Research: United Empire Loyalist Ancestors

Optional Print Course Material: Research: United Empire Loyalist Ancestors

*Course material will only be sent to students who are registered in the course.

The course describes what it meant to be a United Empire Loyalist in the context of the American Revolutionary War and how it affected his ensuing life. We also discuss the membership and lineage requirements of the United Empire Loyalists'' Association of Canada, with some attention to their application form. 

The bulk of the course material covers the basic, contemporary sources that help identify a Loyalist ancestor during and after the war: military, claims, land, and other records that assist with documenting your family. Students are advised to consult the Documents area to see samples of such records. Overviews of the British North  American colonies where the Loyalists came for resettlement include Upper Canada (Ontario)—where the original U.E. (Unity of Empire) tradition took hold—the Maritime provinces and Lower Canada (Quebec).

We give further references to books and websites, but keep in mind about the latter: websites occasionally disappear, or they may be revised periodically in format and content. This course should assist researchers who are beginning their quest for information and documentation. 

Course Length: 7 weeks