The Scottish surname RAFFAN or RAFFIN is toponymic in origin, denoting “one who came from Rathven”, the name of a parish in the county of Banff, three and a half miles from Cullen, so called from the Gaelic “Rath Bheann”, composed of “Rath” denoting “a circle of stones” and “Bheann” meaning Hill. Thus, this toponym can literally be translated as “circle of stones on a hill” and this most prominent feature of Rathven is the eminence of Binhill which overhangs the south eastern part of the locality and is covered with cairns.
The local pronounciation of Rathven was Raffan or Raven and one of the most powerful families of Banff were the Ogilvies and thus the Raffans’ were probably tributaries to, and vassals of this family.
The tartan featured throughout this site is the ‘ Macphail Hunting Tartan’