The surname Strange is more often found as Strang. It is probably derived from the Norman or French wordetrange, which means foreign. The Strang rendering is believed to derive from the Scots dialect for the wordstrong. In around 1255 Home le Estraunge was in the service of the Scottish king. In around 1340 Thomas de Strang held land around Aberdeen. In about 1362 John Strang married Cecilia, sister of Richard Anstrutherof that Ilk and as part of the marriage settlement, Strang received some of the lands of Balcaskie.
15th and 16th centuries
William Strang of Balcaskie is mentioned in around 1466 in deeds. In 1482 John Strang of Balcaskie received a charter of confirmation for the lands of Ewingston. John Strang of Balcaskie was killed at the Battle of Pinkie Cleugh in 1547.
17th and 18th centuries
In 1615 John Strang of Balcaskie sold the estate and became a colonel in Cochrane’s Scots Regiment. Sir Robert Strange was descended from a younger son of the house of Balcaskie whose family had settled in Orkney at the time of the Scottish Reformation. Strange was intended for a career in the law, but instead took ship on a man-of-war heading for the Mediterranean. When he returned he took up the art of engraving.
Jacobite risings
The same Sir Robert Strange was appointed to Charles Edward Stuart's Life Guard when Stuart's army entered Edinburgh in 1745. Strange served in the Life Guard during the Jacobite rising of 1745 until after the defeat at the Battle of Culloden in 1746. After which he managed to escape for several months remaining as a fugitive in the Scottish Highlands. He later returned to Edinburgh in obscurity. He moved to London in 1751 where he began to receive critical acclaim for engraving several important historical prints. He left to tour Italy in 1760 and died in 1792, being considered the father of the art of engraving historical prints.
Clan Strange Today
In February 1995 Major Timothy Strange of Balcaskie was confirmed by Lord Lyon as Chief of the Clan Strange.
Clan Profile
Arms: Argent, a chevron between three lozenges Sable.
Crest: Dexter, on a Wreath Argent and Sable a cluster of grapes Proper; sinister, on a Wreath Argent and Sable a castle Proper, masoned Sable
Mottos: Dexter, Dulce quod utile ; sinister, Stet fortuna domus
Supporters: Dexter, an ancient Caledonian warrior; sinister, an ancient Danish warrior
Standard: The arms in the hoist and of two tracts Argent and Sable with the Crest depicted thrice, and on two transverse bands Gules the Motto 'Dulce quod utile' in letters Or
Pinsel: Argent, on a Wreath of the Liveries a cluster of grapes Proper within a strap Sable and buckle embellished Or and inscribed with the Motto 'Dulce quod utile' in letters of the field and all within a circlet Or fimbriated Gules bearing the title 'Strange of Balcaskie' in letters Sable, and in the fly on an Escrol Gules surmounting a cluster of grapes Proper the slogan 'A balcaskie' in letters of the Field.
