History of the Bean Family. Page 1.

It is probable that the name of Bean was deduced from the feudal MacBean, once a small clan, the origin perhaps of another surname not uncommon in those parts, namely "Bain".

Stewart in his sketches of the "Highland Clans" has marked off Number 18 on his Map of Scotland as the district of the MacIntoshes, including the MacGillerays, MacBeans etc. This district is bounded on the north by Inverness and Aberdoloch.
The MacGillerays and MacBeans, being small clans, followed the Laird of MacIntosh in wars and forays. The entire population of this district did not probably exceed 3,000 persons, for at the time of the rising in 1766, the military strength was estimated by Forbes at 800 men. This included the lesser clans above.

The immediate ancestors of the family of Bean, of whome we know anything, were Settled in the lower district of Aberdeenshire called Buchan, and were engaged in farming and salmon fishing in the River Ythan which flows into the sea 10 miles above Aberdeen.

Bean motto "Touch not the cat bat ar glove."