Frezel / Foucher de Fréteval

The earliest mention of a Fraser is Richard Fresle in the Domesday Book of 1086. Fresle is a hamlet in Normandy near Rouen. This name also appears as Frysel in The Roll of Battle Abbey. G K Fraser

The Fraser family, originating with the knight Frezel (also Freysel / Freysel / Frissel / de Freseliere) from Anjou, Normandy. accompanied William the Conqueror to England in 1066. In 1160, Simon Fraser is recorded as the owner of Keith lands, and here he made a gift of a church to the monks of Kelso Abbey. The clan moved to Tweedale, Peebles-shire, in the 12th century with Sir Simon Frasee, and later to Stirling, Angus, Inverness and Aberdeenshire.

Though the name Fraser - however spelled - is French, it is now over 800 years since the first bearer of it, Simon Fraser, is recorded in Scotland. He and his successors are found in the Borders, but the advance of the Frasers northwards was swift. In the process they contrived to make some remarkable contributions to Scottish history. By the 14th century the Northern Frasers formed two distinct groups, in Aberdeen-shire and in Inverness-shire. Of the former group, a forebearer of the Fraser Lords Saltoun founded Fraserburgh about 1601: of the latter, Lord Lovat’s forebearers had created one of the great Highland Clans at least a century earlier. It was from the Tower and plain of the Beauly estuary that the Chief of the Inverness-shire Frasers took the peerage title granted to him about 1460 - the precise date is not known. By then, as since, Gaelic speakers accorded him the honour of the patronymic MacShimi (Son of Simon)

The Lovat Chiefs never made the mistake of acquiring their lands as conquerors. Prudent marriages and diplomacy established the Frasers as proprietors south and west of the Beauly Firth, in Stathfarrar, in part of Strathglass, in Strathcarrick, to the east of Loch Ness and even, for a time, in part of Glenelg on the western coast. In all these districts, the numerous younger children and other relaives of MacShimi married with alacrity and content into the families of the original occupants of the land. The happy consequence was that during the 15th century there emerged a swarm of warrior-farmers, enjoying somewhat better soil and climate than some of their neighbours: Gaelic in speech, custom and thought, quick to defend their homes, and all proud to consider themselves Frasers and MacShimi’s men. The Clan Fraser of Lovat had been born.

Additional notes by HRH Prince Kieren de Muire von Drakenberg; Fraser, Payne & Pemberton were all descended from Payen de Freteval & Adierne de Montdoubleau. Discovery made on 26/08/2017. Frezel most likely named 'Fréhel' within Côtes-d'Armor department of Brittany in northwestern France.

Added by; HRH Prince Kieren de Muire von Drakenberg