Dieu pour nous" (God for us)

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The History of the clan
The name Fletcher is an occupational reference, the origin of the name is from the French ‘flechier’ which is an arrow maker. The name was a common one in trade and was adopted in Gaelic as ‘fleisdear’. During the 18th century some families anglicised their name and thus the Mac-an-leisters, as they were known, was changed to the modern day Fletcher.

A branch of the Mac-an-leistear settled in Glenorchy in Argyll after the 11th century and established themselves as arrow makers for the Macgregors. The Macgregors of Glenorchy were influential Lairds of the area and in later years took part in battles with Robert the Bruce, fighting for Scottish independence. Smaller groups of Mac-an leistear formed settlements in other glens making arrows for the clan on whose land they lived upon. As a consequence of this the name is common throughout Scotland as small groups of Fletchers would move to where they could be employed. The only way a small clan such as this could hope to survive was through alliances with various more influential families.

The Fletchers achieved this when they won the Stewarts of Appin as allies after the Fletchers helped to reclaim cattle that had been stolen by the Macdonalds in 1497.The clan came out for some of the most influential battles in Scottish history. The 9th chief led the Mac-an-leisters during the first Jacobite rising in 1715; his younger brother, John, raised them again during the Forty-five.

The Fletchers are not represented on the Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs. Despite this there is still information available on the clan even though it existed in a fragmented state across Scotland, generally in the service of other clan although this is not true for every branch of this widespread family.

Glenorchy in Argyll

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