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Buchan Family History

Buchan Name Meaning

Scottish (eastern): habitational name from a district north of Aberdeen. There was also a barony of Buchquane in Strathore Fife a settlement called Buchan in Kirkcudbrightshire and several other places in Scotland so named but these are less likely to be the source of the surname. Americanized form of Croatian and Serbian Bućan or of its Croatian variant Bučan: from a hypocoristic derivative of the personal names Budimir Budislav or Budivoj (see Budin ). Americanized form of Slovenian Bučan: topographic name derived from buč ‘well in the field’ or a habitational name from the village called Buč from the same word. Americanized form of Slovak Bučan: probably a habitational name for someone from a place called Búč.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Buchen, Burcham, Buche, Buchanan, Buchta, Chan, Bachand, Burham

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Where is the Buchan family from?

You can see how Buchan families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Buchan family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Buchan families were found in and Scotland in 1841. In 1891 there were 193 Buchan families living in London. This was about 31% of all the recorded Buchan's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Buchan families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Buchan surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Buchan ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Buchan. 15% of Buchan men worked as a General Labourer and 78% of Buchan women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Buchan were Medical Practitioner and Private Means. .

View Census Data for Buchan | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • General Labourer
    15%
  • Joiner
    12%
  • General Cooper
    9%
  • Medical Practitioner
    9%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    78%
  • Housewife
    4%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    4%
  • Private Means
    3%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Buchan family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 64,000 census records available for the last name Buchan. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Buchan census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Buchan

Passenger Lists

There are 14,000 immigration records available for the last name Buchan. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Buchan immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 8,000 military records available for the last name Buchan. For the veterans among your Buchan ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Buchan lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Buchan life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1955, and highest in 2002. The average life expectancy for Buchan in 1941 was 48, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Buchan

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