UE POSTNOMINAL

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 Several years ago I obtained a pin which has a special meaning  It has on it the letters UE.


The letters signify descent from a United Empire Loyalist.  They were recognized by Lord Dorchester in 1789 when he was meeting as Governor General of British North America to discuss distribution of lands to Loyalists who had supported the British Crown during the American Revolution.   It has become known as the Dorchester Resolution:

At the Council Chamber at Quebec,
Monday 9th . November 1789.
Present, His Excellency the Right Honble. LORD DORCHESTER. The Honble. WILLIAM SMITH, Efquire, Chief Juftice. HUGH FINLAY, ) GEORGE POWNALL, ) THOS. DUNN, ) HENRY CALDWELL ) EDWD. HARRISON, ) WILLIAM GRANT, ) JOHN COLLINS, ) FRANCOIS BABY, ) Efquires. ADAM MABANE, ) CHARLES DE LANAUDIERE, ) J.G.C. DELERY, ) LE CTE. DUPRE', ) 
His Lordfhip intimated to the Council, that it remained a Queftion, upon the late Regulation for the Difpofition of the Wafte Lands of the Crown, whether the Boards, conftituted for that Purpofe, were authorized to make Locations to the Sons of Loyalifts, on their coming of full Age and that it was his wifh to put a Mark of Honour upon families who had adhered to the Unity of Empire, and joined the Royal Standard in America before the Treaty of Separation in the year 1783.

The Council concurring with His Lordfhip, it is accordingly ORDERED, 

That the feveral Land Boards take Courfe for preferving a Regiftry of the Names of all Perfons, falling under the aforementioned, to the End of their Pofterity may be difcriminated, from future Settlers, in the Parifh Regifters and Rolls of the Militia, of their refpective Diftricts, and other Public Remembrancers (sic) of the Province, as proper Objects, by their preferving in the Fidelity and Conduct, fo honourable to their Ancestors, for diftinguifhed Benefits and Privileges. And it is alfo Ordered, that the faid Land Boards may, in every fuch Case, provide not only for the Sons of thofe Loyalifts, as they arrive to Full Age, but for their Daughters alfo, of that Age, or on their marriage, affigning to each a Lot of Two Hundred Acres, more or lefs, provided neverthelefs that they refpectively comply with the general Regulations and that it fhall fatifactorily appear, the there has been no Default in the due Cultivation and Improvements of the Lands already affigned to the Head of the Family, of which they are Members. Williams C.C 

Accompanying the resolution to London to be presented to the king, was attached a "Form of militia roll for the western districts to discriminate the families before mentioned" which included the following.... "N.B. Those Loyalists who have adhered to the unity of the Empire, and joined the Royal Standard before the Treaty of Separation in the year 1783, and all their children and their descendants by either sex, are to be distinguished by the following capitals, affixed to their names: U.E. alluding to their great principle the unity of the Empire."


On April 6, 1796  John Graves Simcoe, who served as the Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada (present Ontario ) from 1791 to 1796,  issued a  Proclamation  regarding land settlement and the use of the U.E. Several lists of Loyalists were prepared following upon the Dorchester Resolution and this Proclamation.  The "Old U.E.L. List", also called the Crown Lands Department List was made from the original district rolls of Upper Canada.  It includes soldiers disbanded from German regiments who had fought for Great Britian during the American Revolution and settlers who came in search of cheap land who were not necessarily loyal. 

Persons can receive a Certificate  of Loyalist Descent from the United Empire Loyalists' Association of Canada (UELAC) after provding genealogical proof for an ancestor . In July 2014 I obtained a Certificate for my ancestor James Humphrey .

Article 3.3 in the By-Law of the UELAC states in part:

"Members who can prove by documentary evidence their lineal descent, in the male or female line, from any United Empire Loyalist may apply for a Certificate so attesting, in accordance with the criteria and procedures established by the Board.  Upon the issuance of such a certificate, the Member concerned may bear the post - nominal letters, "U.E.", alluding to the principle Unity of Empire."

On May 28, 2015 I attended the Dominion Conference of the United Empire Loyalists' Association of Canada held in Victoria, British Columbia and was pleased to see that my invitation from the Lieuteant Governor to a reception at Government House incuded my postnominal UE.





Further Reading:

  "UE" and Me  by Brian McConnell, UE, published 2014 by UELAC

Loyal Then - Loyal Now by Brian McConnell, UE, published 2018 by UELAC




Historian & Author, Member of United Empire Loyalists ' Association of Canada

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