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Strachan
Armigers Any STRACHAN (or derivative
spelling), male or female, who wishes to obtain Armorial bearings...
click here
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These
clansmen have personal Arms of their own which are recognized by
Her Majesty's Lord Lyon King of Arms. As "Current Armigers,"
they are (and shall be) members of the Derbhfine (pro. jer-a-fin)
of the Clan,
the Clan gentry, second in rank to the Chief and his immediate
family.
They are clansmen of distinction with a certain role in the
management of the Clan in our times.
Current
Armigers |
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James
Andrew Strachan
United States of America
Petition Pending |
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William
Strachan
Australia
Petition Pending |
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Deceased
Armigers |
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Strachan, Prince George County, Virginia.
Re-created by
Garry Bryant, Clan Strachan Genealogist "Azure a stag trippant or, attired and unguled
gules, for Strachan. Argent a saltire sable on a chief of the
second three oak leaves ppr (proper) for Blackwood."
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Dr. Alexander Glas Strachan, son of Joseph Strachan and Miss Glas, the granddaughter of Sir Robert Blackwood of Petrovia,
Scotland, was born on the Strachan estates at Luscar, near
Edinburgh, 29 July 1748. He was educated in the latter city and
came to Virginia, settling near Petersburg, and was vestryman
for Bristol Parish 1785. He [claims] was descended
from the ancient house of Strachan of Thornton. He married
twice, and by his second wife, a Miss Field of Petersburg, had
issue eight children, viz: Robert Glas Strachan, Theophilus
Field Strachan, John Blackwood Strachan, Alexander Glas Strachan
(Jr.), Martha Strachan, Eliza Strachan, Jane Strachan, and Mary
Strachan. They intermarried with the Fields, Bollings, Blands, and Madisons.
Source:
(William Armstrong Crozier, F.R.S., F.G.S.A., editor, Virginia
Heraldica Being A Resistry of Virginia Gentry Entitled to Coat
Armor with Genealogical Notes of the Families. (Baltimore:
Genealogical Publishing Co., 1965 [ originally published in N.Y.
in 1908]) P. 112. (FHL-USA/CAN 975.5 D6v 1965.)
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STRACHAN (William
Strachan, Counsellor-at-Law, London, said to be representative
of Thornton, 1756) - Azure a stag trippant or, attired and
unguled gules. Crest - An arm and hand holding a scymitar
bendways proper. Supporters - Two foresters clothed vert, with
capes sable a belt round their waists and staves in their hands
proper
SOURCE
Ref. Burke's General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland &
Wales(1969) |
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STRACHAN (Tarrie,
Co. Forfar, 1739) - Azure on a mount in base proper a stag
trippant or, attired and unguled gules in the dexter chief point
a star of six rays, and in the sinister an increscent of the
last. Crest - A ship in full sail proper
SOURCE
Ref. Burke's General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland &
Wales(1969) |
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Sir James STRACHAN
(Thornton, Co. Kincardine) |
STRACHAN (Inchtuthill,
Scotland, bart. [of
Thornton],
1685) - Or, a hart at gaze
azure attired sable a bordure gules. Crest - A demi stag
springing or, holding a thistle in his mouth all proper.
SOURCE
Ref. Burke's General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland &
Wales(1969).
Ref. Nisbet, "System of Heraldry" (1984), Volume 1,
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STRACHAN (Leven, Co.
Fife, 1672) - Per pale gules and azure on a mount in base vert a
stag trippant argent
SOURCE
Ref. Burke's General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland &
Wales(1969) |
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The Arms of the Builder of Claypotts Castle
and his two relatives
John Strachan (Builder of Claypotts), Gilbert Strachan
(Canon of Aberdeen), and James Strachan (Canon of Aberdeen) |
STRACHAN (Brigton,
Scotland, 16th century) - Argent a crescent gules on a chief
azure three roses of the first
This description bears a striking
similarity to the Arms shown at Claypotts Castle, specifically
the middle Armorial Bearings of Gilbert Strachan. Moreover,
Brigton is less than 20 miles away, and is a short trip
immediately south of Claypotts, in Fife, located just
south-southwest of St. Andrews.
