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 club A service club or service organization is a voluntary nonprofit organization where members meet regularly to perform charitable works either by direct hands-on efforts or by raising money for other organizations. A service club is defined firstl ...

s, lineage societies, and

secret societies A secret society is a club or an organization whose 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 a ...

are among the fraternal organizations listed here. College fraternities and sororities appear in the

List of social fraternities and sororities Social or general fraternities and sororities, in the North American fraternity system, are those that do not promote a particular profession (as professional fraternities are) or discipline (such as service fraternities and sororities). Inste ...

International

Fraternal orders

Order of Free Gardeners The Order of Free Gardeners is a fraternal society that was founded in Scotland in the middle of the 17th century and later spread to England and Ireland. Like numerous other friendly societies of the time, its principal aim was the sharing of ...

Druids

Ancient Order of Druids The Ancient Order of Druids (AOD) is the senior neo-druid order in the world, and the oldest in continuous existence. It was formed in London, England, in 1781. It is represented in England, Wales, Scotland and the Commonwealth of Nations. Its ...

United Ancient Order of Druids The United Ancient Order of Druids (UAOD) is a fraternal organisation founded in England, in 1833 after a scission with the Ancient Order of Druids. Its motto is ''United to assist''. History The creation in 1833 of the United Ancient Order of ...

* Order of Druids

E Clampus Vitus

* E Clampus Vitus

Foresters

* Fraternal Forestry **

Independent Order of Foresters 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 ...

Foresters Friendly Society The Foresters Friendly Society is a British friendly society which was formed in 1834 as the Ancient Order of Foresters. As of 31 December 2016, the society had approximately 75,000 members. Its head office is located in Southampton, England. ...

** Ancient Order of United Workmen

Freemasonry

Freemasonry Freemasonry or Masonry refers to fraternal organisations that trace their origins to the local guilds of stonemasons that, from the end of the 13th century, regulated the qualifications of stonemasons and their interaction with authorities ...

DeMolay International DeMolay International is an international fraternal organization for young men ages 12 to 21. It was founded in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1919 and named for Jacques de Molay, the last Grand Master of the Knights Templar. DeMolay was incorporat ...

International Order of the Rainbow for Girls The International Order of the Rainbow for Girls (IORG) is a Masonic youth service organization that teaches leadership training through community service. Young women learn about the value of charity and service through their work and involveme ...

Order of the Eastern Star The Order of the Eastern Star is a Masonic appendant body open to both men and women. It was established in by lawyer and educator Rob Morris, a noted Freemason, and adopted and approved as an appendant body of the Masonic Fraternity in 187 ...

Scottish Rite The Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry (the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction in the United States often omits the ''and'', while the English Constitution in the United Kingdom omits the ''Scottish''), commonly known as simply the S ...

Shriners Shriners International, formally known as the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (AAONMS), is an American Masonic society established in 1870 and is headquartered in Tampa, Florida. Shriners International describes itself ...

York Rite The York Rite, sometimes referred to as the American Rite, is one of several Rites of Freemasonry. It is named for, but not practiced in York, Yorkshire, England. A Rite is a series of progressive degrees that are conferred by various Masonic ...

Job's Daughters International Job's Daughters International is a Masonic affiliated youth organization for girls and young women aged 10 to 20. The organization is commonly referred to as simply Job's Daughters or Jobies, and sometimes abbreviated as JDI (or IOJD, referring to ...

Odd Fellows

* Odd Fellows ** Independent Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF) ***

Ancient Mystic Order of Samaritans The Ancient Mystic Order of Samaritans (AMOS) is an unofficial appendant body of all Odd Fellows It is recognized as the "playground for Odd Fellowship" and is known for engaging in public and private hijinks and spectacle, all in the name of ...

(AMOS) ***

Daughters of Rebekah 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. Just like the Independent Order ...

***

Ladies of the Orient The Ladies of the Orient (L.O.T.O.) is a women's fraternal organization in the United States and Canada which had its origins as an appendant body to the Rebekahs. The first unit, Pioneer Zuanna No. 1 was founded in Syracuse, New York Syra ...

(LOTO) **

Independent Order of Oddfellows Manchester Unity Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s * Independen ...

Grand United Order of Oddfellows Grand United Order of Oddfellows Friendly Society (GUOOFS) is an odd fellows grand lodge founded in 1798 and based in Manchester, United Kingdom. History From the early days of Odd fellowship sprang two fraternal order A fraternal order ...

(GUOOFS)

Other fraternal orders

Ancient Mystical Order Rosae Crucis The Ancient and Mystical Order Rosæ Crucis (AMORC), also known as the ''Rosicrucian Order'', is the largest Rosicrucian organization in the world. It has various lodges, chapters and other affiliated bodies throughout the globe, operating in ...

