Loyalist Records in Pennsylvania: The Other Side of the Revolution
A significant minority of Pennsylvanians remained loyal to the British Crown during the American Revolution. About three thousand Pennsylvania Loyalists left with General Howe when the British evacuated Philadelphia in June 1778. Many more stayed and faced legal consequences. If your Pennsylvania ancestor disappears from records around 1778, refuses a Test Act oath, has property confiscated, or turns up in Canada or Britain after the war — you may have a Loyalist ancestor. The records that document Loyalism are scattered across Pennsylvania, British, and Canadian archives, but they can be remarkably detailed.
Understanding Loyalist ancestry matters for genealogists because it explains why families vanish from Pennsylvania records, why property changed hands, and where to look next when the trail goes cold. It also corrects a common misconception: three-fourths of documented Pennsylvania Loyalists were working class — candle-makers, carpenters, blacksmiths, sailors, shop-keepers. This was not just a movement of wealthy merchants.
Who Became Loyalists — and Why It Matters for Research
People remained loyal to the Crown for different reasons, and those reasons affect which records they left behind. Political conviction motivated some who believed British rule was legitimate. Economic interest drove merchants and officials with ties to British trade. Religious factors played a role — some Anglican clergy remained loyal, while pacifist groups like Quakers were often accused of Loyalism even when their position was strictly religious, not political. Recent Scottish immigrants, particularly Highlanders, sometimes remained loyal due to cultural ties to Britain.
Loyalism was strongest in Philadelphia, especially among merchants and officials. The British occupation of Philadelphia from September 1777 to June 1778 revealed existing Loyalist sympathies that had been hidden. When the British departed, those who had cooperated faced prosecution — and about three thousand left with the army rather than risk it.
Legal Consequences That Created Records
Test Acts and Oaths (1777-1778)
Pennsylvania required adult males to swear allegiance to Pennsylvania and renounce loyalty to King George III. Those who refused could not vote, hold office, serve on juries, sue to collect debts, buy or sell land, or were liable to additional taxation. Test Act records — lists of who swore and who refused — are published in Pennsylvania Archives and held at the Pennsylvania State Archives.
A critical research finding: loyalty oaths extracted under mob threat were considered non-binding by the people who signed them. An ancestor's name on a patriot loyalty oath does not definitively prove patriot sympathies. Check oath dates against documented mob violence incidents, look for recantation records, and search for continued Loyalist activity after oath-signing.
Attainder and Property Confiscation
Pennsylvania passed acts of attainder against prominent Loyalists, declaring them traitors and forfeiting their property. The Supreme Executive Council ordered seizures, courts held proceedings, and agents managed and sold confiscated property. These records are published in Pennsylvania Archives, 6th series, volumes 12 and 13 — nearly two full volumes dedicated to forfeited estates. They document who lost property, what was confiscated, property valuations and descriptions, and sometimes subsequent purchasers.
A Philadelphia County Confiscated Estates Register dated March 10, 1780, appears in 6th series, volume 13, facing page 312. Attainder records also appear throughout Colonial Records volumes 12-16 and Pennsylvania Archives 1st series volumes 8 and 10.
The 600-Name Tory Currency Agreement
During the British occupation of Philadelphia, approximately 600 people signed an agreement pledging to accept British paper money at its pre-Declaration value — effectively a loyalty pledge. After the British evacuated, this list became a weapon for identifying suspected disloyal citizens. Names on this agreement faced post-war suspicion and possible prosecution. Cross-reference these names with damage claims, recantation records, and exile documentation.
The Carlisle and Roberts Treason Trials (1779)
Two men — Carlisle (a carpenter) and Roberts (a miller), both apparently Quakers — were tried for high treason and executed. The mercy petitions filed on their behalf are genealogically significant: Carlisle's petition bore 387 signatures, Roberts's bore 900, for a total of 1,287 names of people publicly willing to ask mercy for accused traitors. Signers included prominent figures like General John Cadwalader and Dr. Benjamin Rush, signer of the Declaration. These petition names represent a goldmine for identifying people who held sympathies — or at least discomfort with execution — that they were willing to put on record.
Where Loyalist Families Went
When a Pennsylvania family vanishes from records around 1778, they may have evacuated with the British army. Search strategies for tracking them include checking New York records from 1778 to 1783 (New York was the British evacuation point), searching for migration to Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, or Upper Canada after 1783, and consulting the Carleton Papers (British headquarters papers, available on microfilm at NARA) which document evacuees and their destinations.
After the war, many Loyalists settled in Canada, Britain, or other British colonies. Britain established the American Loyalist Claims Commission (1783-1790) to compensate Loyalists for property losses. Claimants had to describe property left behind and prove loyalty. These claims contain detailed property descriptions, family information, service to the Crown, and documentation of when and how they left Pennsylvania. The records are at the British National Archives in Audit Office records (AO 12 and AO 13).
Canadian records include Loyalist land grants, muster rolls, and petitions for assistance at Library and Archives Canada. Provincial archives in Ontario, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick hold additional records. The United Empire Loyalists' Association of Canada maintains records and helps document Loyalist ancestry.
Signs Your Ancestor May Have Been a Loyalist
Look for these indicators in your research: disappearance from Pennsylvania records during or after the war; property confiscation (family land taken by the state); Test Act refusal (appearing on lists of those who refused oaths); migration to Canada or Britain after the war; family tradition of being on "the wrong side"; and mid-1778 gaps — the family vanishes during or after the British evacuation.
