United Empire Loyalists

Statue in Hamilton, Ontario commemorating United Empire Loyalists

The United Empire Loyalists, commonly referred to as Loyalists, were a group of people who resided in the 13 colonies during the American Revolutionary War (1775-1783) who remained loyal to the British crown and settled in modern-day Canada. An estimated 50,000 Loyalists in all fled to British North American colonies after the war.

The Loyalists migrated in waves, with the first groups arriving in Nova Scotia on May 4, 1783, New Brunswick on May 18, 1783, and Cataraqui (later known as Kingston) on July 30, 1783. Migration continued for many years to follow, with Loyalist refugees in western Quebec Province (now Ontario) receiving 200 acres of land each.

The ethnicities of the Loyalists included Aboriginal, English, French, African, Dutch, and German.

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Loyalist settlementsLoyalist settlements

The following communities in modern-day Canada were founded as settlements by Loyalists. This is far from an exhaustive list. According to the United Empire Loyalists Association of Canada, the Loyalists "established many hamlets and towns here that later grew into large cities" and "universities, colleges, law courts, a system of landholding and provincial legislature" all trace back to Loyalist roots.

Painting by Henry Sandham depicting Loyalists arriving in New Brunswick in 1783.

New BrunswickNew Brunswick[5]

• Fredericton
• Saint Andrews
• Saint John

Nova ScotiaNova Scotia[6]

• Cape Breton Island
• Country Harbour (Guysborough)
• Digby
• Halifax
• Shelburne

OntarioOntario[7]

• Adolphustown
• Augusta (Prescott)
• Elizabethtown (Brockville)
• Kingston
• Niagara

QuebecQuebec[8]

• Eastern Townships
• Odell Town
• Yamachiche

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Black LoyalistsBlack Loyalists

Black Loyalist Heritage Society logo.

Thousands of people of African descent, commonly referred to as Black Loyalists, fought for the British during the American Revolutionary War with the hopes to gain freedom and land. More than 3,000 of them, some free and some enslaved, settled in Nova Scotia between 1783 and 1785, "where they faced hostility, racial segregation, low-paying jobs and inequality." They settled in places like Shelburne, Birchtown, Preston, and Digby. Their presence led to the rise of the Baptist church in Nova Scotia, a refuge for them during times of hardship.

Biographical sketches of religious leaders and prominent settlers in the Black Loyalist community are documented at Black Loyalists: Our History, Our People. The Nova Scotia Archives has a collection of original documents pertaining to Black Loyalists. Library and Archives Canada has a searchable database of Black Loyalist Refugees.

For more information on Black Loyalists and their history, those interested should consult the Black Loyalist Heritage Centre and Black Cultural Centre for Nova Scotia.

Types of genealogical recordsTypes of genealogical records

The United Empire Loyalists Association of Canada has a comprehensive Loyalist Directory with more than 15,000 Loyalists, including their name, military rank or prefix, UELAC status, and where they settled. This database is rich with genealogical details including children, proven descendants, and in some cases biographies.

Loyalist Centennial Parade in Saint John, New Brunswick

Loyalist families are documented in the Land Petitions of Upper Canada (1763-1865), Land Petitions of Lower Canada (1764-1841), and Land Boards of Upper Canada (1765-1804). These searchable databases available at the Library and Archives Canada include petitions for land from Loyalists themselves and their families, and they often include details on military service and where they resided in the 13 colonies.

The Nova Scotia Land Papers (1765-1800) and New Brunswick Land Petitions (1783-1834) contain information on Loyalists and their families for those provinces.

The National Archives in London (U.K.) has a database of Loyalist Claims Commission records. These documents relate to "the claims of American loyalists" between 1777 and 1841. The actual records are not online, but they can be viewed at a reading room at the Archives.

MyHeritage collections that may include Loyalists, their children, and descendants include:

• Canada Newspapers, 1752-2007
• Canada, Nova Scotia Census, Property Assessments and Poll Taxes, 1770-1841
• Canada, New Brunswick Marriages, 1789-1950
• Canada, New Brunswick Births, 1801-1921
• 1825 Canada, Lower Canada Census
• 1842 Canada, Lower Canada Census
• 1851 Canada Census
• Canada, Burials, 1800-2019

Books indexed by MyHeritage contain references to Loyalists, including Pioneer Life Among The Loyalists in Upper Canada, The Capital Years: Niagara-On-The -Lake, 1792-1796, and Historical View of the Commission for Enquiring Into The Losses, Services, And Claims of the American Loyalists, at the Close of the War Between Great Britain and Her Colonies in 1783. Search these books and countless others with the box below.

Search Histories, Memories & Biographies for Loyalists on MyHeritageSearch Histories, Memories & Biographies for Loyalists on MyHeritage

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See alsoSee also

• American Revolutionary War
• Colonial period in the United States
• Ontario genealogy
• United Kingdom

Explore more about United Empire LoyalistsExplore more about United Empire Loyalists

• Loyalist Directory by the United Empire Loyalists Association of Canada
• "Loyalist Claims" by Brenda Dougall Merriman, author of United Empire Loyalists: A Guide to Tracing Loyalist Ancestors in Upper Canada
• Loyalists and descendants who participated in the War of 1812 by the United Empire Loyalists Association of Canada
• The Loyalists That Stayed Behind: The Reintegration by Family Tree Webinars

References

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