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Clan Fraser of Lovat (Tartans, Crest) and The Story Behind

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Fraser of Lovat

Gaelic Name: Friseal

Clan Crest: A buck’s head erased, Proper

Clan Motto: Je Suis Prest (I am ready)

Origin of Name: French, fraisse (Strawberry)

Lands: East Lothian, Aberdeenshire

Clan Chief: The Rt. Hon. The Lord Lovat

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Fraser of Lovat Clan History

Sir Alexander Fraser was Robert the Bruce's chamberlain, and the Frasers of Lovat are descended from his brother, Sir Simon Fraser. Sir Simon won the hand of the heiress of the Bisset Lands around Beauly, and these lands became the family home.

Beaufort Castle was built in the late 1870s with an image of Simon Fraser, 13th Lord Lovat.

Hugh Fraser was described as 'Lord of Lovat and portioner of Ard' in a 1367 record, the Frasers' first known connection to Lovat land. By 1422, the Frasers of Lovat's lands had expanded to include Stratherrick by Loch Ness.

Hugh Fraser was the first Lord Lovat or Lord Fraser of Lovat around 1460. Beaufort Castle became the chiefs' seat in 1511, and it is still Fraser property today.

The Battle of the Field of Shirts in 1544 was a memorable battle resulting from a disputed chiefship between the Frasers of Lovat and the MacDonalds of Clanranald. It got its name because the men fighting had to take off their heavy plaids in the heat of the day and fight in their white shirts.

The romantic name belies the horror on an area of wild marshland alongside Loch Lochy (pictured top), where only five Frasers and eight MacDonalds survived the slaughter of hundreds of men. The Lovat chief and his son and heir were both killed and buried at Beauly Priory.

Despite the costs of the day, the Lovat Frasers expanded and established many branches, including Fingask, Reelig, and Inverallochy.

A strong Lovat presence was present at Culloden Moor in April 1746, with some estimating two battalions. Cumberland and his troops pillaged the Fraser estates following the battlefield disaster. One year after the Battle, the chief was captured at Loch Morar and taken to London, where he was beheaded at Tower Hill.

The Frasers of Lovat later assisted in the formation of Highland regiments that fought in the American War of Independence, Quebec, and the Napoleonic Wars across the British Empire.

Lord Lovat raised the Lovat Scouts for service in the Boer War in 1899.

The Lovat Scouts went on to win battle honours in both World Wars, led by the then-Lord Lovat and his piper, Bill Millen. On D Day, they landed on the Normandy beaches and formed part of the dramatic relief of the Pegasus Bridge, a critical strategic position.

Lord Lovat, a well-known and decorated war hero, died in 1996 and was buried with the help of his trusted piper.

Fraser of Lovat Places & People

Clan Fraser Individuals

Main image: James Baillie Fraser (1783-1856).

In 1813, Fraser arrived in India as a merchant. During the Nepal War, he tracked down his brother William and they explored the lower Himalayas together. As they traveled to the Ganges and Jumma rivers' sources, James drew constantly.

His Journal, which described nearly every flower, rock, and native habit he discovered, was published in 1820 alongside his collection of drawings "Views in the Himalaya Mountains." He also created well-known drawings of life in Calcutta before returning to Scotland via more recorded adventures in Persia.

Hugh Fraser and Sons

With the help of the upscale House of Fraser department stores, the name Fraser has acquired a regal ring. Hugh Fraser opened his first cash-only warehouse in Buchanan Street, Glasgow, in 1849. As Glasgow's industrial wealth grew, so did the store's fortunes. Hugh Fraser II oversaw the construction of new premises following a fire in 1889.

Hugh Fraser III was the one who used promotion and modernization to propel the brand into the top tier of retail. His strategies were implemented in 1919, and the store relocated to Glasgow's Argyll Street in 1927.

Hugh was a member of the House of Lords when he died in 1966. The House of Fraser had stores all over the country and owned Harrods and Barkers in London.

Fraser, Peter (1884-1950)

Fearn in the county of Ross-shire In 1908, Peter Fraser moved to London and joined the Independent Labour Party. He moved to New Zealand in 1910, when he was twenty-five years old. During World War I, he was imprisoned for opposing conscription of men.

Following Labour's election victory in 1935, he was appointed Minister of Education. Following Michael Savage's death, he was appointed Prime Minister. He was instrumental in the formation of the United Nations.

Fraser, George Sutherland (1915-1980).

After the war, Glasgow-born Fraser fought in the Middle East, where his experiences would be transformed into his most famous poems.

His most famous work became "The Traveller Has Regrets" in 1948. Regret would be a recurring theme for him, as evidenced by his posthumous "Collected Poems" collection, published in 1981.

Clan Fraser Locations

Clan Fraser is associated with the following locations, either historically or currently:

Cairnbulg Castle (Philorth Castle)

Kinnaird Head Lighthouse was formerly Kinnaird Castle, and Fraserburgh Castle was formerly Kinnaird Castle.

Mr. Oliver Castle

The Pitsligo Castle

Fraser of Lovat Tartans

Modern Fraser of Lovat

Fraser of Lovat Crest & Coats of Arms

Crest of Clan Fraser of Lovat

Worn by everyone with the same name and ancestry

Crest of Fraser of Lovat

Coat of Arms of Clan Fraser of Lovat

A word about Coats of Arms:

A coat of arms is granted to an individual under Scottish heraldic law (with the exception of civic or corporate arms). A 'family coat of arms' does not exist. With the exceptions noted above, the arms depicted below are personal arms. Only the person who has been granted these weapons has the right to use them.

Lord Fraser of Lovat FRASER

Quarterly, the first and fourth quarters are Azure with three fraises (cinquefoils), Argent (for Fraser); the second and third quarters are Argent with three antique crowns, Gules (for the Lordship of Lovat).

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