Clan Cochrane
Based in the USA, with branches in Canada and around the world, Clan Cochrane is the international hub of the Cochrane family. High Commissioner Tom Cochrane opens up about the ties that bind.
How long have you been involved in the Clan and in what capacity?
I have been involved with Clan Cochrane for 8 years, for a few months just as a member. Then, when I asked why there was no representative of the Clan at the Colorado Festivals I was told we had no commissioner, so would I be interested? I have been a commissioner since 2005. In 2008 I was appointed to the newly created position of President under the High Commissioner and headed up the organization of Clan Cochrane’s presence at the Gathering 2009. After a re-organization in 2010 I became High Commissioner or Commissioner to the Chief as it is known now.
What inspired you to get involved, and stay involved?
I have been interested in my Scottish roots since I was a child. My grandfather and father were both very fond of telling the stories they knew about their ancestors and my grandfather had been a major help to his younger sister Aunt Pauline who wrote a two volume history of Cochrans starting with the ancestor who came to America from Northern Ireland in the 1740s. Once I started attending the Scottish festivals and further researching Cochrane history I was hooked.
What is the Clan’s origins and history?
Cochranes are a lowland clan originating in the lands around Paisley, Scotland. Legend has it we are descended from a Viking raider who decided to stay in Scotland in the 900s. The name appears in documents in the 1200s and the first Cochrane raised to the peerage was William Cochrane in 1669 for his support of Charles II. He became the first Earl of Dundonald and hereditary chief of Clan Cochrane. Our current Chief Douglas Dundonald the 15th Earl of Dundonald is a direct descendant. There is of course much more to the history and there is great information on the Clan Cochrane Web Site. Clan Cochrane in North America has been around for about 20 years. After the 14th Earl met Michael Cochrane, the former High commissioner and gave him the charge of establishing the clan organization here.
How has it evolved over the years?
There have been ups and downs. When I became involved we had shrunk to very few members with only 4 or 5 state commissioners. We now have 9 State Commissioners and may add 2 more this spring. And our membership is up. Our Secretary/ Historian / Genealogist Cynthia Cochran Scheuer- Jones has been a strong rock through the changes of the last years.
How many members are actively involved?
Around 60 are on the membership rolls at present with many of them being Couple or Family Memberships.
Where are Clan members from and how do they find you?
We seem to be strong in the South, but are growing in the west and in New England. A lot of new member meet us at festivals but the web site and face book page are starting to make more contacts. And magazine listings also generate interest.
What kinds of Clan-related events do members participate in?
The Gathering 2009 was the first large Gathering of Clan Cochrane and we hope to do that again in 2014. We met Cochranes from all over the world. Right in North America now we rely on the State Commissioners to organize events in their areas but we hope to have an AGM in 2013.
What does the Clan have planned for the years to come?
This year we are having our newly elected board meeting via video conferencing to set our direction for the next three years. We want to start having yearly AGMs. We want to be apart of Bannockburn Celebrations in Scotland in 2014. We would love to have members and commissioners in Canada and we would love to have representatives more states in the U.S. We would love to establish ways to encourage interest in Scottish and Scots Irish Culture in general and Cochrane history and genealogy in particular.
I have been researching my family history and things that my father and uncles told me are being confirmed my father’s family apparently immigrated to Pennsylvania from Ireland in 1794 and settled around Pittsburgh my great great grandfather was a judge and mill owner his daughter from his second marriage was Elizabeth Jane Cochran she added the e to the end of her name she was the journalists nelli bly our family was from his first marriage from what i was told our family left Scotland to Ireland in 1570 i think they somehow were involved with Mary queen of scouts there is some documentation of this in the Presbyterian library in Philadelphia my great grandfather and great great uncle owned a large pottery businesses in the Trenton n.j. area that were sold to Koehler plumbing in 1925
My name is Fiona Cochrane. We came to Australia from kirkaldy.
