fraternity A fraternity (; whence, "wikt:brotherhood, brotherhood") or fraternal organization is an organization, society, club (organization), club or fraternal order traditionally of men but also women associated together for various religious or secular ...

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 Volunteering, voluntary nonprofit organization where members meet regularly to perform Charity (practice), charitable works either by direct hands-on efforts or by raising money for other organizations. ...

s, lineage societies, and

secret societies 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 a ...

are among the fraternal organizations listed here. College fraternities and sororities appear in the List of social fraternities and sororities. Fraternal benefit societies are included in List of friendly and benevolent societies.

International

These are fraternal organizations that operate internationally.

Fraternal orders

Druids

Ancient Order of Druids 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 ''Dieu, Notre Pays et Roy'' (old) and ''Justice, Philanthropy and Brotherly Love''. History 28 November 1781, ...

Order of Druids Order, ORDER or Orders may refer to: * A socio-political or established or existing order, e.g. World order, Ancien Regime, Pax Britannica * Categorization, the process in which ideas and objects are recognized, differentiated, and understood * ...

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

Freemasonry

Freemasonry Freemasonry (sometimes spelled Free-Masonry) consists of fraternal groups that trace their origins to the medieval guilds of stonemasons. Freemasonry is the oldest secular fraternity in the world and among the oldest still-existing organizati ...

DeMolay International DeMolay International is a youth leadership organization with Masonic origins for young men ages 12 to 21. There is in select areas a "Squire" program for those younger than 12. It was founded in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1919 and named for ...

** International Order of the Rainbow for Girls ** Job's Daughters International ** Order of the Amaranth **

Order of the Eastern Star The Order of the Eastern Star (OES) is a Freemasonry, Masonic List of fraternal auxiliaries and side degrees, appendant Masonic bodies, body open to both men and women. It was established in 1850 by lawyer and educator Rob Morris (Freemason), R ...

Prince Hall Freemasonry Prince Hall Freemasonry is a branch of North American Freemasonry created for African Americans, founded by Prince Hall on September 29, 1784. Prince Hall Freemasonry is the oldest and largest (300,000+ initiated members) predominantly African-A ...

*** Prince Hall Order of the Eastern Star **

Scottish Rite The Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry is a List of Masonic rites, rite within the broader context of Freemasonry. It is the most widely practiced List of Masonic rites, Rite in the world. In some parts of the world, and in the ...

Shriners Shriners International, formally known as the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (AAONMS), is an American Masonic body, Masonic society. Founded in 1872 in New York City, it is headquartered in Tampa, Florida, and has over ...

York Rite In Anglo-American Freemasonry, York Rite, sometimes referred to as the American Rite, is one of several Rites of Freemasonry. It is named after York, in Yorkshire, England, where the Rite was supposedly first practiced. A Rite is a series of ...

Gardeners

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 ...

Loyalists

Orange Order 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. It also has lodges in England, Grand Orange Lodge of ...

Odd Fellows

Odd Fellows Odd Fellows (or Oddfellows when referencing the Grand United Order of Oddfellows or some British-based fraternities; also Odd Fellowship or Oddfellowship) is an international fraternity consisting of lodges first documented in 1730 in 18th-cen ...

Independent Order of Odd Fellows 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 Odd Fellows, Order ...

(IOOF) ***

Ancient Mystic Order of Samaritans Ancient history is a time period from the beginning of writing and recorded human history through late antiquity Late antiquity marks the period that comes after the end of classical antiquity and stretches into the onset of the Early ...

(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. As the Independent Order of Odd ...

***

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 in 1915 by ...

(LOTO) **

Independent Order of Oddfellows Manchester Unity 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. Some of its lodges claim histo ...

International Association of Rebekah Assemblies 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 ...

Grand United Order of Odd Fellows in America 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 prin ...

*** Household of Ruth

Other fraternal orders

Ancient Mystical Order Rosae Crucis AMORC (standing for, among others, the Ancient Mystical Order of the Rosy Cross or the Ancient and Mystical Order Rosæ Crucis) is a Rosicrucian organization founded by Harvey Spencer Lewis in the United States in 1915. It has lodges, chapters a ...

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 in the United States, where it was founded in New Yo ...

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 (impresario), John Cort (the first president), brothers John Considin ...

of US and Canada (Fraternal Order of Eagles in the Philippines is not an affiliate or under its jurisdiction) * Knights of the Maccabees * Order of Alhambra * Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes *

Sons of Norway Sons of Norway (), founded in 1895 as the Independent Order of the Sons of Norway, is a fraternal organization principally representing people of Norwegian-American, Norwegian heritage in the United States and Canada. The organization includes i ...

* Vasa Order of America

Fraternal service organisations

B'nai B'rith B'nai B'rith International ( ; from ) is an American 501(c)(3) nonprofit Jewish service organization and was formerly a cultural association for German Jewish immigrants to the United States. B'nai B'rith states that it is committed to the se ...

* Concatenated Order of Hoo-Hoo * Dramatic Order of the Knights of Khorassan * Gyro International *

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, promoti ...

Knights of Columbus The Knights of Columbus (K of C) is a global Catholic Church, Catholic Fraternal and service organizations, fraternal service order founded by Michael J. McGivney, Blessed Michael J. McGivney. Membership is limited to practicing Catholic men. ...

** Columbian Squires ** Squire Roses *

Knights of Pythias The Knights of Pythias is a Fraternal and service organizations, fraternal organization and secret society founded in Washington, D.C., on . The Knights of Pythias was the first fraternal organization to receive a charter under an Act of Co ...