But be cautious about jumping to conclusions. Many people stayed in Pennsylvania and simply never served in the military. Absence of patriot service records does not mean Loyalism. Many were pacifists, neutrals, or people who tried to survive without committing to either side.
Where to Find Loyalist Records
Pennsylvania State Archives: Test Act records (who swore and who refused), confiscation records, Supreme Executive Council records, all published in Pennsylvania Archives.
Historical Society of Pennsylvania: Personal papers documenting Loyalist families, manuscripts relating to confiscations, and Philadelphia during occupation materials.
National Archives (UK): Audit Office records AO 12 and AO 13 (American Loyalist Claims Commission) — the primary source for Loyalist claims. Some are digitized; others require archival research. Use the Discovery catalog to search. Some records are also available through Ancestry's UK collections.
Library and Archives Canada: Loyalist land grants, muster books, United Empire Loyalist records. Many are digitized and searchable online.
NARA (US): Carleton Papers (British headquarters papers) documenting evacuees.
Research Strategy: Step by Step
- Search Pennsylvania confiscation records in Pennsylvania Archives 6th series, volumes 12-13 for your ancestor's name
- Check Test Act records for oath refusals or coerced oaths
- Search the Carleton Papers at NARA for evacuation records
- Check Loyalist Claims Commission records at the British National Archives (AO 12 and AO 13) for property claims
- Search Canadian records at Library and Archives Canada for land grants, muster rolls, and petitions
- Check provincial archives in Ontario, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick for settlement records
- Cross-reference petition signatures from the Carlisle and Roberts mercy petitions with your family names
- Follow both branches — Loyalist families often split, with some members staying in Pennsylvania and others leaving; research both locations
Religious Groups and Loyalism
Quakers were pacifists, not Loyalists — but refusing to support the war looked like Loyalism to many Patriots. Some Quakers were exiled to Virginia in 1777. Quaker meeting records document these troubles extensively, including sufferings records and disownment proceedings. Most Quakers were not Loyalists; they refused to support either side.
Anglicans faced complications because of the Church of England's connection to the Crown. Some Anglican clergy were Loyalists, and some congregants were suspected. But many Anglicans were Patriots.
Recent British immigrants and those with commercial ties to Britain also faced suspicion, whether warranted or not.
The Complexity of Allegiance
Loyalty was not always clear-cut. Some Pennsylvanians changed sides during the war. Some were neutral but accused of Loyalism unfairly. Some had family members on both sides. Some who were accused were later vindicated and had property restored. Some who left during the war quietly returned afterward and resumed normal life.
Do not assume Loyalist ancestry is something to hide or avoid researching. Loyalist ancestors are a documented part of Pennsylvania history. Their records — confiscation inventories, claims commission testimony, Canadian settlement papers — often contain more family detail than what survives for many Patriot ancestors.
For the complete guide to researching Loyalist ancestors in Pennsylvania, including confiscation records, British archives, and Canadian settlement documentation, see Pennsylvania Revolutionary Era Research by Denyse Allen.
If you've discovered a Loyalist ancestor and want to write their story, Chronicle Makers is where family historians turn complex research discoveries into finished family chronicles.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if my Pennsylvania ancestor was a Loyalist?
Look for disappearance from Pennsylvania records around 1778, Test Act refusal, property confiscation in Pennsylvania Archives 6th series volumes 12-13, or migration to Canada or Britain. Be cautious — absence of military service does not mean Loyalism. Many Pennsylvanians were pacifists or neutrals who stayed in the state.
Where are Pennsylvania Loyalist records kept?
Loyalist records are split across multiple countries. Pennsylvania confiscation and Test Act records are at the Pennsylvania State Archives and published in Pennsylvania Archives. Loyalist Claims Commission records are at the British National Archives (AO 12 and AO 13). Canadian settlement records are at Library and Archives Canada and provincial archives.
Were most Pennsylvania Loyalists wealthy?
No. Three-fourths of documented Pennsylvania Loyalists were working class — carpenters, blacksmiths, sailors, candle-makers, shop-keepers. Do not assume only wealthy merchants were Loyalists.
What happened to Loyalists who stayed in Pennsylvania?
Many Loyalists stayed and faced Test Act penalties (inability to vote, hold office, buy or sell land). Some had property confiscated. But many in the "neutral and hesitating class" simply resumed ordinary life after the war. Some who had property seized sought and received restoration through the courts.
Can I find Loyalist records online?
Some. The British National Archives has digitized portions of the Loyalist Claims Commission records, accessible through their Discovery catalog and some through Ancestry's UK collections. Library and Archives Canada has digitized many Loyalist records and made them searchable online. Pennsylvania confiscation records in Pennsylvania Archives are available at major research libraries and some are digitized.
—Denyse
P.S. This is part of a five-part series on Revolutionary-era Pennsylvania research. For the complete overview, start with Pennsylvania in the Revolutionary Era: A Researcher's Overview.
© 2019–2026 PA Ancestors L.L.C. and Denyse Allen. All Rights Reserved.
About PA Ancestors: The authoritative resource for Pennsylvania genealogy research — vital records, county courthouses, archives, probate, land records, military records, and immigration research across all 67 Pennsylvania counties. Founded by Denyse Allen, Pennsylvania genealogy researcher and author.
More Pennsylvania Research: paancestors.com