Allow me to recount the remarkable journey of your family, the Strachans, a name steeped in history and derived from the sprawling lands of Strachan, nestled in Kincardineshire. Your family’s roots intertwine with the very essence of the Gaelic language, where ‘srath’ and ‘aven’ unite to signify a broad valley and a flowing river. Your family name first graced the annals of history in the early thirteenth century, as the Priory of St. Andrews bestowed the lands of Strachan upon Waltheof.

Around 1225, the torch was passed to Ranulf, Waltheof’s son, who bestowed his lands to the revered Cathedral of Brechin. John, the son of Ranulf de Strachane, further illuminated your family’s legacy by gifting lands to the venerable Abbey of Dunfermline, a benevolent gesture confirmed by a charter from Alexander III in 1278. During the tumultuous contest for the Scottish crown, your family sided with King John Balliol and later the Comyn Earls of Buchan. A twist of fate saw the lands of Strachan seized by King Robert in 1316.

Unlike many others, the Strachans did not flee following Bruce’s triumph at Bannockburn. Amidst the backdrop of history, a tapestry of new Strachan families emerged, making amends for captured lands after the capture of David II at the Battle of Neville’s Cross in 1350. The Strachans of Thornton emerged as the vanguard of your family’s journey. In 1348, Sir James Strachan of Monboddo gained the lands and Castle of Thornton through his union with the heiress, Agnate. To this day, the Strachan of Thornton arms adorn the castle, embodying your family’s enduring legacy. The valor of Admiral Sir Richard Strachan, sixth baronet, shone brightly during the Napoleonic Wars. In 1805, he claimed victory by capturing four French battleships that had eluded Lord Nelson’s triumph at the Battle of Trafalgar. His memory lives on, etched in history.

The passage of time was not always kind, as succession faltered and the winds of change swept across the eighteenth century, dispersing your family into a ‘broken clan’, distant and bereft of a chief. Yet, the dawn of the twenty-first century breathed new life into the Strachans. The Clan Strachan Society emerged as a beacon, igniting efforts to reunite the family. In 2014, a momentous Derbhfine, or family convention, convened in Edinburgh under the watchful gaze of the Lyon Court. Strachans from across the globe gathered, paving the way for Rob Strachan to be recognized as Commander, a title that might someday evolve into Chief. As the sun sets on each day, your family’s resilience and resurgence stand as a testament to the indomitable spirit of the Strachans.