HAMILTON, the name of a famous Scottish family. The first authentic ancestor of the Hamiltons is one Walter FitzGil bert, one of the witnesses (Jan. 1o, 1295) to a charter by James, the high steward of Scotland, to the monks of Paisley; in 1296 his name appears in the Homage Roll as Walter FitzGilbert of "Hameldone." He joined the English party, but after Bannock burn went over to Bruce, was knighted and subsequently received the barony of Cadzow. His younger son John was father of Alexander Hamilton who acquired the lands of Innerwick by marriage, and from him descended a certain Thomas Hamilton, who acquired the lands of Priestfield early in the 16th century. Another Thomas, grandson of this last, who had with others of his house followed Queen Mary and with them had been restored to royal favour, became a lord of session as Lord Priestfield. His eldest son, Thomas, was made an ordinary lord of session as early as 1592 and was eventually created earl of Haddington (q.v.). The 5th earl of Haddington by his marriage with Lady Margaret Leslie brought for a time the earldom of Rothes to the Hamiltons to be added to their already numerous titles.
Sir "David FitzWalter FitzGilbert," who carried on the main line of the Hamiltons, was taken prisoner at Neville's Cross (1346) ; in 1371 and 1373 he was one of the barons in the par liament. His son David succeeded in the representation of the family, Sir John Hamilton of Fingaltoun was ancestor of the Hamiltons of Preston, and Walter is stated to have been pro genitor of the Hamiltons of Cambuskeith and Sanquhar in Ayr shire. David Hamilton, the first apparently to describe himself as lord of Cadzow, died before 1392, leaving four or five sons, from whom descended the Hamiltons of Bathgate and of Bardowie, and perhaps also of Udstown, to which last belong the lords Belhaven. Sir John Hamilton of Cadzow, his eldest son, was twice a prisoner in England. John Hamilton's two younger sons are stated to have been founders of the houses of Dalserf and Raploch. His eldest son, James Hamilton of Cadzow, like his father and great grandfather, visited England as a prisoner, being one of the host ages for the king's ransom. From him the Hamiltons of Silverton hill and the lords Hamilton of Dalzell claim descent, among the more distinguished members of the former branch being General Sir Ian Hamilton, K.C.B.
James Hamilton was succeeded by his eldest son Sir James Hamilton of Cadzow, an hereditary lord (1445) of parliament. He married (1474) as his second wife, Mary, sister of James III. and widow of Thomas Boyd, earl of Arran. Their son, James, second lord Hamilton, was created (1503) earl of Arran. Of his many illegitimate children Sir James Hamilton of Finnart, be headed in 1540, was ancestor of the Hamiltons of Gilkerscleugh; and John, archbishop of St. Andrews, hanged by his Protestant enemies, was ancestor of the Hamiltons of Blair, and is said also to have been ancestor of Hamilton of London, baronet. James, second earl of Arran (q.v.) son of the first earl by his second wife Janet Beaton, was chosen governor to the little Queen Mary, being nearest of kin to the throne through his grandmother, though the question of the validity of his mother's marriage was by no means settled. He received (1549) the duchy of Chatellerault in France. He was succeeded in the title in 1579 by his eldest son James, who became insane, his brother John, afterwards first marquess of Hamilton, administering the estates. From the third son, Claud, created a lord of parliament as Baron Paisley (1587), descends the duke of Abercorn, heir male of the house of Hamilton.
The first marquess of Hamilton had a natural son, Sir John Hamilton of Lettrick, who was legitimated in 1600 and was ances tor of the lords Bargany. His two legitimate sons were James, 3rd marquess and first duke of Hamilton, and William, who succeeded his brother as 2nd duke and was in turn succeeded under the special remainder contained in the patent of dukedom, by his niece Anne, duchess of Hamilton, who was married in 1656 to William Douglas, earl of Selkirk. The history of the descendants of this marriage belongs to the great house of Douglas, the 7th duke of Hamilton becoming the male representative and chief of the house of Douglas, earls of Angus. Claud Hamilton, Baron Paisley, had five sons, of whom three settled in Ireland, Sir Claud being ancestor of the Hamiltons of Beltrim and Sir Frederick, dis tinguished in early life in the Swedish wars, being ancestor of the viscounts Boyne.
James, eldest son of Lord Paisley, was created in 1603 lord of Abercorn, and in 16o6 earl of Abercorn and lord of Paisley, Hamil ton, Mountcastell and Kilpatrick. His eldest son James, 2nd earl of Abercorn, eventually heir male of the house of Hamilton and successor to the dukedom of Chatellerault, was created in his father's lifetime lord of Strabane in Ireland, but resigned this title in 1633 in favour of his brother Claud, whose grandson, Claud, 5th Lord Strabane, succeeded eventually as 4th earl of Abercorn. The 8th earl of Abercorn, who was summoned to the Irish house of peers in his father's lifetime as Lord Mountcastle, was created a peer of Great Britain in 1786 as Viscount Hamilton of Hamilton in Leicestershire, and renewed the family's connection with Scot land by repurchasing the barony of Duddingston and later the lordship of Paisley. His nephew and successor was created mar quess of Abercorn in 179o, and was father of James, 1st duke of Abercorn.
See the article HAMILTON, MARQUESSES AND DUKES OF, and other articles on the different branches of the family (e.g., ABERCORN, HAD DINGTON and BELHAVEN) in Sir J. B. Paul's edition of Sir R. Douglas's Peerage of Scotland; and also G. Marshall, Guide to Heraldry and Genealogy.