Trotter Clan History

This surname was common in the Borders, and the head of the Trotter border clan was Trotter of Prentannan, Berwickshire. The name can also be found in northern England, and is especially common in County Durham. One of the oldest Trotter families, the Trotters of Mortonhall, in the south of Edinburgh, are said to date back to sometime in the 14th century, during the reign of Robert II.

An inquisition at Berwick-upon-Tweed in 1370 saw John Trottir serve as a juror. There is record of a John Trottar of Fluriswall in 1478, and a declaration by John of Roull in 1479 was witnessed by George Trottar and Sanderis Trottar. In 1479, Parliament called upon John Trottare and Alexander Trottare to answer to the allegations of treason, along with other crimes.

Another junior branch of the clan were the Trotters of Catchelraw. William Trotter of Catchelraw was a knight charged with keeping the peace on the Borders under royal warrants of 1437 and 1450. A grandson of his was treasurer of the city of Edinburgh.

In 1512, son and heir of quondam Ninian Trotter, John Trotter, had a charter for a carucate (roughly 120 acres) called Waringzes land in Coldingham, Berwickshire. Between 1561 and 1800, the surname Trotter is common in the Commissariot Record of Lauder.

The Trotters of Catchelraw were supporters of Charles I of England and were punished for aiding James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose during his campaign in 1645.

A direct descendant of a Trotter that was killed at Flodden fought for John Graham, Viscount Dundee at the Battle of Killiecrankie in 1689. His grandson was the Reverend Robert Trotter, a distinguished academic who produced a work on the life of Christ and the Apostles. Dr John Trotter continued the family’s Jacobite sympathies and treated wounded Scots soldiers returning from England.

Robert Trotter of Bush who died in 1807 was Postmaster General for Scotland. In 1815 Thomas Trotter of Mortonhall was killed at the Battle of Waterloo serving with his squadron of Dragoons.

The Current chief is Alexander Richard Trotter of Mortonhall, and 5th of Charterhall,