MacColman

The MacColman sept of the Clan Buchanan

Colman, MacColman, McColman, McCalman, MacCalmont, McCalmont, Dove, Dow, Murchie, Murchison, MacMurchie, McMurchie, MacMaster, McMaster, Masters, Masterson, Rusk, Ruskin.

The ancestor of the MacColmans, according to Buchanan of Auchmar, was Colman, third son to Anselan, and the seventh Laird of Buchanan.  He further indicates that Colman was the brother of Gilbert who was the first Laird to assume the surname of Buchanan.  Colman was an ordinary Christian name which was in common use in Scotland.  This Colman’s son migrated to Argylshire during the reign of Alexander III, settling near Glen Lonan.  From this descendant of Colman evolved the MacCalmans who supplied a tannery which was located in this area with bark for use in tanning the leather.  From the nature of their work, they acquired the Gaelic name Na Rusgain – the Ruskins – which comes from rusg meaning peel or bark.  Thus, they lost their patronymic clan name to their occupational name.

Another of Colman’s descendants migrated to Kintail, settling on the Earl of Seaforth’s land, this man’s name was Murcho MacColman and from him we have the names Murchison and MacMurchie.  Some of the Murcho’s descendants were known by the name MacAmhaisdir from which derives MacMaster, Masters and Masterson.  It is suggested that their progenitor was a minister or Master of Arts.

The name Dove and Dow are Anglicization of the name Calman and appear to have been adopted by descendants of Colman who emigrated to the Lowlands.