General Notes

Walter Fitz Gilbert, 1st of Cadzow; witness to a charter to Paisley Abbey 10 Jan 1294/5, named to the Homage Roll 28 Aug 1296, granted by Robert I The Bruce Dalserv 3 March 1314/5 and afterwards Cadzow, which became the chief lordship and seat of the Hamilton family, also Kinneil 28 July 1323.  [Burke's Peerage]

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The following I obtained from Karen Hamilton, World Connect db=alaskalady, rootsweb.com
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Information from "McCormick-Hamilton-Lord-Day Ancestral Lines",1957

Information from Family TreeMaker Vol. 3 Tree 085
Birth and death year and places

"The Family of Hamilton"; 1897

"Hamilton of Cadzow" online document 1999

"Burkes Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Peerage Baronetage and Knightage" One Hundred and Fifth Edition

The first record of the family in Scotland was Sir Walter Fitz-Gilbert of Hameldone, an English knight that possessed properties in Renfrewshire. This first record is his name as a witness on a charter granted to the monastry of Paisley giving the privilege of a herring fishing in the Clyde. He was Governor of Bothwell castle for the English during the early part of thescottish War of Independence, but later joined Robert the Bruce and fought at his side at Bannockburn. For his support he was awarde forfeited Comyn lands by Bruce, including the properties of Cadzow in the Lothians that were in due course renamed Hamilton. It was here that he was to build Cadzow Castle and where eventually was to be built the magnificent Hamilton Palace - the grandest and most notable non-roal residence in all Scotland.

He was the first of the Hamiltons to settle in Scotland. He appears on 10 Jan, 1294, as one of the witnesses to a charter by James, High Steward of Scotland, to the monks of Paisley, granted at his manor of Blackhall in Renfrewshire. In the Homage Roll of 28 Aug, 1296, his name occurs among the lairds who swore fealty at Berwick. He remained an English partisan until the battle of Bannockburn, at which time he was captain of the garrison of Bothwell Castle. Soon afterwards he joined the party of Bruce, and King Robert bestowed on him the barony of Cadzow in Lanarkshire, also several other baronies and various other lands in Wigtownshire and Linlithgowshire. He was Justiciary of Lanark in 1321 and later he was knighted. At the battle of Halidon Hill he was present and fought in the High Steward's division.

He was featured on the Ragman Rolls in 1292 and 1296 as de Hamildon and de Homildon and elsewhere as de Hambleton.. He appears on the above charter as Walterus filius Gilberti, tenant in the royal barony of Cadzow, received grants of Dalserf (previously held by his stepmother) and later of the barony of Kinneil.

Information from Robert & Kathlynne Groner; 733 Carol Lane; Elyria, OH 44035; groner@mediaone.com

From Cadzow, the Ancient Family of Scotland

http://www.ipass.net/~mcqueen/fropen.html

Where then did the name Hamilton come from? following Norman custom, each son took the Christian name of his father, with the word fitz added -- meaning son of. to that name was added the name of any land that they held. thus Alan fitz Walter, the son of Walter, was further described as de Hambelton, i.e. of Hambelton, a small estate that the two soldiers had owned in England. Gradually, the Hambeltons became the Hamiltons, and the name was transferred to the great borough that grew up under their protection. The Hamilton family prospered, though there are some who say that they were no fussier in how they prospered than how they first gained thier lands. They intermarried with every great family in Scotland including the royal Stewarts, until they were only a baby's breath away from the throne itself.  Today they are the premier dukes of Scotland.