Strachan of Claypotts (Abt.1540-1593)
(FAR LEFT) These Arms belonged to John Strachan of Claypotts.
Note the "J" and the "S" straddling the shield. These Arms are
from a notice board at the site of Claypotts Castle.
SOURCE
Ref. Burke's General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland &
Wales(1969)
http://www.genealogicaljourneys.com/claypott.htm
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On the round tower of Thornton Castle
motto: Constant et Fidel
"Constant and Faithful"
Sir Alexander Strachan
6th Laird and
2nd Strachan of Thornton |
Sir Alexander
Strachan
2nd Strachan of Thornton and
6th Laird of Thornton
In the sixteenth
century, the Strachan of Thornton of Mearns blazon of arms was
thus described: "Azure, a stag tripping Or,
attired and unguled gules (Ibid. See Plate of
Achievements) with as crest a dexter arm issuing out of a Wreath
graping a Scymiter both proper." The motto "Forward" and the
Supporters "Two Forresters proper cloathed Vert having Caps on
their heads Sable."
These arms are
displayed on the Round Tower of Thornton Castle but differenced
as to the dexter arm which in this case grasps a saltire. This
achievement was added to the oldest part of the castle by its
first baronet laird, Sir Alexander Strachan.
There is another
difference. Instead of "Forward" the motto is this case is the
old Norman French "Constant et Fidel" meaning Constant and
Faithful. These were shining virtues in days when all too often
friendships were fickle and loyalties changed. A man who
possessed these could be forgiven much.
SOURCES:
Ref. Nisbet, "System of Heraldry" (1984), Volume 1, pg.
326.
Ref. Thornton-Kemsley "Bonnet Laird" (1972), pgs. 71-72.
Ref. Burke's General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland &
Wales(1969) |
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Inscription of Sir Alexander STRACHAN
13th Laird of Thornton |
Sir Alexander
Strachan of Thornton (1348-1828)13th Laird
As to emphasise his
title the 13th laird had the curious habit of adding an S to his
initials to indicate his rank. He would invariably subscribe
himself "S. A. Strauchane" on official documents, of which there
are many examples in the Records of the Privacy Council.
SOURCES:
Ref. Nisbet, "System of Heraldry" (1984), Volume 1, pg. 326.
Ref. Thornton-Kemsley "Bonnet Laird" (1972), pgs. 71-72.
Ref. Burke's General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland &
Wales(1969) |
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Sir Alexander Strachan of Glenkindie, Knight, |
Strachan (Glenkindie, co
Aberdeen). Azure a hart trippant. Or, attired and unguled
gules. Crest, a hart standing at gaze, as in the arms. Motto -
Non Timeo Sed Caveo.
These are the armorial bearings of Sir Alexander Strachan, Laird
of Glenkindie, Knight.
On the facade of Glenkindie House
SOURCE
Ref. Nisbet, "System of Heraldry" (1984), Volume 1, pg. 326
(Ibid. See Plate of Achievements).
Nisbet, "System of Heraldry" (1984)
Volume I, Plate 18
Burke, "The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and
Wales," page 978 (1996). |
Armorial bearings do not pertain to a family,
but to an individual. These consist of the Coat of Arms,
and the Family Crest. The use of such is governed
by Heraldic law, which is administered by the Court of the Lord Lyon.
Usage is restricted in many respects, and those interested in using
these bearings should be fully aware of said restrictions.
The Chief’s coat of arms fulfils within the clan or family the same
purpose as the Royal Arms do in a Kingdom. There is no such
thing as a "family crest", "family coat of arms", or "Clan
coat of arms" which anyone can assume, or a whole family can use.
