The Frasers are a Lowland clan, said to be of Norman stock. It is suggested by some that the name is derived from the town of Fréselière in Anjou and is first found in the south of Scotland in the 12th century. Another suggestion is that the Frasers were a tribe in Roman Gaul, whose badge was a strawberry plant (fraisier in French).
In 1160 Simon Fraser held lands at Keith in East Lothian and is believed to have given the church at Keith to the abbey at Kelso.In 1306 Sir Simon Fraser of Oliver Castle was executed by Edward I of England after he was captured while fighting for Robert the Bruce. It was around this time that the Frasers left East Lothian and began to establish the clan in Aberdeenshire.
Sir Simon’s cousin, Sir Alexander Fraser, married the sister of Robert the Bruce and became the king’s chamberlain. His elder brother, also Simon, was the progenitor of the Frasers of Lovat, who are a separate clan of the Highlands. (Some do not acknowledge them as a clan in itself. ) The Lovat Frasers were involved in the famous battle of Blaire-na-Leine – Battle of the Shirts – with the MacDonalds of Clanranald in 1544. Losses on both sides were heavy, but the MacDonalds were victorious and Lord Lovat and his son were killed.
Clan Fraser were not involved in the Jacobite rebellions although their Highland relatives Clan Fraser of Lovat were Jacobites.
The current Clan Fraser Chief is Flora Fraser, The Rt Hon The Lady Saltoun, and her seat is Philorth Castle, now known as Cairnbulg Castle in Aberdeenshire. Their historic seats are Oliver Castle in the Scottish Borders and Pitsligo Castle in Aberdeenshire.
The clan motto is “All my hope is in God”.
In 1160 Simon Fraser held lands at Keith in East Lothian and is believed to have given the church at Keith to the abbey at Kelso.In 1306 Sir Simon Fraser of Oliver Castle was executed by Edward I of England after he was captured while fighting for Robert the Bruce. It was around this time that the Frasers left East Lothian and began to establish the clan in Aberdeenshire.
Sir Simon’s cousin, Sir Alexander Fraser, married the sister of Robert the Bruce and became the king’s chamberlain. His elder brother, also Simon, was the progenitor of the Frasers of Lovat, who are a separate clan of the Highlands. (Some do not acknowledge them as a clan in itself. ) The Lovat Frasers were involved in the famous battle of Blaire-na-Leine – Battle of the Shirts – with the MacDonalds of Clanranald in 1544. Losses on both sides were heavy, but the MacDonalds were victorious and Lord Lovat and his son were killed.
Clan Fraser were not involved in the Jacobite rebellions although their Highland relatives Clan Fraser of Lovat were Jacobites.
The current Clan Fraser Chief is Flora Fraser, The Rt Hon The Lady Saltoun, and her seat is Philorth Castle, now known as Cairnbulg Castle in Aberdeenshire. Their historic seats are Oliver Castle in the Scottish Borders and Pitsligo Castle in Aberdeenshire.
The clan motto is “All my hope is in God”.