Ancient Order of Hibernians The Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH; ) is an Irish Catholic fraternal organization. Members must be male, Catholic, and either born in Ireland or of Irish descent. Its largest membership is now in the United States, where it was founded in N ...

Fraternal Order of Eagles Fraternal Order of Eagles (F.O.E.) is a fraternal organization that was founded on February 6, 1898, in Seattle, Washington, by a group of six theater owners including John Cort (the first president), brothers John W. and Tim J. Considine, Harr ...

of US and Canada (Fraternal Order of Eagles in the Philippines is not an affiliate or under its jurisdiction) *

Improved Order of Red Men The Improved Order of Red Men is a fraternal organization established in North America in 1834. Their rituals and regalia are modeled after those assumed by men of the era to be used by Native Americans. Despite the name, the order was formed ...

International Order of Twelve Knights and Daughters of Tabor The International Order of Twelve Knights and Daughters of Tabor is an African-American fraternal organization best known as the sponsor of the Taborian Hospital. It was founded as the International Order of Twelve in 1846 as an antislavery socie ...

Native Sons of the Golden West The Native Sons of the Golden West is a fraternal service organization founded in the U.S. state of California in 1875, dedicated to historic preservation, documentation of historic structures and places in the state, the placement of historic ...

* Orange Order *

Ordo Templi Orientis Ordo Templi Orientis (O.T.O.; ) is an occult initiatory organization founded at the beginning of the 20th century. The origins of the O.T.O. can be traced back to the German-speaking occultists Carl Kellner, Heinrich Klein, Franz Hartmann and T ...

* Reformed Ogboni Fraternity (Nigeria) *

Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes The Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes (RAOB) is one of the largest fraternal movements in the United Kingdom, The order started in 1822 and has since spread throughout the former British Empire and elsewhere in the world. It is known as the ...

Vasa Order of America Vasa Order of America ( sv, Vasa Orden av Amerika) is a Swedish-American fraternal, cultural and educational organization. The organization seeks to benefit its members by sharing Swedish and Scandinavian culture and heritage. Philosophy The obje ...

Fraternal service organisations

B'nai Brith B'nai B'rith International (, from he, בְּנֵי בְּרִית, translit=b'né brit, lit=Children of the Covenant) is a Jewish service organization. B'nai B'rith states that it is committed to the security and continuity of the Jewish peop ...

* Brotherhood of St. Andrew * Civitan *

Concatenated Order of Hoo-Hoo The International Concatenated Order of Hoo-Hoo, Incorporated is a fraternal and service organization whose members are involved in the forests products industry. Hoo-Hoo has members in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia a ...

* Dramatic Order of the Knights of Khorassan * Epsilon Sigma Alpha International *

Gyro International Gyro International is a non-profit social, service, and fraternal club for men located in the United States, Canada and Japan. Gyro was founded by Paul Schwan, Clarence (Gus) Handerson, and Edmund (Ed) Kagy, three college friends, in April 1912 ...

Illuminati The Illuminati (; plural of Latin ''illuminatus'', 'enlightened') is a name given to several groups, both real and fictitious. Historically, the name usually refers to the Bavarian Illuminati, an Enlightenment-era secret society founded on ...

Imperial Court System The International Imperial Court System (IICS) also known as the International Court System is one of the oldest and largest LGBT organizations in the world. The Imperial Court System is a grassroots network of organizations that works to build ...

International Organisation of Good Templars The International Organisation of Good Templars (IOGT; founded as the Independent Order of Good Templars), whose international body is known as Movendi International, is a fraternal organization which is part of the temperance movement, promotin ...

(or IOGT - EST. 1776) * Junior Chamber International (Jaycees or Junior Chamber of Commerce) *

Kiwanis International Kiwanis International ( ) is an international service club founded in 1915 in Detroit, Michigan. It is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States, and is found in more than 80 nations and geographic areas. Since 1987, the organizati ...

Knights of Columbus The Knights of Columbus (K of C) is a global Catholic fraternal service order founded by Michael J. McGivney on March 29, 1882. Membership is limited to practicing Catholic men. It is led by Patrick E. Kelly, the order's 14th Supreme Knight. ...

* Columbian Squires * International Order of Alhambra * Knights of Pythias *

Lions Clubs International The International Association of Lions Clubs, more commonly known as Lions Clubs International, is an international non-political service organization established originally in 1916 in Chicago, Illinois, by Melvin Jones. It is now headquartere ...

* Moose International *

Optimist International Optimist International is an international service club organization with almost 3,000 clubs and over 80,000 members in more than 20 countries. The international headquarters is located in St. Louis, Missouri, United States. Optimist Internation ...

Rosicrucian Fellowship The Rosicrucian Fellowship (TRF) ("An International Association of Christian Mystics") was founded in 1909 by Max Heindel with the aim of heralding the Aquarian Age and promulgating "the true Philosophy" of the Rosicrucians. It claims to present ...

