Strachan Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Strachan last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Strachan last name
Meaning of the Strachan last name: valley of the stream. Strachan is a Scottish surname from Strachan in Kincardineshire, from Gaelic srath, "valley", and a word for a stream. It is pronounced "strawn". Families of this last name spread through Aberdeenshire and to Canada, where Bishop John Strachan founded the University of Toronto.
Arms associated with the Strachan name
In Scottish heraldry, coats of arms associated with the Strachan name are personal, each with its own blazon.
Get your full Strachan family history
This is only a glimpse of the Strachan story. The full Strachan history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Strachan coat of arms. Get the full Strachan report.
Strachan name FAQ
What does the Strachan name mean?
Valley of the stream. Common variants include Strahan, Straughan.
Where does the Strachan surname come from?
It originates in Scotland, and is also found in the United States, Canada and Australia.
Is there a Strachan coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Strachan coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: George F. Black, The Surnames of Scotland (New York Public Library, 1946); Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).