The Foreign Origins of Scottish Clans

Scottish clans are as synonymous with Scotland as whisky and tartan, yet many Scottish clans have foreign origins. The origins of these clans speaks to the invasions and migrations into Scotland over the centuries.

Clan Fraser is a clan that has a few different branches across Scotland. The name is first recorded in 1160AD, and the Fraser clan motto is “Je Suis Prest” (I Am Ready). This motto speaks to the origin of the clan. It is thought that the Frasers are descended from Norman knights in the Anjou district of France.

One theory is that their name comes from the French Freseau family who themselves originated from a fierce tribe in Roman Gaul called the Friselii. This tribes name itself comes from the French word fraise, meaning strawberry, as there was an abundance of strawberries in the area that they lived in.

One notable Fraser in Scottish history was Simon Fraser, who fought alongside William Wallace and Robert the Bruce during the First Scottish War of Independence. In 1306, he was captured by English forces, and given the same punishment as Wallace, hung, drawn, and quartered, with his head stuck on a spike on London Bridge alongside Wallace’s.

Another Scottish clan with a fascinating history is Clan MacLeod, associated with the region in and around the Isle of Skye. The MacLeod’s are said to have a Viking or Norse origin, as they are descended from a Viking ancestor, Leod, who was the son of Olaf the Black, King of the Isles. Living in the 13th century, Leod was a very powerful chieftain.

Clan Stewart is perhaps one of the most famous clans, considering it’s connection to the royal throne for centuries. Initially spelt Stewart it later evolved into the House of Stuart, with the first Stewart monarch being Robert II of Scotland in the 14th century. Stuart’s reigned on the Scottish, and later British and Irish thrones, for centuries until the death of Queen Anne in 1714.

The clan itself can be traced back to Walter Fitz Alan, an English baron. Walter moved to Scotland under the reign of David I, and the name Stewart is said to come from Walter’s title as the High Steward of Scotland. Walter himself however was a descendant of the Earl of Brittany who came over with William the Conqueror’s forces during the Norman invasion of 1066.