Our Ancestors, The Chiefs of Clan Buchanan

I prepared this, hoping that it would be of interest to my grandchildren.

A YDNA study at FamilyTreeDNA informed us that we are “a typical chiefly line of Clan Buchanan”. But we do not know which chief was our most recent chiefly ancestor. All of these chiefs claimed descent from an Irish prince called Anselan O’Kyan (also spelled O’Cahan in Irish writings). 

Anselan O Kyan, who was a son of one of the kings of Ulster, landed in Scotland near Lennox with some followers, in 1016. He assisted King Malcolm II of Scotland in repelling his old enemies the Danes on two occasions. For his service to Malcolm, he received a grant of land in Scotland, east of Loch Lomond. This large estate was called Buchanan. Back then, people were typically identified after a well-known ancestor. Apparently McCauslan meant a descendant of Anselan. Nobles were often identified by the names of their estates, and we see that this happened when the 8th chief, Gilbert adopted the name Buchanan.

Historian William Buchanan of Auchmar lists the chiefs and lairds of Clan Buchanan: 

1. Anselan Buey (the Fair) or Absalon O'KYAN OR O'CAHAN (b.Est 0986- Ulster, Ireland)]

2. John MCCAUSLAN 2nd Laird of Buchanan (b. Est 1020-Buchanan Stirling Scotiand)

3. Anselan MCCAUSLAN 3rd Laird of Buchanan (b,Est 1045-Buchanan,Stirling, Scotland)

4, Walter MCCAUSLAN 4th Laird_of Buchanan (b, Est 1070-Buchanan Stirling Scotland)

5. Girald or Bernard MCCAUSLAN 5th Laird of Buchanan (b,Est 1095-Buchanan, Stirling, Scotland)

6. Macbeath MCCAUSLAN 6th Laird of Buchanan (b,Est 1120-Buchanan,Stirling, Scotland)

7. Anselan MCCAUSLAN 7th Laird of Buchanan (b,Est 1145-Buchanan Stirling Scotland)

8. Gibert BUCHANAN 8th Laird of Buchanan (b,Est 1190 Buchanan Stirling, Scotland)

9. Sir Maurice BUCHANAN 9th Laird of Buchanan (b.Est 1220-Buchanan,Stirling Scotland)

10. Sir Maurice BUCHANAN 10th Laird of Buchanan (b, Est 1260-Buchanan Stirling Scotiand)

11. Sir Walter BUCHANAN 1ith Laird of Buchanan (b.Est 1300-Buchanan, Stirling Scotland)

12. John BUCHANAN 12th Laid of Buchanan, Laird of Lenny (b,Est 1330-Buchanan Stirling)

Sir Alexander BUCHANAN (b,Est 1380 killed the enemy commander in the Battle of Bauge)

13. Sir Walter BUCHANAN 13th Laird of Buchanan (b,Est 1384-Glasgow, Scotland; 4.1464)

14. Patrick BUCHANAN 14th Laird of Buchanan (b.Est 1415-Buchanan Stirling Scotland)

15. Walter BUCHANAN 15th Lard of Buchanan (b.Est 1450-Buchanan, Stirling Scotiand)

16. Patrick BUCHANAN 16th Laird of Buchanan (b.Est 1483-Buchanan,S,Scotland:d.9 Sep 1513-)

17. George BUCHANAN 17th Laird of Buchanan (b,Est 1500-Buchanan, Stirling, Scotiand)

18. John BUCHANAN 18th Laird of Buchanan (b,Est 1530-Buchanan Stirling Scotland)

19. Sir George BUCHANAN 19th Laird of Buchanan (b,Est 1553-Buchanan.S, Scotland)

20. Sir John BUCHANAN 20th Laird of Buchanan (b,Est 1575-Buchanan,S, Scotland)

21. Sir George BUCHANAN 2ist Laird_of Buchanan (b,Est 1600-0,5,Scotland;d.1651-)

22. John BUCHANAN 22nd Laird of Buchanan (b,Est 1625-,,Scotland:d,Dec 1682-)

These titles were only available to male heirs, and John Buchanan the 22nd Laird of Buchanan had no sons, Therefore the titles ceased with him, and the estate was purchased from his debtors by the Marquis of Montrose, passing out of ownership of the Buchanan family. 

By 1682 the times were changing. The frequent battles between clans were over. The 20th laird, had huge debts from his donations to universities. Scottish universities expanded education to include new areas of study such as Economics (the Humanities). The modern age was coming. Scots were starting to look for opportunities in other lands. A rebellion in Ireland caused the British government to remove the lands and titles of the rebel nobles and give them to loyal English and Scottish nobles. The new owners were eager to open these lands in Ireland for settlement by loyal English and Scottish farmers. Among those who moved to Ireland were my ancestors, who settled in northern Ireland.