Clan Arbuthnott in 1779. The previous clan chief was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross (1945) and was appointed Knight of the Thistle and Commander of the Order of the British Empire. In Scotland he headed the Venerable Order of Saint John. The present Viscount of Arbuthnott and chief of Clan Arbuthnott succeeded to the position on his father's death in 2012. The current chief of Clan Arbuthnott is Keith Arbuthnott, 17th Viscount of Arbuthnott, Lord Inverbervie and Chief of the Name and Arms of Arbuthnott. Members of Clan Arbuthnott can show their allegiance to the clan by wearing a crest badge which
Keith Arbuthnott, 15th Viscount of Arbuthnott in the Italian Campaign 1943–1944 and the 78th Infantry Division 1944–1946. After the war, he served as Chief of the British Military Mission to the Egyptian Army in 1946, Chief of staff of Scottish Command in 1948–1949, Commander of the Highland District and 51st (Highland) Infantry Division (Territorial Army) 1949–1952, and retired from the British Army in 1952 as a major general. Lord Arbuthnott married, 10 January 1924, Ursula Collingwood (died 20 December 1989), daughter of Sir William Collingwood, KBE of Dedham Grove, Colchester, Essex. They had three sons (including John Campbell Arbuthnott, 16th Viscount of Arbuthnott, KT who succeeded