Brandybuck Clan

In J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional universe of Middle-earth, the Brandybuck clan was a powerful Hobbit family. Like the other main aristocratic families, the Tooks and the Bolgers, they had a Fallohide strain,[1] though they and the Bucklanders among whom they lived were at least partly of Stoor origin, and "by all accounts"[2] had Bree blood as well.

The family began as the Oldbuck clan, who named themselves such apparently after Bucca of the Marish, the first Thain of the Shire. Eleven Oldbuck Thains followed, until Gorhendad Oldbuck crossed into Buckland over the river Brandywine. The Thainship then passed to the Took clan.

Gorhendad took the surname Brandybuck, and began delving the dwelling of Brandy Hall. The village of Bucklebury, and the settlement of Buckland, grew up round the hall.

Buckland technically lay beyond the boundary of the Shire, which was defined by the Brandywine river, and constituted a semi-independent colony ruled by the Master. The Bucklanders were considered 'odd folk' by the other Hobbits of the Shire because they were comfortable with boats and because they locked their doors at night (due to the proximity of the Old Forest). They also preserved words and names of Dunlendish origin, and were regarded by the other Shire Hobbits as having "a feel which we would consider to be 'Celtic'."[3]

Masters of Buckland

The head of the family was the Master of Buckland, one of the officials of the Shire. This office was founded by Gorhendad Brandybuck. Like the Thain and Warden of Westmarch, the Master had only nominal authority, though it extended across the Brandywine into the Marish of the Eastfarthing due to family alliances and the commerce between the two areas.

Brandybuck of Buckland

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Gormadoc Brandybuck
 
Malva Headstrong
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Hanna Goldworthy
 
Madoc
 
 
Sadoc
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Marroc
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Adaldrida Bolger
 
Marmadoc
 
 
Two Sons
 
Salvia
 
Gundabald Bolger
 
(many
descendants)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Mirabella Took
 
Gorbadoc
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Two Daughters
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Orgulas
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Menegilda Goold
 
Rorimac
 
Amaranth
 
Saradas
 
Dodinas
 
Rufus Burrows
 
Asphodel
 
Dinodas
 
Primula
 
Drogo Baggins
 
Gorbulas
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Esmeralda Took
 
Saradoc
 
Merimac
 
Seredic
 
Hilda Bracegirdle
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Frodo Baggins
 
 
 
Marmadas
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Estella Bolger
 
Meriadoc ‘Merry’ Brandybuck
 
Berilac
 
 
 
Doderic
 
Ilberic
 
Celandine
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Merimas
 
Mentha
 
Melilot
 
 

Source: The Lord of the Rings, Appendix C.
Additions should cite a canonical source.

"Brandybuck" as a translation

See also: Westron

The name Brandybuck is stated to be a rendering of the original Westron (Common Speech) Brandagamba, Marchbuck. In keeping with the conceit that The Lord of the Rings was derived from the translated Red Book of Westmarch, Tolkien claimed to have translated all its Westron words into English — including the names of characters.

While Marchbuck ("march" bearing its archaic meaning of "border") is the exact representation of Brandagamba, Tolkien rendered it Brandybuck to preserve the name's similarity with the River Branda-nîn (Baranduin in Sindarin), which Tolkien then rendered Brandywine in English to reflect an alternate name, Bralda-hîm, meaning "heady ale", referring to the river's golden-brown colour.

List of Brandybucks

See also

References

  1. ↑ The Fellowship of the Ring, Prologue, (1) Concerning Hobbits, p. 13.
  2. ↑ The Fellowship of the Ring, "At the Sign of the Prancing Pony", p. 162.
  3. ↑ Prologue (1) Concerning Hobbits.
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