow where it remains to this day. Clar Innis is the ancient battle cry of the Buchanan clan derived from the Island Clairinch.

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