9 different fraternities lay claim to being largest
 

The number of chapters in a fraternity will vary widely. Some groups have chosen to remain a more modest size while others have sought much greater numbers. Reviewing the histories of fraternities, many have had very aggressive periods of growth followed by years of consolidation and little expansion, as policies and leadership changed. While numbers are by no means an indication of the quality or character of an organization, the claim of being largest is a fact usually well publicized by a fraternity. Nine different groups could claim that title at some time during the past nearly two hundred years that our fraternity system has existed.

Alpha Delta Phi was the first fraternity to expand rapidly to additional institutions. Within five years of its founding it had already chartered eight chapters and, in 1837, was the largest of the seven existing fraternities. Its arch-rival, Psi Upsilon, also aggressively planted chapters and, from 1843 until 1851, it was largest. Alpha Delta Phi reclaimed the lead for one year but was surpassed by Delta Kappa Epsilon in 1852 with 15 chapters.

Beta Theta Pi was the first fraternity founded outside the northeast and it had an aggresive expansion policy from its very beginning. By 1873 its 32 chapters ended Delta Kappa Epsilon's twenty year rein as the largest fraternity. Beta Theta Pi's major rival, Phi Delta Theta, was also establishing chapters at a fast pace. In 1882, with 43 chapters, it became the largest and held that distinction until 1905.

Kappa Sigma and Sigma Alpha Epsilon were founded in the south, but both quickly expanded into all areas of the country. Kappa Sigma reached 73 chapters by 1905 and, for more than a decade, held the title as largest. Its rival, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, took the lead in 1917 with 84 chapters. Kappa Sigma regained the title in 1925 and reached a peak of 109 chapters. The Great Depression caused the loss of many fratenrity chapters and in 1934 Sigma Alpha Epsilon once again became the largest and remained so until after World War II.

Lambda Chi Alpha is one of the younger fraternities but, in 1939, absorbed Theta Kappa Nu and brought its chapter numbers to one of the largest. With a very aggresive expansion policy following World War II it became the largest fraternity in 1946 with 115 chapters. Shortly thereafter, Tau Kappa Epsilon undertook an expansion program more extensive than had ever been conducted by any fraternity, adding a dozen or more chapters each year. Its 158 chapters in 1959 took over the lead as largest. Reaching a peak in excess of 300 during the early 1970s, Tau Kappa Epsilon has maintained the title as largest fraternity in number of chapters since that time.

Very interesting -- I love your threads, oldu!!!

I always heard TKE = "Tau Kappa Everywhere"

P.S. You going to do a largest sorority thread?!? ;)

Largest sorority
 

...where angels fear to tread.

Thats strange cause now the DKEs are at less than fifty chapters now. Though they have produced a powerhouse list of alumni that not many fraternities can rival. But even today, several different fraternities claim to be the largest, biggest in a variety of different ways.

And Alpha Delta has 27 active chapters. Why? We, like All most of the first wave fraternities-the Union Triad, Psi U, DKE etc., were (are) snobs:) AD will not expand to a school unless US News puts it in the top 50 of National Universities and Public Universities, or the top 30 National Liberasl Arts Colleges. Makes my job (Expansion Director) a little tougher but does give me a good sales point!

I've known about our record as largest fraternity, but your mention has motivated me to get T-Shirts made. ( I had a friend who had UChicago "Big-10 Conference Football Champions----back in 1933, I think;)

It was always strange to me the the Union Triad being the first main group of Social Fraternities now usually have the least chapters and the advent of the Miami Triad continues to grow.


True, that the 1939 merger of LXA and TKN was and still is the largest merger ever undertaken and was almost a perfect fit between TKN mostly on smaller Colleges and LXA at larger colleges. But there werre some with both organizations on them. Some did merge and some split off to join other fraternities. Some schools (a few) did not allow the merger of the two.

Maybe the idea of snobbery is true but more like wanting to be elite in their own right.

Some will want to join each of those organizations for just that reason.


OLDU, thank you very much for the bits of information that you put before us!

tallgreekalum, you do have a formidable task ahead of you!

As far as DKE goes, they have a national reputation as a "Bad Boy" fraternity, lots of drinking, hazing, legal action against schools who they believe are anti greek, operating an underground chapter at Amherst where they are not allowed and being very full of themselves in addition to having our idiot president as a member. No wonder they are one of the oldest but smallest fraternities.

I'm confused.

If a fraternity is "the largest" that means it's the largest. How can 9 different fraternities be "the largest" ... unless they have the same number of chapters? :confused:

Count them up:) At different times, nine different fraternities could claim being the largest, in terms of chapters.

Thanks, Tom, but I've been doing for 4 years now and we just chartered four chapters this year: Northeastern, Duke. Brandeis, and Penn State. Not bad for us, considering we have chartered four chapters in one year since 1836!!

And then don't forget the criteria of "current largest undergraduate membership" in which SigEp is currently the "largest". It's just interesting to see how people define what the largest fraternity is nationwide. Frankly, I have to agree, largest does not necessarily the strongest or closest-knit, but it's just something I guess we all want to claim because it sounds...formidable?

FWIW, when I was a pledge, we were taught to know the top ten sororities & fraternities. Since numbers can flucuate widely with each Recruitment, it just makes all claims more... unified?

I'm glad that you included the part about largest does not mean the strongest because with a couple of fraternities that I hear are currently making this claim (I won't say who because I'm sure it will offend some of you on here) they tend to bid anyone that walks into their house. This trend for these organizations seems to be pretty common across the country.

I will try to clear this up with the information I know regarding some fraternities.

SAE (Sigma Alpha Epsilon) currently has initiated more men throughout history than any other social fraternity

SPE (Sigma Phi Epsilon) currently has the largest number of undergraduate initiates.

TKE (Tau Kappa Epsilon) has the largest number of chapters.

PKA (Pi Kappa Alpha) has the largest average chapter size.

Wow, that must be a record!:)

You are doing outstanding Colleges as you should!

Keep up the great work, I always love to see Greek expansion.