Alexander Fraser of Lovat, 4th Lord Lovat

Alexander Frazier, 4th Lord Fraser of Lovat (C. 1527 – 1557) – First encountered a change in surname spelling

Alexander Frazier* became the 4th Lord Fraser of Lovat after the death of both his father, 3rd Lord Fraser of Lovat, and older half-brother, Hugh, Master of Lovat in 1544 in the battle of Loch Lochy. Born in 1527 in Kinnell, Forfarshire, Scotland, he married Janet Campbell daughter of Sir John Campbell of Cawdor, the 3rd son of Archibald Campbell, 2nd Earl of Argyll.

During his short lifetime, Lord Alexander received many favors and grants of property by his service to Scotland and the Queen Dowager, Mary of Guise, who served as Regent to her daughter, the eventual ‘Mary, Queen of Scots.’ In his late 20s, Alexander’s health declined precipitously. As described by Mackenzie, he fell into a rapid consumption in 1557, was sent to the Island of Aigas for a milk diet and free air, where he soon perished. He was said to have been ‘of so sweet and obliging of temper as to be universally beloved.’ He is buried at Beauly Priory, Inverness shire, Scotland.

During their short marriage, Alexander and Janet are reported to have had four children: Hugh Fraser, 5th Lord Fraser of Lovat; Thomas Fraser of Knockie, 1st of Strichen; Anne Fraser; and James Fraser of Ardachy.

• While the spelling of the surname Fraser has had been fairly consistent since the early 11th century, a few alterations have popped up from time to time, particularly in the History of the Frasers by Mackenzie. A number of the documents he cited hark back to Fresel, Fresale, and Frisel, perhaps Celtic spellings of Fraser. But with Alexander, we first encounter the spelling innovation Frazier and take note of it as it will come up in future generations and eventually become the accepted spelling of our branch of the family in America by the 18th century.