Index of

British Regiments
Known by Colonels' Names

1660 to 1751

     Until 1751 British regiments were designated by the name of their colonels, and regimental names changed accordingly with the colonels. This can be a major source of confusion in identifying regiments: (1) colonels changed regiments, (2) regiments changed colonels, (3) colonels changed their names, e.g. the Earl of Something became the Duke of Everything, and (4) many colonels had similar or identical names, e.g. fathers and sons. (The Buffs and The Green Howards derived their names from the simultaneous colonelcies in 1738-48 of Thomas Howard and Charles Howard when the regiments were differenced by the colour of their facings as the "buff Howards" and the "green Howards".) This confusion was as problematic for contemporaries as it is today for the modern researcher, and was one of the principal reasons for numbering regiments in 1751. This index should help resolve almost all confusion about names before the numbering of regiments in 1751. It is also instructive to track how colonels purchased more senior regiments (and more expensive commissions) to assure job security.

     Personal titles are "final" and do not necessarily apply during the time of the colonelcy, but prior titles are included for clarity. Colonels appointed after 1751 are listed on the regimental pages, but not indexed here, except for those whose colonelcies straddled 1751, in which case the complete list of their appointments is presented here. Please rely on the search engine to locate other post-1751 colonels.