I’d like to join
William Cochrane Feudal baron of Cochrane, Chief of the name and arms of Cochrane
1548 – 14 July 1603
He is my 11th great grandfather.
Cameron Micheal Cochran
Alain’s relation to you: Direct ancestor (30 generations)
You
James S. Cochran III
your father
James Seldon Cochran
his father
Dr. James Seldon Cochran
his father
John Cochran
his father
Terrell Bryson Cochran
his father
james robert Cochran
his father
John C Cochran
his father
Samuel Cochran
his father
Stephen Cochran
his father
thomas Cochran
his father
John Cochran
his father
george Cochran, Sr. ❣️
his father
James Hugh Cochran, Sr. ❣️
his father
John Cochran, III
his father
John of that Ilk Earl Paisley Cochran, II
his father
Marion Elizabeth stuart stewart
his mother
John Lennox Lord Maxwell
her father
Alan Darnley Stewart of Darnley, Kt.
his father
Sir John STEWART
his father
John Robert III King of Scotland Stewart, III,King o
his father
Robert II (born John) Stewart, King of Scots II
his father
Walter Thomas (6th High Stewart Of Scotland) UNKNOWN
his father
James Stewart 5th High Steward Stewart of Dundonald and 5th High Steward of Scotland
his father
HRH Alexander Stewart 4th High Steward of Scotland, 4Th High Steward
his father
Walter 3rd High Steward of Scotland Stewart (born FitzAlan), 3rd High Steward of Scotland, 3rd High Steward Scotland
his father
Alan Stewart, 2nd Fitzwalter
his father
Walter fitz alan 1st Great Stewart of Scotland, 1st Great Stewart
his father
alan Fitz Flaald
his father
Fledaldus Flaald Senescal De Dol, Senescal De Dol
his father
Alain FitzFlaald
his father
I hope to find some distant Cochran’s out there.
I am the last living daughter of Robert Earl Cochran…I have been told that we were related to Mary Queen of Scots and that we were from the isle of Skye….I have also been told that we are or were related to Kaiser Wilhelm through my grand mothers side (Von Fisher)….no idea if this is true however my father was the spitting image of the Kaiser and my son the spitting image of his great grandson so who knows.
my name is megann cochran, daughter of dick cochran grand daughter of amos cochran and ida cochran great grand daughter of jesse cochran. Was hoping to get further information!
I am from the state of Georgia, I would love to get the old Cochran record out and link up to craft a family tree with everyone. I think the org “Clan Cochrane of North America” may have an extensive tree dating back to the earliest known Cochran(e). Would like to fill in our family’s history, we have been through a whole lot, I think we have an interesting timeline here in Georgia, don’t want us to be forgotten down here ahah!
Great grandson of General Richard Ellis Cochran. I’m not sure where this fits in the Cochran Clan. I plan on visiting Ireland and Scotland this coming Spring and am hoping to learn more about Clan Cochran(e).
Hello – I am in Australia and have been trying to trace my 3rd Great Grandfather’s origins. I know he was William James Cochrane,
BIRTH 1808 • Fintona, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland and DEATH 15 OCT 1882 • Mount Terry, Albion Park, New South Wales, Australia. There is conflicting data around his parents vs his wife’s parents. What I believe is that his wife Mary Jane Coughran BIRTH 1809 • Fintona, Tyrone, Northern Ireland and DEATH 21 JAN 1905 • Candelo, NSW, AUSTRALIA is the daughter of David A Coughran and Elizabeth Betsy Cotter. A lot of genealogy sites claim they were also William’s parents. If anybody has any data they could share with me regarding who William’s parents really are, I would appreciate it. I know my heritage is largely Scottish so think William could have Scottish parents.
Is the Cochrane Family in any way related to the English Royal family?
My name is Christy Cochran and I don’t know where to begin on this search to find out who are relatives are. I don’t have much information but I do know my great grandparents Rufus and Elizabeth Cochran are supposed to be full blood Irish. Unfortunately I don’t know Elizabeth’s maiden name. Hope to find out more.