[1] His sister, Janet Livingston, was married to James Hamilton of Cadzow.
His father was Justiciar of Scotland, and keeper of Stirling Castle who is known for conspiring with Lord William Crichton in the assassination of the 6th Earl of Douglas and his brother, David, at the "Black Dinner" at Edinburgh Castle.
[2] His mother was a daughter of James Dundas of Dundas,[3] and his paternal grandparents were Sir John Livingston of Callendar and his wife, a daughter of Sir John Menteith of Kerse.
[2] From 1442 to 1448, Livingston served as Captain of Stirling Castle and in 1444/5, he was Keeper of the King's Person.
[3] Through his second son Alexander, he was a grandfather of Sir James Livingston (d. 1503), who became the 3rd Lord Livingston upon the death of his uncle in 1497, and married Agnes Houston, daughter of John Houston of that Ilk.