Francis was born in 1606,[1] the eldest son of Claud Hamilton of Clonyn and his wife Jane Lauder.
Francis was called "of Creichness" in Scotland and "of Clonyn" (County Cavan) in Ireland.
[3] On 23 June 1610 Francis's grandfather Alexander was granted the great (2000 acres) proportion of Clonyn, also known as Tagleagh, in the Tullaghchinko (also called Tollochonee) precinct, County Cavan.
[5] On 29 September 1628 Hamilton was created a Baronet in the Baronetage of Nova Scotia.
[8] The mentioned estates correspond to the modern townlands Clonkeen, Corratober, and Clooneen, which all are in the barony of Tullyhunco of County Cavan.