The Frasers of Outlander

If you’re anything like us, you’ve been obsessed with Outlander since it first came onto our TV screens in 2014. With the main man being Jamie Fraser and the final season's launch imminent we thought it was the perfect time to do a little digging into the clan that inspired one of Outlander’s most iconic families.

If you haven’t seen Outlander yet, you really should give it a watch! Here’s a round-up of the show as we gear up for the final season being aired on the 6th March. 

Outlander is a drama series based on the novels written by American author Diana Gabaldon. She began writing the first book in the late 1980s as a practice project, simply to learn the process of writing a novel. That book became Outlander, published in 1991, and went on to launch a series that now spans nine novels, with one final book planned.

The story centres on WWII nurse Claire Randall, who finds herself time travelling to 18th-century Scotland, where she meets Highlander Jamie Fraser.

Thrown into a world of clan loyalties, political unrest and the Jacobite Rising, Claire must navigate life in the Highlands while trying to survive in a time that is not her own. At the heart of the story is her relationship with Jamie, a Highlander shaped by honour, family, and the turbulent history of the era.

Sadly, Jamie Fraser is not a real historical figure, but the character was inspired by real people and real events from Scottish history.

The name Jamie, and in many ways the entire setting of Outlander, can be traced back to a chance viewing of an old episode of Doctor Who that Diana Gabaldon happened to catch on television. At that point, she had already decided her practice novel would be historical fiction, but had not yet settled on which part of history to explore.

Doctor Who is a long-running British television series that follows the adventures of the Doctor, a time-travelling Time Lord who journeys through history and space, often accompanied by human companions. In the sixth season episode The War Games, first aired in 1969, the Doctor encounters a young Highland soldier from the 1740s named Jamie MacCrimmon, whom he picks up from the battlefield of Culloden.

That image, a wounded Highlander in a kilt, clearly made an impression! Gabaldon later described how the character stayed with her long after the episode ended, prompting a simple but decisive thought. If she wanted to write a novel, she had to start somewhere. So why not? Scotland. Eighteenth century.

With no outline, no plot and no real knowledge of the period, she began writing with just one clear image in mind: a man in a kilt. As she researched alongside the writing process, the character of Jamie took shape.

Jamie McCrimmon (Dr Who)

Interestingly, Jamie did not have a surname when Diana Gabaldon first began writing Outlander. As she researched 18th-century Scotland and the Jacobite Rising alongside the writing process, she delayed naming her hero until she better understood clan politics and loyalties of the time.

The decision to make Jamie a Fraser came while reading The Prince in the Heather. Realising that her story would continue beyond Culloden, Gabaldon knew her hero needed to survive. The book recounts the details of Charles Edward Stuart’s flight to France, following the defeat of his troops at Culloden. She was struck by one particular passage in Eric Linklater’s book:

“After the battle, nineteen Jacobite officers took refuge in a nearby farmhouse. Here they lay for two days, in pain, their wounds untended. At the end of this time, they were taken out and shot.  One man, a Fraser of the Master of Lovat’s regiment, survived the slaughter. The rest are buried in the field nearby.”

By choosing the Fraser name, Gabaldon connected her fictional Highlander to a real clan with deep Jacobite associations and a powerful place in Scottish history, a link acknowledged with gratitude by Clan Fraser of Lovat themselves.

After the success of the Outlander novels, it was perhaps only a matter of time before the story made its way to the screen. The richly detailed setting, strong characters and sweeping historical backdrop had already built a devoted global readership, making the series a natural fit for television.

In 2014, Outlander was adapted for TV by the US network Starz, bringing Diana Gabaldon’s books to life for a new audience. From the outset, Gabaldon was closely involved in the adaptation, working with the production team to ensure the spirit of the novels and their historical grounding were respected.

Filmed largely in Scotland, the series leans heavily into the country’s landscapes, history and culture, using real locations to anchor the fictional story in a very real place. From Highland glens to historic towns, the setting plays as much a role in the storytelling as the characters themselves.