* Rotary International *

Round Table Club Round Table International is an international non-political and non-religious organisation for young men founded in Norwich, England, in 1927 by Louis Marchesi. Round Table members comprise community leaders, professionals and driven individual ...

Ruritan Ruritan National is a service club located in small towns and rural areas in the United States. It aims to achieve "Fellowship, Goodwill and Community Service". The local clubs are autonomous from the national organization. Many Ruritan clubs ...

Samaritans (charity) Samaritans is a registered charity aimed at providing emotional support to anyone in emotional distress, struggling to cope or at risk of suicide throughout the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, often through its telephone helpline. ...

* Sertoma International * Sons of Norway * Soroptimist *

Woodmen of the World WoodmenLife (officially Woodmen of the World Life Insurance Society) is a not-for-profit fraternal benefit society founded in 1890, based in Omaha, Nebraska, United States, that operates a large privately held insurance company for its members. ...

Zonta International Zonta International is an international service organization with the mission of advancing the status of women. Alan Axelrod, ''International Encyclopedia of Secret Societies and Fraternal Orders'', New York: Facts on File, Inc., 1997, p. 271. ...

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 club A service club or service organization is a voluntary nonprofit organization where members meet regularly to perform charitable works either by direct hands-on efforts or by raising money for other organizations. A service club is defined firstl ...

s", such as

Lions The lion (''Panthera leo'') is a large cat of the genus '' Panthera'' native to Africa and India. It has a muscular, broad-chested body; short, rounded head; round ears; and a hairy tuft at the end of its tail. It is sexually dimorphic; adult ...

Apex The apex is the highest point of something. The word may also refer to: Arts and media Fictional entities * Apex (comics), a teenaged super villainess in the Marvel Universe * Ape-X, a super-intelligent ape in the Squadron Supreme universe *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: *

* Freemasons, including United Grand Lodge of New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory * Knights of the Southern Cross An order of religious Roman Catholics *

Rechabites The Rechabites () are a biblical clan, the descendants of Rechab through Jehonadab. Biblical sources The Rechabites belonged to the Kenites, who accompanied the Israelites into the Holy Land and dwelt among them. The main body of the Kenites d ...

A fraternity especially for tee-total abstainers from alcohol * Odd Fellows (Independent Order of Odd Fellows or IOOF) Of course in those sectarian times, there had to be two different lodges for those of Irish ancestry: *

for Irish Catholics *

Loyal Orange Lodge The Loyal Orange Institution, commonly known as the Orange Order, is an international Protestant fraternal order based in Northern Ireland and primarily associated with Ulster Protestants, particularly those of Ulster Scots heritage. It als ...

for Protestants

Canada

* Independent Order of Odd Fellows *

* Canadian Fraternal Association * Orange Order * Canadian Order for Home Circles * International Order of Alhambra * Kin Canada *

* Knights of Pythias *

Zeta Psi Zeta Psi () is a collegiate fraternity. It was founded in June 1, 1847 at New York University. The organization now comprises fifty-three active chapters and thirty-four inactive chapters, encompassing roughly fifty thousand members, and is a ...

Europe

Denmark

* Independent Order of Odd Fellows

Republic of Ireland

Clan na Gael Clan na Gael ( ga, label=modern Irish orthography, Clann na nGael, ; "family of the Gaels") was an Irish republican organization in the United States in the late 19th and 20th centuries, successor to the Fenian Brotherhood and a sister org ...

* Irish National Foresters *

Knights of Saint Columbanus The Order of the Knights of Saint Columbanus () is an Irish national Catholic fraternal organisation. Founded by Canon James K. O'Neill in Belfast, Ireland, in 1915, it was named in honour of the Irish saint, Columbanus. Initially established ...

* Orange Order

Sweden

* Independent Order of Odd Fellows * Swedish Order of Freemasons * Samfundet SHT

United Kingdom

Apprentice Boys of Derry The Apprentice Boys of Derry is a Protestant fraternal society with a worldwide membership of over 10,000, founded in 1814 and based in the city of Derry, Northern Ireland. There are branches in Ulster and elsewhere in Ireland, Scotland, Engla ...

* Grand United Order of Oddfellows Friendly Society * Gorseth ** Gorsedd Cymru **

Gorsedh Kernow Gorsedh Kernow (Cornish Gorsedd) is a non-political Cornish organisation, based in Cornwall, United Kingdom, which exists to maintain the national Celtic spirit of Cornwall. It is based on the Welsh-based Gorsedd, which was founded by Iolo Mo ...

Grand Order of Water Rats The Grand Order of Water Rats is a British entertainment industry fraternity and charitable organisation based in London. Founded in 1889 by the music hall comedians Joe Elvin and Jack Lotto, the order is known for its high-profile membership an ...

