The name COCHRANE, which dates back to the middle 1200's, is long established in the Scottish peerage. Waldeve de COCHRANE (or Coveran) whose name appears on a Scottish land grant in 1262, is the first person of record in the COCHRANE line. In 1647, William Cochrane was granted the title of Baron. Lord Cochrane of Dundonald became his title in 1669, when he was elevated to the title of Earl. The exact years when members of the family settled in America are uncertain; however, it is known that several daughters and sons of the eighth and ninth Earls of Dundonald were married in New York prior to 1775.

Of particular note is Thomas Cochrane, the tenth Earl of Dundonald (1775-1860), who was an Admiral of the First Rank in the Royal Navy. In 1814, Lord Cochrane was a Captain in the Royal Navy and a Member of Parliament. During that year, his name became associated with a stock scandal, and he was stripped of all rank and title. He then traveled to Chile where he became Commandant of the Chilean Navy. Several years later he assisted Brazil in forming that country's naval service. For this he is known as the "Father of the Brazilian Navy". Prior to returning to Britain, he became Commander in Chief of the Greek Navy. Upon his return to England, he conducted many experiments and attempted to interest the Royal Navy in steam powered ships. Eventually, for his service to his own and foreign Navies, he was promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral, and later became an Admiral of the First Rank. He is buried in Westminster Abbey.

The basic Cochrane crest, less the greyhounds, probably originated sometime between 1262 and 1647. Supporters for the crest (greyhounds in this case) denote peerage so it is assumed that they were added when William Cochrane became a Baron in 1647. In addition to the supporters, the crest granted to the Earl Dundonald included a helmet on which the horse was standing. This indicated that the title of the bearer of the crest fell within a certain area of peerage. Although we are using the basic crest granted to the Lord Cochrane, it has been modified somewhat for our use as a ship's crest.