The arms belong to the Chief, and clansmen have only the privilege
of wearing the strap-and-buckle "Crested badge" to show they
are such Chief's clansmen. It is illegal to assume and purport to
use your Chief's arms without a due and congruent recorded
difference. Anyone who does so merely publishes their own ignorance.
Armorial bearings, of which the Crest is a
subsidiary part, are a form of individual heritage property,
devolving upon one person at a time by succession from the grantee
or confirmee, and thus descend like a Peerage. They indicate the
Chief of the Family or Clan, or the Head of each subsidiary line or
household descending from members who have themselves established in
the Public Register of All Arms and Bearings in Scotland a right to
a subsidiary version of the arms and crest, containing a mark of
difference indicating their position in the Family or Clan. This is
not a "new" coat of arms, it is the ancient ancestral arms
with a mark of cadency, usefully showing the cadet's place within
the family. It identifies where you, and your own heirs, belong
within the family. It is, as well as being beautiful, a valuable
system of identification.
The parts of the armorial bearings consist
of:
- The Shield, bearing the basic device
- The Helmet, with its Crest, which sits
on top of the helmet
- The Motto in a scroll
- The Mantling or cape, which kept the
sun off the wearer's armor in hot weather.
The Coat of Arms to the right are the only
official bearings of the Strachan Family that have been approved by
the by the Lord Lyon King of Arms. I have seen other, more ornate,
Strachan Coat of Arms shown on the Internet. However, their design
does not match any official descriptions for any Strachan Armigers.
On the Strachan coat of arms, you will see,
"Non Timeo Sed Caveo," which is defined below in the section
"Strachan Family Crest."
Beasts of the game.
Such as stags, bucks, harts,
deers, hares, etc. are carried in arms, not only upon the
account of their natural good qualities, but as signs of the
bearer's jurisdiction and liberty of hunting in forests and parks;
their postures in arms are either passant, tripping, standing at
gaze, courant, springing, and couchant.
Passant or
tripping, is when they have their right fore-foot lifted up,
and the other three, as it were, on the ground (See Glenkindie
Arms). When the horns of those creatures are of a different
tincture (color) from their bodies, they are then said to be
attired, and the branches of their horns are called
tynes; and when their hoofs are of a different tincture,
they are said to be unguled. Standing at a
gaze is said when these creatures have all four feet on the
ground. Sable is a stag standing at a gaze argent.
Lying down, they are said to be couchant or
lodged.
As you read the Coat of Arms
descriptions on this page, some words signify colour. Or,
a french word which signifies gold, its colour is yellow.
Azure, means blue and is said to have come from an Arabic or
Persian word lazurd. Gules or gueules is red, and may
also have come from an Arabic word gule. Sable is
black, Vert is green, and Purpure is the
colour purple which largely signifies royalty.
Crest/Motto: Non Timeo Sed Caveo
The literal translation from Latin is, "Not
Timid But Cautious." In modern or contemporary terms, the meaning
has become somewhat diluted. In the 1600's, the meaning would more
closely resemble, "You better watch, our I'll kick your fanny."
There is of course a different word for "fanny"... but for the sake
of our children we opted for the more innocent version.
The Crest of the Chief shown above left, is
worn by all members of the Clan and of approved families and
followers of the Clan, within a strap and buckle surround bearing
the Chief's motto. This is for personal wear only, and
indicates that the wearer is a member of the Clan whose Chief's
crest-badge is being worn. The badge or crest is not
depicted on personal or business stationery, signet rings or plate,
because such use would legally import that the tea-pot, etc., was
the Chief's property!
Having made the proper disclaimers, I have
seen displayed in nearly all clan stores the clan crests on clocks,
coffee mugs, tee-shirts, and essentially plastered on anything one
could imagine. For good or bad, commercialization has largely made
the manner in which Family Crests should be treated... obsolete.
Just remember, if in the highly unlikely
event the Strachan Family Chief arrives at your door, be prepared to
place all Strachan Crest branded wine glasses, tea cups, and the
like in a large box for him, as he may wish to take his property
home with him.
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General References:
More Information:
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