Chiefs of the Clan

Twenty-five generations of Clan Chiefs

The Patriot

Heraldic title:: Sir Simon of Oliver and Neidpath, Knight Baronet

Fought the English at Dunbar in 1296, rose again in 1303, supported William Wallace and joined The Bruce before being captured at Methven in 1306. He is said to have saved The Bruce's life three times in a single day — the tradition behind the three crowns in the Fraser of Lovat arms. He was not himself chief of Clan Fraser of Lovat, but a common ancestor of the Highland Frasers of Lovat and the lowland Frasers of Philorth.

The Old Fox

Heraldic title:: 11th Lord Lovat
Gaelic title:: 18th MacShimi

Simon the Fox, last of the great ancient Highland chiefs, beheaded at the Tower of London in 1747 following a second conviction for high treason. Spectators were killed when a viewing stand collapsed — Lovat was still laughing at the irony as the axe fell, giving us the expression 'laughing your head off'.

16th Lord Lovat

Heraldic title:: 16th Lord Lovat
Gaelic title:: 23rd MacShimi

Born 1871. Raised and commanded the Lovat Scouts in the Boer War and the Highland Mounted Brigade at Gallipoli in 1915. Rhodes Trustee, Under Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs 1926–28, and first Chairman of the Forestry Commission 1919–27. Knight of the Thistle; married Laura, daughter of the 4th Lord Ribblesdale. Died 1933.

Shimi Lovat

Heraldic title:: 17th Lord Lovat
Gaelic title:: 24th MacShimi

The much-decorated Second World War commander who led 1st Special Service Brigade ashore on D-Day accompanied by his personal piper, securing the left flank of the invasion at Pegasus Bridge. Hitler placed a price on his head; Churchill's admiration for him became legendary.

Current Chief

Heraldic title:: 18th Lord Lovat
Gaelic title:: 25th MacShimi

Simon was educated at Harrow and Edinburgh University before working in finance as a commodities fund manager. He married Petra in 2016 and moved to Beauly in 2018 to take on the Lovat Estates. He became chief at eighteen on the death of his grandfather, Shimi Lovat; death duties that year forced the sale of the clan seat, Beaufort Castle, and he has since been buying back Fraser land whenever possible. He supports clan organisations worldwide in spreading 700 years of Lovat Fraser heritage.

Two different families

Lovat and Philorth

The clan system was unique to the Highlands until the Heritable Jurisdictions Act of 1746 stripped the chiefs of their feudal authority.

Confusion arises because the word ‘clan’ is now also used of lowland families who had no Gaelic history and never lived under the clan system. The Frasers of Philorth in Aberdeenshire share a distant common ancestor with the Lovat line, but they are a separate lowland family — as the 18th Lord Saltoun himself made plain.

Map showing the Scottish Highlands and Lowlands