* Independent Order of Oddfellows Manchester Unity Friendly Society *

Knights of St Columba The Knights of St Columba is a fraternal service order affiliated with the Catholic Church in Scotland and in England and Wales. Founded in Glasgow in 1919, the Knights are named in honour of Saint Columba, a 6th-century missionary descended ...

* Lions International * Orange Order ** Royal Arch Purple ** Royal Black Institution * Order of Druids *

* Rotary International *

South Africa

* Afrikaner Broederbond * Freemasonry in South Africa

United States

* Afro-American Sons and Daughters * Aid Association of Lutherans * American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association * American Legion *

* Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks (BPOE)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. * Danish Brotherhood in America * E Clampus Vitus *

* Fraternal Order of Moai * Fraternal Order of Owls * Fraternal Order Orioles * Honorable Order of the Blue Goose, International * Improved Order of Heptasophs *

* Independent Order of Odd Fellows (or IOOF aka Odd Fellows) * Grand United Order of Oddfellows Friendly Society * International Order of Alhambra * International Organization of Good Templars (or IOGT - EST. 1776) * Junior Order of United American Mechanics * United States Junior Chamber (JAYCEES) *

Knights of Peter Claver The Knights of Peter Claver and Ladies Auxiliary is an international Catholic fraternal service order. Founded in 1909 by the Josephites and parishioners from Most Pure Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Mobile, Alabama, it is the largest and o ...

* Knights of Pythias *

Knights of the Golden Eagle The Knights of the Golden Eagle was a fraternal organization founded in Baltimore in 1872. History The orders original objectives were to help its members find employment and aid them while unemployed. Membership was open to white males over 18 ...

Knights of the Maccabees Knights of the Maccabees was a fraternal organization formed in 1878 in London, Ontario, Canada. Most active in the U.S. state of Michigan, the group's fraternal aspects took a backseat to providing low-cost insurance to members. In the socie ...

* MEANA (Malayalee Engineers Association in North America) * National Haymakers Association *

* Orange Order * Order of Heptasophs * Order of Scottish Clans *

Order of the Arrow The Order of the Arrow (OA) is the honor society of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA), composed of Scouts and Scouters who best exemplify the Scout Oath and Law in their daily lives as elected by their peers. The society was created by E. Urner Go ...

( BSA) *

Order Sons of Italy in America The Order Sons of Italy in America ( it, Ordine Figli d’Italia in America, OSIA) is the largest and the oldest Italian American fraternal organization in the United States. A similar organization exists in Canada. It has more than 600,000 mem ...

* Patriotic Order Sons of America * Rascals, Rogues, and Rapscallions *

Sons of Confederate Veterans The Sons of Confederate Veterans (SCV) is an American neo-Confederate nonprofit organization of male descendants of Confederate soldiers that commemorates these ancestors, funds and dedicates monuments to them, and promotes the pseudohis ...

Sons of Hermann The Order of the Sons of Hermann (german: Der Orden der Hermanns-Soehne, also known as Hermann Sons ( ''Hermannssöhne'' ), is a mutual aid society for German immigrants that was formed in New York, New York on July 20, 1840,Fritz Schilo"Sons ...

* Sons of Norway *

Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW) is an American congressionally chartered fraternal organization that carries out activities to preserve the history and legacy of the United States Armed Forces veterans who fought during the Civil ...

Sons of the American Revolution The National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR or NSSAR) is an American congressionally chartered organization, founded in 1889 and headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky. A non-profit corporation, it has described its purpose ...

* Sons of the Revolution *

The National Grange of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry The Grange, officially named The National Grange of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry, is a social organization in the United States that encourages families to band together to promote the economic and political well-being of the community and ...

(The Grange) *

Unico National UNICO National is a service organization of Italian Americans established in Waterbury, Connecticut in 1922 to "engage in charitable works, support higher education, and perform patriotic deeds". According to its website, it is the "largest Itali ...

(or VOA - EST. 1896) * Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) * World War Veterans *

References

{{reflist

External links

Survey of Secret Societies and Museum of Fraternal Lithographs
Survey of history and ritual covering diverse organizations including Freemasonry, and groups that have imitated Masonry such as the Odd Fellows, Knights of Pythias, Improved Order of Red Men, Knights of the Golden Eagle, Knights of the Maccabees, B'nai B'rith, Orange Order, Royal Black Preceptory, Hibernians, Greek Letter Fraternities, etc. and so-called magical fraternities such as the Ordo Templi Orientis and Aurum Solis.

*

Fraternities A fraternity (from Latin ''frater'': "brother"; whence, " brotherhood") or fraternal organization is an organization, society, club or fraternal order traditionally of men associated together for various religious or secular aims. Fraternity ...