| Clan Trotter | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Motto | In Promptu (In readiness)[1] | ||
| Chief | |||
 | |||
| Alexander Trotter of Mortonhall[1] | |||
| Chief of Clan Trotter | |||
| Seat | Mortonhall | ||
| |||
| |||
Clan Trotter is aScottish clan of theScottish Borders.[2]
The name Trotter is believed to be derived from theFrench wordtrotier which meansrunner ormessenger.[2] There is a tradition that a brother of Lord Gifford was given the name for delivering a message with great speed toJames III of Scotland.[2]
The chiefs of the clan in the Scottish Borders were the Trotters of Prentannan inBerwickshire.[2] They followed theClan Home on many of their forays across the border.[2] A junior branch of the clan, the Trotters of Mortonhall claim to have held their lands as far back as the reign ofRobert II of Scotland.[2]
Another junior branch of the clan were the Trotters of Catchelraw.[2] William Trotter of Catchelraw was a knight charged with keeping the peace on the Borders under royal warrants of 1437 and 1450.[2] A grandson of his was treasurer of the city ofEdinburgh.[2]
A chief of the Clan Trotter was killed at theBattle of Flodden in 1513.[2]
The Trotters of Catchelraw were staunch supporters ofCharles I of England and were fined for assistingJames Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose in 1645.[2]
A direct descendant of the Trotter killed at Flodden fought forJohn Graham, 1st Viscount Dundee at theBattle of Killiecrankie in 1689.[2] His grandson was the Reverend Robert Trotter who was a distinguished academic who produced a work on the life of Christ and the Apostles.[2] The work is still considered standard reading in many theology colleges.[2] Dr John Trotter continued the family's Jacobite sympathies and treated wounded Scots soldiers returning fromEngland.[2]
Robert Trotter of Bush who died in 1807 was Postmaster General for Scotland.[2] In 1815 Thomas Trotter of Mortonhall was killed at theBattle of Waterloo serving with his squadron of Dragoons.[2]
Alexander Richard Trotter of Mortonhall, and 5th of Charterhall, andchief of the Name and Arms of Trotter,JP,DL.[3]
