As Saint Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland the surname Anderson, which means Son of Andrew is commonly found throughout most of the country. The Scottish Gaelic derivation of the name is Gilleaindreas which means servant of Andrew. The Scottish historian, Ian Grimble, states that although arms were granted to an Anderson of that Ilk in the sixteenth century, as the name is so widespread no exact place of origin can be established.The Clan Anderson is an ancient historical armigerous Clan which has developed under Scots law with scattered estates of the landed gentlemen of the name being found all over Scotland.  It would be difficult to find a particular district in which the Andersons were the predominant family but several areas of Scotland have been home to the name for generation upon generation.  There are strong connections with several areas in Scotland where Andersons have enjoyed a traditional “Duthus” or Clan lands; the greater of these being centred on Aberdeenshire, Banff and Moray.  Fife also has strong Anderson family roots with the Lothians and Strathclyde following suit.  Other pockets are also to be found, in the borders and places such as Skye, Orkney and Shetland, where all have been home to long lines of Andersons.  
There was also a strong Jacobite following among the Andersons of Rathven and Arradoul in Banffshire. Alexander Anderson of Arradoul was one of the sixteen landowners who surrendered at Banff in 1716 following the Banffshire uprisings in 1715. 
There are a lot of Andersons mentioned in the burials around this period, noted by the session clerk a Mr. William Anderson who was also the local schoolmaster.
Another notable at that time was a Lady Arradoul - some sources mention as Mrs. Anderson. In 1746 Prince Charles Edward Stuart traveled to Elgin from Inverness, falling ill with a feverish cold he stayed for 11 days at Thunderton House, before returning to await the arrival of the King's army. Mrs. Anderson, a passionate Jacobite, kept the sheets that the Prince slept on and was buried in them 25 years later. 
A William Anderson married Marjorie Gilzean and joined up to a Hanoverian Regiment in Elgin in 1746. The regiment moved south and was posted abroad on duty. In 1748 an exhausted Marjorie arrived back in Elgin with child, after a journey of hundreds of miles on foot, William was killed in action. Marjorie, whose parents had died, had to live rough and rely on the pity of the locals. In 1760 the young Andrew, by now a teenager, was running an errand for a soldier about to leave for India. Andrew tagged along. 64 years later, after an astonishing career, General Andrew Anderson, died in 1824. In his will he bequeathed £70,000 to the town so that an institution could be provided for the welfare of the elderly poor people and for the education of the town's orphaned children. The Anderson Institute was built in the east end of the town in 1832 with accommodation for 50 children and 10 elderly people. It is still in existence today at Andersons Care home.