The television adaptation introduced Jamie and Claire’s story to millions of viewers worldwide, transforming Outlander from a bestselling book series into a cultural phenomenon and sparking renewed interest in Scottish history, clans and Highland dress along the way.

The tartans worn by the Fraser characters in Outlander are often shown in muted greys and browns, which can look quite different from the brighter Fraser tartans associated with the Clan. This, however, was very much a deliberate choice by the show’s costume designers rather than an inaccuracy.

For the series, tartans were specially designed to reflect what woven cloth might have looked like in the mid-18th century. Rather than using modern clan tartans, the costumes were created to mimic early tartans of the period, with colours that appear softer, more weathered and more in keeping with natural dyes and hard Highland living.

In reality, there are more than 20 variations of the Fraser tartans, some of which feature a bold red base with strong navy and green stripes, alongside finer white lines. These brighter tartans reflect later developments in tartan design and modern dyeing techniques, rather than what would typically have been worn in Jamie Fraser’s lifetime.

The Fraser tartan that comes closest to those seen on screen is the Fraser Hunting Weathered tartan which use earthy, muted tones that echo colours softened by time, wind and rain. Alongside these, other well-known Fraser variations include Fraser Old, Fraser Dress Modern, Fraser of Lovat Modern & Fraser Red Weathered each offering a different interpretation of the clan’s colours.

So while the Fraser tartans in Outlander may not match a single clan tartan exactly, they successfully capture the spirit of early Highland dress, grounding the characters firmly in their historical setting while still honouring the wider Fraser tartan tradition.

Yes, Fraser is a real Scottish name and clan, but the name Fraser actually covers more than one historical family, which is where confusion often arises.

While these families share common ancestry, they developed in different regions of Scotland and followed different cultural traditions. Over time, this led to the emergence of two closely related but distinct branches, each with its own recognised chief and identity. The most important difference between them is where they originated and how they developed.

Clan Fraser of Lovat is a Highland clan. This is the Fraser line most closely associated with Highland clan culture, the Jacobite era and the world depicted in Outlander. Based in the Highlands around Inverness and the Beauly Firth, the Frasers of Lovat adopted Gaelic customs and were deeply embedded in the Highland clan system.

By contrast, Clan Fraser refers to the wider Fraser family name, which has its roots in the Lowlands. This branch developed within a Lowland family and heraldic tradition rather than the Gaelic Highland way of life.

Both branches are historically legitimate and important. They simply reflect different paths taken by families who share the Fraser name.

For Outlander, and for understanding Jamie Fraser’s background, it is Clan Fraser of Lovat that provides the strongest historical connection. That said, people with Fraser ancestry may legitimately identify with either branch, depending on their own family history.

Yes, it does, but as we mentioned above there are actually two Motto's associated with Clan Fraser of Lovat & Clan Fraser. 

In Outlander, we hear Jamie Fraser utter the words “Je suis prest”. This is indeed a genuine Fraser motto, translating from French as “I am ready”, a fitting phrase for a family long associated with military service and resilience.

This motto is historically correct for Clan Fraser of Lovat, the Highland branch of the Fraser family to which Jamie is linked in Outlander. The use of French reflects the clan’s Norman origins, something that continues to feature strongly in Fraser heraldry and tradition.

However, it is worth noting that the lowland Fraser family also has another recognised motto. Clan Fraser traditionally uses “All my hope is in God”, reflecting a different heraldic tradition that developed within the Lowlands.

To explore this further, take a look at our pages dedicated to Clan Fraser of Lovat & Clan Fraser.

In the second novel and second series of Outlander, we meet Jamie Fraser’s uncle, Simon Fraser, Lord Lovat. While the character is portrayed in a dramatic and often unsettling way, Simon Fraser was indeed a real historical figure, and the show’s depiction draws heavily on his real-life reputation.

