'Fraser01'Index links to: Lead / Letter
Families covered: Fraser of Cowie, Fraser of Drumelzier, Fraser of Durris, Fraser of Frendraught, Fraser of Oliver Castle, Fraser of Philorth, Fraser of Touchfraser

                               
(1) Mackenzie (p1, quoting Skene) reports "Of the Norman origin of the family of the Frasers it is impossible for a moment to entertain any doubt" whilst BP1934 ('Lovat') starts its article with "The family of Fraser (formally Frisel) are of Norman descent." TSP ('Saltoun') reports that the name Fraser was "spelt also Freser, Frisell, Frissell, Fresel, Friser, Freysel, and Frysell" and that "There is a theory that they were the lords of the Seigneurie de la Fréselière in Anjou ... but there is no definite evidence to connect the Fréseaus or Frézels de la Fréselière with the Frazers who established themselves in Britain".
(2) Mackenzie shows Gilbert de Fraser as father of Oliver (dsp), Udard (father of Adam), another son (father of Simon (father of Eda), Bernard (father of Gilbert) & Nessius) & Maria (m. Ness of Fortun). TSP ('Saltoun', vol 7, p418) is much less certain than Mackenzie on the relationships between the early Frasers. TSP reports that "The first Fraser who appears in Scotland is Simon Fraser of Keith", about 1160, who had a contemporary called Gilbert (a 1166) but that there had been confusion between Gilbert "with a Kylvert whose name very frequently appears with those of Frasers". Part of that confusion may have arisen because, according to TSP, Udard (progenitor of later generations, possibly son of a Gilbert?), married the daughter & eventual heiress of Klyvert, the lack of distinction in documents between son and son-in-law possibly contributing to that confusion.
Simon Fraser of Keith (d before 1190) possibly the Simon shown by Mackenzie as son of the youngest son of Gilbert (a 1109) & nephew of Oliver & Udard
1. Eda Fraser
  m. Hugh Lorens
  A. Eda Lorens --
  Mackenzie (p5) reports that Eda married Hervey, son of Philip Keith, the King's Mareschal, but TSP (vol 7, p418) suggests that she married the father ...
  m. Philip de Keith, Marischal (d before 1225) --
Possibly related to Simon was ...
Klyvert Fraser
  A. Oliver Fraser of Oliver Castle (Peebleshire) & Hales (East Lothian)
  B. daughter --
  m. Udard Fraser @@ just below --
  C. Maria de Hales
and also ...
(Gilbert??) Fraser
  A. Udard Fraser probably the Udard of Drumelzier (Perthshire) shown by Mackenzie as son of Gilbert & brother of Oliver
  m. ?? Fraser (dau of Klyvert Fraser of Oliver Castle, sister of Oliver of Oliver Castle) @@ just above
  i. Bernard Fraser, Sheriff of Stirling
  Mackenzie shows a Bernard as younger brother of Simon of Keith (d before 1190) and father of Sir Gilbert (d c1263) by Mary Ogilvie, dau of Gilchrist, Thane of Angus, by Marjory, dau of Prince Henry (of Huntingdon) & sister of King Malcolm IV & King William the Lion. [@@ see here @@] This Bernard was probably either the same person as or the father of ...
a. Bernard Fraser, Sheriff of Stirling (d c1250)
  m. sister of Nesius of London
  ii. Adam Fraser of Hales
m. Constantia
  a. Laurence Fraser of Drumelzier possibly father of ...
  (1) Sir William Fraser of Drumelzier named Laurence by Mackenzie who shows him as father of ...
  (A) daughter, heiress of Drumelzier
  m. (Roger) Tweedie or de Twedyn (a 1325)
  (B) (Margaret) Fraser, heiress of Mackerston (a temp David II who r. 1329-1371)
  m. Dougald MacDougall (MacDowall)
  (2) ?? Fraser possibly of this generation, ancestor of Frasers of Fruid & Dunballoch
  iii. Sir Gilbert Fraser of Oliver Castle, Sheriff of Traquair & Peebles (b before 1200, d c1263) - continued below
  m. Christian
  iv. Fenella Fraser shown by Mackenzie (p6) as sister of Sir Gilbert
  m. Sir Colin Mor Campbell of Lochow
  iv. Helen Fraser (nun) shown by Mackenzie (p6) as sister of Sir Gilbert

 

 

