Clan Wauchope History
The surname Wauchope is of territorial origin, coming from the district of Wauchopedale in the parish of Langholm in Dumfriesshire.
It is believed that the family settled early on in Roxburghshire, however, most, if not all, of their charters have since been destroyed or lost. It has never been found recorded that this family of Wauchopes were ever tenants-in-chief (in capite) of the Crown, but instead only holding the honorable, even though subordinate, position of a vassal or tenant of a baron. Still, they did have tenants and vassals of their own, in English feudal law a vavasour (medium Latin vassus vassorum).
During the reign of William I, a charter for Melrose Abbey by Symon de Lyndsay was witnessed by Ada de Waleuhope, and dominus Ada de Waleuhope, the same person, witnessed another charter to Melrose during the same period.
Alan de Walchope was witness to a charter by Thomas de Lundin being granted, sometime between 1203 and 1214.
Seal of Alexander II
Alexander II gave Alan de Waluchop’s son, Robert, a charter of lands in Aberdeenshire in 1247, and two years later, in 1249, as Robert de Walwehope he was appointed as one of the twelve Scottish knights to meet twelve English knights to agree upon the law of the border marches. And as Robert de Walhope, he witnessed, in 1259, the gift to the monks of Coldingham, Berwickshire, of land in Aython (Aytoun).
A quitclaim in 1278 of Beeth-Waldef in Fife was witnessed by Alan de Walchop, or Walchoup.
In 1296, both Robert de Walghope and Thomas Walghope rendered their homage to England’s Edward I by putting their name to the Ragman Roll. The former doing this in Aberdeen, and the latter in Edinburgh, who was a tenant under the bishop of St. Andrews. Thomas Walghope’s seal depicts either a hawk or a raven killing another bird, and his name S’ Thome Walchop.
In 1379, a Thomas de Walchope was recorded as being sub vicecomes de Perth.
At the University of Orleans, David Wauchoip was the procurator of the Scottish Nation, and in the records of the Scots men-at-arms in France the surname appears as Vaucop and Vulcob.
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