Clan Fraser

Clan Motto

All my hope is in God

Chief

The Rt. Hon. The LADY SALTOUN
PO Box 18551
Ballater
Aberdeenshire
AB35 5ZJ

Associated Names

Abernethy, Bisset, Bissett, Brewster, Cowie, Frazer, Freser, Frezel, Frisell, Frizelle, Gilruth, Grewar, Gruar, Gruer, MacGrewar, MacGruer, MacIlriach, Macimmey, MacKim, MacKimmie, MacSimon, MacSymon, MacTavish, Oliver, Sim, Sime, Simon, Simons, Simpson, Sims, Simson, Sym, Syme, Symon, Symons, Twaddle, Tweeddale, Tweedie

The History of the clan

The Frasers probably came from Anjou in France, where the word for Strawberry is fraise and the plants are called fraisiers. The Fraser arms are silver strawberry flowers on a field of blue. Only the Chief is entitled to use these arms plain and undifferenced. The name first appears in Scotland around 1160 when Simon Fraser made a gift of a church at Keith in East Lothian to the monks at Kelso Abbey. About five generations later, Sir Simon Fraser (the Patriot) was captured fighting for Robert the Bruce, and executed with great cruelty by Edward I in 1306.

Sir Andrew Fraser of Touch-Fraser (d. 1297), cousin of the patriot, was the father of Sir Alexander Fraser of Cowie (ancestor of the Frasers of Philorth), Sir Simon Fraser (ancestor of the Frasers of Lovat), Sir Andrew Fraser, and Sir James Fraser of Frendraught. Sir Alexander’s grandson, Sir Alexander Fraser of Cowie and Durris, acquired the Manor Place (later to become Cairnbulg Castle) and lands of Philorth in 1375 by marriage with Lady Joanna, younger daughter and co-heiress of the Earl of Ross. Descended from the senior Philorth line, the current CHIEF OF THE NAME, is Flora Fraser 20th (now 21st) Lady Saltoun; Lord Lovat is Chief of the very numerous Highland Clan Fraser of Lovat, based in Inverness-shire.

Lady Saltoun’s father, Alexander Fraser, 19th (now 20th) Lord Saltoun (1886-1979), served with the Gordon Highlanders as a Captain in the 1st Battalion in the First World War, and was awarded the Military Cross. In 1934 he was Grand Master Mason for Scotland, and became a Scottish Representative Peer in 1936. At the time of his death in 1979, he had served in the House of Lords for longer than any other living Peer. Latterly he devoted himself to working for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. His son, Alexander, Master of Saltoun, born 1921, served in the Grenadier Guards and was killed in action in 1944. He was awarded the Military Cross. His daughter, Flora Fraser, 20th (now 21st) Lady Saltoun, an elected hereditary member of the House of Lords, is now CHIEF OF THE NAME OF FRASER.

An Episcopalian, she married Captain Alexander Ramsay of Mar, a great-grandson of Queen Victoria. They had three daughters, of whom the eldest, Katharine, The Hon. Mrs. Nicolson, has one son (Alexander Fraser) and two daughters. Captain Ramsay died in December 2000. For a complete and definitive history, written by Lady Saltoun herself, please consult www.fraserchief.co.uk from which this entry is derived, and to whom full acknowledgement and sincere thanks are duly given.