Round Table The Round Table (; ; ; ) is King Arthur's famed table (furniture), table in the Arthurian legend, around which he and his knights congregate. As its name suggests, it has no head, implying that everyone who sits there has equal status, unlike co ...

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 Volunteering, voluntary nonprofit organization where members meet regularly to perform Charity (practice), charitable works either by direct hands-on efforts or by raising money for other organizations. ...

s", such as Lions,

Apex The apex is the highest point of something. The word may also refer to: Arts and media Fictional entities * Apex (comics) A-Bomb Abomination Absorbing Man Abraxas Abyss Abyss is the name of two characters appearing in Ameri ...

and Rotary. By the end of the 20th century, most fraternities had been wound up except for the

Freemasons Freemasonry (sometimes spelled Free-Masonry) consists of fraternal groups that trace their origins to the medieval guilds of stonemasons. Freemasonry is the oldest secular fraternity in the world and among the oldest still-existing organizati ...

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: *

, including United Grand Lodge of New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory * Knights of the Southern Cross

Canada

Beta Sigma Phi Beta Sigma Phi International () is an international noncollegiate sorority with 200,000 members. Founded in Abilene, Kansas, Abilene Kansas, in 1931 by Walter W. Rose, Walter W. Ross "for the social, cultural, and civic enrichment of its members", ...

, non-collegiate sorority *

* Loyal Order of Moose *

Orange Order in Canada The Loyal Orange Association in Canada, historically the Loyal Orange Association in British America and also known as the Loyal Orange Association of Canada, Grand Orange Lodge of Canada, or simply Orange Order in Canada, is the Canadian branch ...

* Order of Alhambra

Europe

Denmark

Republic of Ireland

* Knights of Saint Columbanus

Sweden

Swedish Order of Freemasons The Swedish Order of Freemasons () is a Swedish fraternal order of freemasonry, founded in 1735 as the oldest still active Swedish fraternal order. It is the native Swedish manifestation of Swedish Rite Freemasonry, recognised by the United Grand ...

* Samfundet SHT

United Kingdom

Apprentice Boys of Derry The Apprentice Boys of Derry is a Protestant fraternal society founded in 1814 and based in the city of Derry, Ireland (now part of Northern Ireland). In 2021 it had over 10,000 members worldwide, with membership open to Protestant men only. T ...

* Grand United Order of Oddfellows *

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 Orange Order * Independent Order of Oddfellows Manchester Unity Friendly Society * Knights of St Columba * Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes * Royal Arch Purple *

Royal Black Institution The Imperial Grand Black Chapter of the British Commonwealth, or simply the Royal Black Institution,

South Africa

Afrikaner Broederbond The Afrikaner Broederbond (AB) or simply the Broederbond was an exclusively Afrikaner Calvinist and male secret society in South Africa dedicated to the advancement of the Afrikaner people. It was founded by H. J. Klopper, H. W. van der Merw ...

* Freemasonry in South Africa

United States

* Afro-American Sons and Daughters * American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association *

Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks (BPOE), commonly known as the Elks Lodge or simply The Elks, is an American fraternal order and charitable organization founded in 1868 in New York City. Originally established as a social club for m ...

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. *

, non-collegiate sorority * Danish Brotherhood in America *

E Clampus Vitus The Ancient and Honorable Order of E Clampus Vitus (ECV) is a fraternal organization dedicated to the preservation of the heritage of the Western United States, especially the history of the Mother Lode#California Mother Lode, Mother Lode and gold ...

* Fraternal Order of Moai * Fraternal Order Orioles * Honorable Order of the Blue Goose, International * Improved Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks of the World * Improved Order of Heptasophs *

(aka Odd Fellows) * Independent Order of St. Luke *

International Order of Twelve Knights and Daughters of Tabor The International Order of Twelve Knights and Daughters of Tabor (IOT) is an international co-ed African American fraternal organization best known as the sponsor of the Taborian Hospital. History The International Order of Twelve Knights and ...

* Household of Ruth *

Improved Order of Red Men The Improved Order of Red Men is a List of civic, fraternal, service, and professional organizations, fraternal organization established in North America in 1834. It claims direct descent from the colonial era Sons of Liberty. Their rituals and ...

* Junior Order of United American Mechanics *

* Knights of Peter Claver * Knights of Pythias of North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia * Knights of the Globe *

Knights of the Golden Eagle The Knights of the Golden Eagle (KGE) was an American fraternal organization founded in Baltimore, Maryland in 1872. At its height in the 1920s, the organization had 73,340 members in 26 states. It ceased operations in the late 1960s or early 1970 ...

* Loyal Order of Moose * Military Order of the Serpent *

National Grange of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry The National Grange, also known as The Grange and 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 pol ...

* National Haymakers' Association *

Native Sons of the Golden West The Native Sons of the Golden West (NSGW) is a fraternity, fraternal service organization founded in the U.S. state of California in 1875, dedicated to historic preservation and documentation of the state's historic structures and places, the pla ...

* Omicron Epsilon Pi, non-collegiac lesbians and lesbians of color * Order of Alhambra * Order of Heptasophs * Order of Owls * Order of Scottish Clans * Order Sons of Italy in America * Patriotic Order Sons of America * Rascals, Rogues, and Rapscallions *

Sons of Hermann The Order of the Sons of Hermann () is a Benefit society, mutual aid society for Germany, German immigrants that was formed in New York City on July 20, 1840,Fritz Schilo"Sons of Hermann" Handbook of Texas Online, Texas State Historical Society, ...

Tribe of Ben-Hur The Tribe of Ben-Hur was a fraternal organization based on the novel '' Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ'' by Lew Wallace. In 1930 it became the Ben-Hur Life Association. History The idea of starting a fraternal organization based on ''Ben-Hur'' ...