A Message from the Chief

I am delighted to welcome you to Clan Gunn, whether you are existing members of a Clan Gunn Society, thinking of joining us or are simply, just having a look.

I became Chief of Clan Gunn in October 2024 which was a slightly bittersweet moment for me as I am of course, immensely honoured and proud to lead Clan Gunn, but slightly saddened by the circumstances, as I lost my father in the process.

My father became chief following a Family Convention, held in Orkney on July 18, 2015, from which a petition was sent to the Lyon Court requesting that Iain Alexander Gunn of Banniskirk be recognised as Chief of Clan Gunn. This was subsequently approved on September 25th , 2015, and this was the first time that Clan Gunn had had a chief in over 200 years. I am now the second chief of Clan Gunn in the modern era.

I believe very strongly in keeping the spirit of Clanship alive, both at home and abroad and I have been greatly assisted in this with the help of my (Chief’s) commissioners whose job it is to represent the Chief when he is not present. These are Rich Gunn and Kris Wilson, both based in the United States and Robert Kamp Gunn who is based in the Netherlands, and I am extremely grateful to them for all their help.

My father has set some very strong foundations for the Clan, and I am certainly not seeking to rebuild any of his legacy. However, I do think that there are areas where the Clan could be modernised which I hope to put into place over the coming years without compromising on the Clan’s core principle of kinship.

The Clan Gunn is one of the oldest Scottish Clans descended from the Norse Jarls of Orkney and the Pictish Mormaers of Caithness. The name Gunn originated from a Norse personal name “Gunni” (which means “war”). The first Gunni came to Caithness at the end of the 12th century when his wife inherited land there from her brother who was Jarl (Earl) of Orkney. Gunni’s wife was descended from St Ragnvald who founded the St Magnus Cathedral in Kirkwall.

Today there are members of the Clan in the UK, France, the Netherlands, South Africa, USA, Canada, New Zealand and Australia. The Clan was originally based on the east coast of Caithness, but from the fifteenth century the senior line settled in the Strath of Kildonan in northeast Sutherland; the Robson Gunns had their seat in Braemore in southeast Caithness and the third main family established themselves in Cattaig and Dalemore on the upper reaches of the River Thurso.  

As always, I look forward to seeing old friends and meeting new members of the Clan during the course of the coming years.

John Gunn of Gunn and Banniskirk

Chief of Clan Gunn