Claud Hamilton of the Fort of Toome

Claud was the eldest son of Claud Hamilton and his wife Margaret Betoun. His father was Laird of Cochno (also spelled Cochnough) in Dunbartonshire in Scotland.^[1] Robert Hamilton of Briggis was a brother of his paternal grandfather. His father's family probably was a cadet branch of the House of Hamilton founded by Walter fitz Gilbert of Cadzow.^[2] Claud's mother was a daughter of Robert Betoun of Creich.^[3]

He was the eldest of several brothers but only the first (himself) and the second are known:

1. Claud (died 1640)
2. Archibald (c. 1580 – 1659), Anglican Archbishop of Cashel^[3]

Hamilton was a friend of his homonym Sir Claud Hamilton of Shawfield with whom he is sometimes confused.^[5] He was present at his friend's deathbed in Dublin on 19 October 1614.^[6][7]

Claud Hamilton married Mary Hamilton, the only child of Sir Robert Hamilton (died 1657),^[8] a knight, of Elieston in County Tyrone.^[b] His wife's father was an undertaker in the Plantation of Ulster and settled at Badoney, Barony Strabane, County Tyrone, which he renamed Ellieston. As there is a house called Ellieston near Edinburgh that once belonged to some Hamiltons, it might be that Mary's father had come from there. In this case, he would have been a Catholic.^[11] Claud Hamilton had no children with his first wife, but he inherited the Elieston manor (County Tyrone).

He married secondly Anne Colley, daughter of Henry Colley (died 1601) of Carbury Castle, County Kildare.^[5]

Claud and Anne had four children; his son Robert who died young and three daughters whose names are not known.

On 6 October 1618, Hamilton was appointed constable of the Fort of Toome (also called the Castle of Toome).^[12][13]