Clan mottoes...

**dowofbuchanan** · 9th March 08, 12:11 PM

i wear a kilt of buchanan and identify as a buchanan but my surname dow appears to have a badge and motto of its own would it be wrong to wear both

**MacMillan of Rathdown** · 9th March 08, 12:38 PM

Originally Posted by dowofbuchanan

i wear a kilt of buchanan and identify as a buchanan but my surname dow appears to have a badge and motto of its own would it be wrong to wear both

In all likelihood, you would be displaying the crest and motto of someone totally unrelated to you, and who may not even be a Buchanan.

A quick, but by no means exhaustive, check turns up two "Dow" crests recorded in Scotland. Both of these crests are a "dove", one white, the other "proper" (dove grey). The motto for the later is "Patience".

Were it me, until such time as I could establish my own arms and crest, I would continue to wear the Buchanan clansman's badge.

For what it's worth, my avatar is my crest. However, in the presence of my Chief I wear a clansman's badge as well, as a mark of respect and to show allegiance to the head of my Clan.

**dowofbuchanan** · 10th March 08, 02:50 PM

thats what i had found as well i am currently drawing up my own arms based on my life and loyalties and will have them registered but those will be for me and as i have not my own clan i will still continue to pay homage to my ancestral clan and its badge i designed the arms for me to use and then to provide arms for my brother and future children to build on as scottish custom is to matriculate arms of a father or brother to adopt their arms but with slight modification im still deciding on whether or not i should register in south africa as that is the easiest option or to track down my availability to register in canada as my father is a canadian citizen i am not aware of any family still living in scotland and since the older members of my family have begun dying off it becomes harder to find out about distant cousins and the lot

**Vafuth** · 11th April 08, 10:41 AM

Originally Posted by Raptor

Bydand is also regularly given as steadfast, but recent investigation by the Gordon Highlanders Regiment has produced the theory that Bydand is a contraction of the Old Scots "Byde and Fecht", which means "stand & fight". Totally believable when you look at clan history!

that has been my finding too...

supposedly the "Fecht" was dropped because it was understood that if one was going to stand, one would fight!

Animo non Astutia, which means By courage not craft is the older clan motto

it also may be noted that Gordons are of Norman decent thus the reason for being called the House of Gordon and not the Gordon Clan.

**macwilkin** · 11th April 08, 10:45 AM

it also may be noted that Gordons are of Norman decent thus the reason for being called the House of Gordon and not the Gordon Clan.

A number of clans have Anglo-Norman roots -- the Comyns, Hays, Bruces, etc., yet they assimilated into Highland society so much that the only trace of their Norman origins is their names.

Regards,

Todd

**ThreadBbdr** · 11th April 08, 11:52 AM

Both of mine have been mentioned already - MacKenzie and Lamont (Lemon)

Still digging further back than great grandparents, though. The English sides (Hempstead and Castor) I have back to the late 1600/early 1700s.