Sir Gilbert Fraser of Oliver Castle, Sheriff of Traquair & Peebles (b before 1200, d c1263) - continued above
m. Christian shown on various web sites as a Lascelles
Mackenzie (p7) shows Gilbert as father of Sir Simon (shown below as the 2nd son whose line died out), Sir Andrew (shown on p27 as ancestor of the later senior line) & Bishop William. We follow TSP which is supported by BP1934 ('Saltoun'), which starts with this Gilbert. This leads to the implication that Mackenzie has confused the Sir Andrew (m. Beatrice), shown by TSP as Sir Gilbert's 3rd son, with the Sir Andrew (m. Beatrix) shown by TSP as Sir Gilbert's great-grandson.
1. John Fraser (dvp)
  m. (by 1243) Alicia de Conigburg (dau of William de Conigburg of Stapilgorton)
  A. Sir Richard Fraser of Touchfraser (a 1276, 1307)
  As indicated above, TSP leads us to believe that Mackenzie has confused the generations around this point. Mackenzie shows the following Sir Andrew as d c1308, omitting both Sir Richard and his father John. However, TSP shows some uncertainty as (vol 7, p425) it merely reports that Sir Richard "is presumed to have left a son" ...
i. Sir Andrew Fraser, younger of Touchfraser, Sheriff of Stirling (dvp by 1306)
  m. Beatrix (probably dau of Reginald le Chen of Duffus)
  Mackenzie (p29+) shows Sir Andrew's sons in the order Simon, Sir Alexander, Andrew & James and then follows the line of Simon. We follow the order shown by TSP.
  a. Sir Alexander Fraser of Touchfraser & Cowie, Sheriff of Stirling, Lord Chamberlain (d Dupplin 1332)§D
  Mackenzie (p31) reports that "Some peerage writers and genealogists have confounded this Sir Alexander with Alexander Fraser of Cowie and Durris, undoubted progenitor of the Frasers of Philorth, Lord Saltoun, but for this assumption there is no foundation whatever, as will be fully shown when that ancient and highly responsectable family is dealt with in its proper place later on." However, that "dealt with ... later on" does not appear in the 1896 'History of the Frasers'. Consequently, we follow TSP (of which the edition we are using was published in 1908) in treating those alleged 2-people Alexanders as the one and same person.
  m. (1316) Mary Bruce (d 22.09.1323, sister of King Robert I, widow of SIr Neil Campbell)
  (1) John Fraser of Touchfraser (b c1317, d young)
  (A) Margaret Fraser --
  m. Sir William Keith, Marischal (d before 1410) --
(2) Sir William Fraser of Cowie & Durris (b c1318, d Durham 1346)
  m. Margaret Moray (a 1364, dau of Sir Andrew Moray of Bothwell)
  (A) Sir Alexander Fraser of Cowie & Durris, 1st of Philorth, Sheriff of Aberdeen (d by 1411)
  m1. (1375) Joanna of Ross (dau of William, 5th Earl of Ross, Lord of Skye)
  (i) Sir William Fraser of Cowie, 2nd of Philorth (d before 1441)
  m. (c1404) Elinor Douglas (probably dau of James Douglas, 2nd Earl of Douglas)
  (a) Sir Alexander Fraser of Cowie, 3rd of Philorth (b before 1410, d 07.04.1482)
m. (before 1430) Marjorie Menzies (dau of Gilbert Menzies of Findon)
  (b) Agnes Fraser
  m. (24.07.1423) Sir William Forbes of Kinaldie, 1st of Pitsligo (d 13/23.01.1445-6)
  (c) Isabel Fraser
  m. Gilbert Menzies
  m2. (before 1400) Elizabeth Hamilton (dau of Sir David Hamilton, 3rd of Cadzow)
  partner unknown (probably Helen, dau of _ Straiton of Lauriston)
(ii) Alexander Fraser of Durris (Dores)
  (B) John Fraser of Auchinschogill
  m. Marjory (dau of Sir John of Monymusk)
  (i) John Fraser (dsp)
  partner(s) unknown
  (ii)+ other issue - Andrew, William
  b. Andrew Fraser (d Halidon Hill 19.07.1333)
  c. (Sir) Simon Fraser of Brotherton, Sheriff of Kincardine (d Halidon Hill 19.07.1333)
m. Margaret (dau of John, Earl of Orkney & Caithness)
  d. James Fraser (d Halidon Hill 19.07.1333)
  m. (1321) Margaret, heiress of Frendraught
(1) Sir James Fraser (d c1395)
  (A) James Fraser of Frendraught
  (i) Matilda Fraser --
  m. Alexander Dunbar (son of John, Earl of Moray) --
  e. Christina Fraser probably of this generation
  m. Tormod MacLeod of Harris, Sheriff of Skye and Harris
  B. Sir Alexander Fraser of Cornton (a 1296)
TSP ('Saltoun', vol 7, p424) shows Alexander of Cornton ("See Title Fraser") as of this generation, and is supported thereon by BP1934, but TSP ('Fraser', vol 4, p107) merely reports that he "may have been a younger brother of Sir Richard of Touch-Fraser".
2. Sir Simon Fraser of Oliver Castle, Sheriff of Traquair & Peebles (d c1280)
  Mackenzie (p7) shows Sir Simon as the eldest son but reports that it was he who d 1291 having m1. Grizzle, dau of the Thane of Galloway (or Anne Flava), with 2 daughters and m2. Maria, mother of the Sir Simon who was executed in 1306. TSP (vol 7, p421+) suggests that there were 3 successive Sir Simons, not 2.
  A. Sir Simon Fraser of Oliver Castle, Sheriff of Traquair & Peebles (d 1291)
  m. Maria
  i. Sir Simon Fraser of Oliver Castle (d 08.09.1306)
  a. Margaret or Mary Fraser --
  m. Sir Gilbert de Haya of Lockerworth --
  b. Joan Fraser --
  m. Sir Patrick Fleming of Biggar --
  ii. Thomas Fraser
3. Sir Andrew Fraser (dsp before 1308)
  m. Beatrice
4. William Fraser, Bishop of St. Andrew's, Chancellor of Scotland, Regent (d 1297)

Main source(s):
(1) For upper section : TSP ('Fraser of Saltoun'), 'History of the Frasers' (Mackenzie, p1+, see here)
(2) For lower section : TSP ('Fraser of Saltoun'), BP1934 ('Saltoun'), 'History of the Frasers' (Mackenzie, p6+)
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