Simon Fraser, Lord Lovat, often referred to as the “Old Fox” due to his cunning and shifting loyalties, was known for being politically astute, ruthless and unpredictable. He played a complex role during the Jacobite Rising, at times appearing to hedge his bets between the Jacobite cause and the British Crown.

Following the defeat of the Jacobite army at the Battle of Culloden in 1746, Simon Fraser attempted to flee. His escape was short-lived. He was eventually discovered hiding on an island in Loch Morar in Lochaber, where he was arrested and taken into custody.

Lord Lovat (Outlander)

In the aftermath of Culloden, the British government intensified efforts to control the Highlands. It was during this period that the first Ordnance Survey maps were commissioned, after the Duke of Cumberland realised that the British Army lacked detailed maps of the region, making it difficult to track and capture Jacobite dissenters like Lord Lovat.

Simon Fraser was charged with high treason and sentenced to be hanged, drawn and quartered. This was later commuted to beheading. He was executed in London on 7 April 1747, becoming one of the last men in Britain to be beheaded.

His life, downfall and legacy firmly anchor the fictional world of Outlander in real Highland history, reinforcing the deep connections between the Fraser story on screen and the turbulent reality of 18th-century Scotland.

In Outlander, we see Jamie Fraser leading his men into the ill-fated Battle of Culloden. As Jamie is a fictional character, this naturally raises the question of who actually led the Frasers on the battlefield.

In reality, the Frasers of Lovat were led at Culloden by Charles Fraser of Inverallochy, the son of Simon Fraser, Lord Lovat. Charles commanded the clan’s forces during the battle and fought on the Jacobite side.

Jamie Fraser

He was killed in action on 16 April 1746, along with many other members of Clan Fraser of Lovat. Their losses were heavy, reflecting both the clan’s strong Jacobite loyalty and the devastating outcome of the battle itself.

Today, visitors to the Culloden battlefield near Inverness can see a memorial stone dedicated to the Frasers of Lovat. The marker stands as a reminder of the clan members who lost their lives there, grounding the fictional story told in Outlander in the very real history of Culloden and its aftermath.

In Outlander, the Fraser family home is Lallybroch Castle, said to be located near Inverness. While Lallybroch itself is fictional, the filming location is very real.

The exterior scenes were filmed at Midhope Castle, a 16th-century tower house on the Hopetoun Estate, just outside Edinburgh. Although Midhope Castle has become closely associated with Outlander, it was never owned by Clan Fraser and has no direct historical connection to the family.

In reality, the seat of the Frasers of Lovat was Beaufort Castle, also known historically as Castle Dounie. Located around 13 miles west of Inverness, Beaufort Castle served as the traditional stronghold of the clan chiefs and was firmly rooted in Fraser of Lovat territory.

Midhope-Castle

In series three of Outlander, we see Jamie Fraser retreat to a cave following the defeat at Culloden, living as a fugitive and becoming known as the Dun Bonnet. While Jamie’s story is fictional, this storyline is rooted firmly in real Highland history.

The character was inspired by the true story of James Fraser, a Jacobite who went into hiding after the failed Rising of 1745. Following Culloden, James Fraser lived as a recluse for around seven years, evading government troops sent to track down fugitives in the Highlands.

Dun Bonnet Cave

It is believed that he hid in a cave near the village of Foyers, on the eastern shore of Loch Ness. During this time, he was secretly supported by local people who brought him food and supplies. To avoid drawing attention from soldiers, they referred to him by the nickname Bonaid Odhair, meaning “dun-coloured bonnet”, or Dun Bonnet, allowing them to speak about him discreetly without revealing his identity.

This remarkable act of survival and community loyalty provided clear inspiration for Jamie Fraser’s Dun Bonnet storyline, once again showing how Outlander weaves fictional narrative around very real people, places and events from Scotland’s past.

Although much of the stories shown in Outlander are fictionalised, there are actually a lot of details that are based in fact or are inspired by tales of the real Clan Fraser of Lovat. We’re waiting with bated breath to see what season six of the show brings! What's your favourite Outlander moment? Get in touch to let us know.

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