List of general fraternities

Last updated

A fraternity or fraternal organization is an organized society of men associated together in an environment of companionship and brotherhood; dedicated to the intellectual, physical, and social development of its members. Service clubs, lineage societies, and secret societies are among the fraternal organizations listed here. College fraternities and sororities appear in the List of social fraternities and sororities.

Contents

International

These are fraternal organizations that operate internationally.

Fraternal orders

Druids

E Clampus Vitus

Foresters

Freemasonry

Gardeners

Loyalists

Odd Fellows

Shepherds

Other fraternal orders

Fraternal service organisations

Australia

Fraternities or lodges were an important part of Australian society in the 19th and the first half of the 20th century. After the Second World War, they were gradually replaced by "service clubs", such as Lions, Apex and Rotary. By the end of the 20th century, most fraternities had been wound up except for the Freemasons and a few lodges of the Buffaloes. Many fraternities also offered insurance to their members and as membership declined, these operations were either combined with other non profit insurance companies or sold with the proceeds being distributed to charitable causes.

The reasons for their decline probably have something to do with their male only membership, generational change and bemusement at secretive rites and rituals. All fraternities had different rules and rites, but they all appear to have been complex. The service clubs that succeeded the fraternities also operated as social networks and did fairly similar charitable work. No general history has been written, but some of the many lodges that operated in the state of Victoria were:

Canada

Europe

Denmark

Republic of Ireland

Sweden

United Kingdom

South Africa

United States

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Secret society</span> Organization hiding details from non-members

A secret society is an organization about which the activities, events, inner functioning, or membership are concealed. The society may or may not attempt to conceal its existence. The term usually excludes covert groups, such as intelligence agencies or guerrilla warfare insurgencies, that hide their activities and memberships but maintain a public presence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Independent Order of Odd Fellows</span> American fraternal organization

The Independent Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF) is a non-political, non-sectarian international fraternal order of Odd Fellowship. It was founded in 1819 by Thomas Wildey in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. Evolving from the Order of Odd Fellows founded in England during the 18th century, the IOOF was originally chartered by the Independent Order of Oddfellows Manchester Unity in England but has operated as an independent organization since 1842, although it maintains an inter-fraternal relationship with the English Order. The order is also known as the Triple Link Fraternity, referring to the order's "Triple Links" symbol, alluding to its motto "Friendship, Love and Truth".

The Independent Order of Foresters, operating as Foresters Financial, is a fraternal benefit society headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Canada that provides life insurance and other financial solutions in Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States. As of 2022, Louis Gagnon has served as the company's president and CEO.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Odd Fellows</span> Fraternal service movement

Odd Fellows is an international fraternity consisting of lodges first documented in 1730 in London. The first known lodge was called Loyal Aristarcus Lodge No. 9, suggesting there were earlier ones in the 18th century. Notwithstanding, convivial meetings were held "in much revelry and, often as not, the calling of the Watch to restore order." Names of several British pubs today suggest past Odd Fellows affiliations. In the mid-18th century, following the Jacobite risings, the fraternity split into the rivaling Order of Patriotic Oddfellows in southern England, favouring William III of England, and the Ancient Order of Oddfellows in northern England and Scotland, favouring the House of Stuart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Independent Order of Oddfellows Manchester Unity</span> English fraternal order founded in 1810

The Independent Order of Oddfellows Manchester Unity Friendly Society Limited, also called the Manchester Unity of Oddfellows; trading as The Oddfellows, is a fraternal order founded in Manchester in 1810.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Benefit society</span> Organization formed to provide mutual aid

A benefit society, fraternal benefit society, fraternal benefit order, friendly society, or mutual aid society is a society, an organization or a voluntary association formed to provide mutual aid, benefit, for instance insurance for relief from sundry difficulties. Such organizations may be formally organized with charters and established customs, or may arise ad hoc to meet unique needs of a particular time and place.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">International Association of Rebekah Assemblies</span> International service-oriented organization

The Daughters of Rebekah, also known as the Rebekahs and the International Association of Rebekah Assemblies, is an international service-oriented organization and a branch of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. As the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Rebekahs began as an all-white organization, typical at the time, that purported to promote reciprocity and charity, and drew inspiration from Judeo-Christian ethics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ancient Order of Druids</span> A fraternal organisation

The Ancient Order of Druids (AOD) is the oldest neo-druid order in the world. It was formed in London, England, in 1781. Its motto is Justice, Philanthropy and Brotherly Love.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thomas Wildey</span> Fonder of the IOOF in North America (1782–1861)

Thomas Wildey (1782–1861) was the founder of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF) in North America.

A fraternal order is a fraternity organised as an order, with traits alluding to religious, chivalric or pseudo-chivalric orders, guilds, or secret societies. Contemporary fraternal orders typically have secular purposes, including social, cultural and mutually beneficial or charitable aims. Many friendly societies, benefit societies and mutual organisations take the form of a fraternal order.

Odd Fellows Hall, Independent Order of Odd Fellows Building, IOOF Building, Odd Fellows Lodge and similar terms are phrases used to refer to buildings that house chapters of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows fraternal organization. More specifically, these terms may refer to:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fraternity</span> Organization, society, or club of people associated together for various religious or secular aims

A fraternity or fraternal organization is an organization, society, club or fraternal order traditionally of men associated together for various religious or secular aims. Fraternity in the Western concept developed in the Christian context, notably with the religious orders in the Catholic Church during the Middle Ages. The concept was eventually further extended with medieval confraternities and guilds. In the early modern era, these were followed by fraternal orders such as Freemasons and Odd Fellows, along with gentlemen's clubs, student fraternities, and fraternal service organizations. Members are occasionally referred to as a brother or – usually in a religious context – frater or friar.

Odd Fellows or Oddfellows is an international fraternity and its members.

The American Fraternal Alliance (AFA) is an umbrella group of fraternal orders in the United States. It was founded as the National Fraternal Congress of America in 1913, in Chicago and adopted its current name in 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grand United Order of Odd Fellows in America</span> Fraternal order

The Grand United Order of Odd Fellows, American Jurisdiction is a jurisdiction of the Grand United Order of Oddfellows in the United States, Jamaica, Canada, South America, and other locations. Since its founding in 1843, its membership has principally included African Americans, due to their being discriminated against in most other fraternal orders in America at the time.

Grand United Order of Oddfellows Friendly Society (GUOOFS) is an odd fellows grand lodge founded in 1798 and based in Manchester, England.

The Golden Age of Fraternalism is a term referring to a period when membership in the fraternal societies in the United States grew at a very rapid pace in the latter third of the 19th century and continuing into the first part of the 20th. At its peak, it was suggested that as much as 40% of the adult male population held membership in at least one fraternal order.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roslyn Historical Cemeteries</span> Cemeteries in Kittitas County, Washington

The Roslyn Historical Cemeteries is a collection of 26 separate cemeteries in Roslyn, WA. Situated on 15 acres, the cemeteries include an estimated 5,000 graves and represent at least 24 different nationalities.

References

  1. Elks lodges in the Philippines and the Canal Zone were founded while those areas were United States territories and/or possessions. Those lodges are still in operation and recognized by the Grand Lodge. United States citizenship is still required for membership in those lodges.