This article was published in the Summer 2026 issue of the Wake Genealogy Watch newsletter. Volume 9, Issue 4, p7.
Do you have an ancestor who you suspect might have been a Loyalist? They would be alive in the 1775-1783 timeframe in your tree. Have you noticed some clues that have you wondering? - CD
If your ancestor showed no obvious signs of being a Patriot, did they show any inclination to the opposite? Maybe they signed an association paper to the British cause, or they left town abruptly. Is there evidence that their property was confiscated or that they were prosecuted for treason (or worse!) by the new American government?
Those wishing to remain British subjects called themselves Loyalists. The Patriot rebels derisively called them Tories. Loyalist support was especially strong in parts of the southern colonies, including South Carolina, Georgia, and the North Carolina backcountry. The Loyalists’ motives were many. Southern plantation owners and merchants with trade contracts between Britain and the colonies relied heavily on Royal Patronage for their financial success. Other Loyalists just could not fathom the idea of separation from the Monarchy. There was security and comfort in its presence, support and standing army. Many working class Loyalists had great fear of mob rule as rebel riots spread across the colonies. They felt the price to remain under British rule was worth it.
As colonists divided over the issues, their choices split families, broke business partnerships, destroyed friendships. Division cost Loyalists their homes, livelihoods, and even their lives. Many were forced to flee the colonies. Some returned to England. Others settled elsewhere. Others stayed and took a loyalty oath to the new American government.
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| William's story |
Loyalists engaged in activities that provide us with a rich record trail today, if you know where to look. You may find evidence for your ancestor in the following record types:
Compensation claims for goods and services provided for British support
Petitions and memorials that provide personal narrative and affidavits
Loyalty documents, oaths and pledges, both those stating allegiance to Britain before the war and alternatively refusals to sign allegiance to America afterwards
Confiscation and court records including loss of land and other property, trials for treason or other acts against the new government
Military rolls including enlistments, payroll, release papers and pension files.
Refugee status included in lists of departures from British-held American cities, land grants in Canada or the West Indies, or claims for lost possessions
Most of these records will require looking in more than one place. The information was collected across many locations and countries and time periods.
Begin your research with the FamilySearch Wiki for Loyalists Ancestors in the US Revolutionary War. The wiki shares many sources for finding Loyalists based on service, land holdings, court records, who lost property. The military records referenced include a link to locate military records (on Microfilm) held in their files. View the finding aid for British military records, "C" series, 1757-1899, located at the National Archives of Canada via this link.
For a deeper dive, search for Loyalists at The Online Institute for Advanced Loyalist Studies. It is a vast website of transcribed accounts of Loyalist military service and claims resulting from it. The site is well laid out and search is relatively easy to search. It reminds me of several American Revolution sites I have shared lately in its utility.
One very important record set is available from the Great Britain Audit Office. The files are entitled British Loyalist Claims series AO 12 and AO 13, created between 1776 and 1835. Beginning in 1776, the British Treasury granted financial relief to impoverished American Loyalists who had fled to Great Britain. Over time, this responsibility passed through several commissions, which received claims for lost property and income as well as requests for ongoing allowances. You can access the series from the Great Britain Audit Office page.
The reading list on this subject runs deep. You may wish to review this comprehensive book, A Bibliography of Loyalist Source Material in the United States, Canada, and Great Britain by Palmer and East, 1982. The book is available for interlibrary loan from several local libraries including Duke and UNC. Visit the WorldCat link for details. (Barbara McGeachy shared the interlibrary loan process in the last newsletter.)
As you can see, you can go deep or just research around the edges of your project to start. Here is a sample of what you might find when searching for a Loyalist in your tree.
As a test, I searched for a man known to me to be a Loyalist with a strong presence in Wake County before and after the Revolutionary War. I wanted to see what could be found in one sitting. I used the The On-line Institute for Advanced Loyalist Studies for this quick survey.
John fled to New York and joined the British military. His many buying and selling trips through the southern colonies had given him a keen knowledge of the landscape, making him a valuable asset to the British Army when planning the Southern Campaign.
He was charged with recruiting loyalist troops for the British southern campaign. Lieutenant Colonel Hamilton commanded 750 men in the Royal North Carolina Regiment.
To explore his military career, I used the search feature at the website and searched for John Hamilton North Carolina (without quotes). The search returned twelve results, many referencing the man I was seeking. Here are a few that were particularly rich in content.
I found Hamilton’s 1777 letter of introduction to General Clinton from Governor Tryon, stating his intention to raise “a body of men for His Majesty’s Service.” This is a golden nugget! It is literally the start of his military career.
Next, I found a 1783 letter from Hamilton to Brigadier General McArthur regarding the disposition of his men at the end of the war. It is such a vivid first person account that captures the plight of the Loyalists at the end of the Revolution. Hamilton states,
I found several more documents linking his name to soldiers who served in his regiment. I share them here with links, so you may see examples of the type of information to be found.
Thomas Manson, Capt., Royal North Carolina Regiment - His record documents that Daniel Manson (at Charlestown) under orders of John Hamilton, appointed Thomas to raise a group of sixty men and be paid by bounty on completion. The claim bears the dates of 1777, 1781, and 1784.
Archibald McDugald, Late Ensign, NC Regiment — Archibald’s testimony in this claim covers his entire military career in the Royal North Carolina Regiment. It reads like a who's who of Loyalist military history, with rich detail here to build out the story of John Hamilton, Mr. McDugald and the many other British soldiers named in the account.
Lt. Angus McDonald — This 1783 file is a Court of Inquiry with John Hamilton presiding, examining whether McDonald left his post improperly. It is compelling first-person narrative and contains enough information to power a search for the original documents and associated files for Mr. McDonald. It also provides insight into another of John Hamilton’s military duties and his sense of justice.
There were more links to chase, but these are enough to show you the ease and value of using The On-line Institute for Advanced Loyalist Studies as a starting point for Loyalist research. The details gathered from this quick survey provide a strong foundation for searching the other sites mentioned above.
If you find any Loyalists in your own tree, I hope you use the resources presented here to help you discover the rest of the story. Your Loyalist ancestor’s life may have been just as rich. Happy Hunting!
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