- David Balfour is 17 and his parents have died. He seeks his inheritance from his father’s brother. The last name of this character is taken from the maiden name of the author’s mother.
- Ebenezer Balfour is his uncle, living in the entailed estate.
- Alexander Balfour, father of David and older brother of Ebenezer.
- Alan Breck Stewart is his companion, and is a character drawn from life.[2]
- Colin Roy Campbell, also known as the Red Fox. He meets David at Appin on his walk across Scotland, just before a sniper shoots him dead. The Appin murder mentioned in the story was a historical event followed by a controversial trial.[2]
The character James Stewart was real, and the man hanged for killing Colin Roy Campbell, though James was not the killer.[2]
Cluny MacPherson and Rob Roy MacGregor and his son, Robìn Òig or Young Rob, mentioned or met along the way, were real people.
