FRASER
The Fraser surname is a family name of Scottish provenance that, according to several documented attestations, may also be linked to French roots. In medieval records it is frequently recorded as *de Fresel,* *de Friselle* and *de Freseliere,* forms that suggest a potential French locational origin although no contemporary French place bears this name.
Both Gaelic and heraldic traditions contribute to the explanation of the name. In Gaelic it is understood to be a *derivati* of a given name, and the heraldic term *fraisse* refers to a strawberry. The Scots later adopted this symbolism in their coat of arms, and the clan was at times referred to as the “Strawberry bearers.” The significance of strawberries is further underlined by the fact that early Fraser territories, such as those at Neidpath, were known for profuse strawberry growth.
The French linguistic source offered by some scholars is the word fraisier, meaning strawberry. It has therefore been suggested that the surname may have originally described a person with a strawberry‑red complexion or a person living near a strawberry patch. Variants of the name – Frazer and Frazier – are common in Scotland and in other English‑speaking countries, the latter spelling being more typical in the United States.
Earliest documentary evidence for the clan appears in the 12th century. Symon Ffraser is recorded as giving the church of Keith to the Abbey of Kelso, and George Freser witnessed a charter of Walter Olifard in 1210. The first surname spelling to survive in a charter is that of Sir Simon Frasee (c. 1160), preserved in the Rolls and Charters of East Lothian during the reign of King Malcolm XV of Scotland (1153 – 1165).
Sir Simon Fraser, known as “the Scottish patriot,” served under Sir William Wallace. According to contemporary accounts he achieved a remarkable victory over three regiments of the English army at the Battle of Roslin in 1302. Throughout the 13th and 14th centuries the family acquired land by a series of advantageous marriages, expanding their influence across Scotland. William Fraser, Earl of Ross, acted as chancellor of Scotland from 1319 to 1326, and he fought alongside King Robert The Bruce at the Battle of Methven in 1306.
In sum, the Fraser surname embodies a rich tapestry of linguistic and heraldic elements that trace back to both Gaelic and possibly French origins. Its bearers played a pivotal role in Scottish history, and the name persists with various spellings across the British Isles and the wider English‑speaking world.
Typical given names associated with the Fraser surname
Male
- Alexander
- Andrew
- David
- Donald
- Ian
- James
- John
- Michael
- Robert
- William
Female
- Anne
- Catherine
- Elizabeth
- Fiona
- Helen
- Jane
- Karen
- Margaret
- Mary
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
- Farser
- Forser
- Fracer
- Fraer
- Fraeser
- Fraise
- Fraiser
- Fraizer
- Frasar
- Frase
- Fraseer
- Frasers
- Frases
- Frasher
- Frasier
- Fraske
- Frasor
- Frasser
- Fraster
- Frasure
- Frasyer
- Frayser
- Frazar
- Frazer
- Frazher
- Frazier
- Frazor
- Frease
- Freaser
- Freezer
- Freezor
- Freiser
- Freser
- Fresher
- Fresser
- Frezer
- Frieser
- Friezer
- Froser
- Fruser
- Furzer
- Phraser
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Fraser in...
Braille
⠋⠗⠁⠎⠑⠗
Morse
..-..-..-.....-.
Semaphore
Did you know?
According to a survey carried out by Democracy Club, politicians and candidates with the surname Fraser are most likely to say that their favourite biscuit is a Ginger Nut.
There are approximately 39,187 people named Fraser in the UK. That makes it the 194th most common surname in Britain. Around 602 in a million people in Britain are named Fraser.
Surname type: From given name or forename
Origin: Celtic
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: Scotland
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: Gaelic
Famous people named Fraser
- Laura Fraser - Scottish actress
- Elizabeth Fraser - Scottish singer
- Frankie Fraser - Criminal and gang member (1923 to 2014)
- Ryan Fraser - Scottish football player
- Brendan Fraser - Canadian-American actor
- Maxwell Fraser - Rapper
- Hugh Fraser - Actor and theatre director
- Antonia Fraser - Author and novelist
- Andy Fraser - Musician (1952 to 2015)
- George MacDonald Fraser - -born author of Scottish descent (1925 to 2008)
- Hadley Fraser - Actor
- Simon Fraser, 15th Lord Lovat - 25th Chief of the Clan Fraser of Lovat and a prominent British Commando (1911 to 1995)
- John Fraser - Actor from Scotland
- Flora Fraser, 21st Lady Saltoun - Scottish noble
- Katharine Fraser, Mistress of Saltoun - Scottish noble
- Tommy Fraser - Football player
- Bruce Fraser, 1st Baron Fraser of North Cape - Royal Navy admiral of the fleet (1888 to 1981)
- Ronald Fraser - Actor (1930 to 1997)
- Bill Fraser - Comic actor, actor (1908 to 1987)
- Murdo Fraser - Politician
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.