George was born at Wedderburn Castle, the son of Sir George Home. With his father he fought, aged 17, in the Jacobite Uprising of 1715. They were both captured at the Battle of Preston and taken to London. His father died in prison and George (Junior) was condemned to be hung, drawn, and quartered. This sentence was commuted to transportation to the Colonies. He was sent to Virginia, where, after buying his freedom he settled and trained as a land surveyor. George Home taught George Washington, later the first President of the United States, to survey.

George lived close to the Rappahannock River, Culpepper Country, Virginia, an area which had many tobacco plantations worked by enslaved African people. In 1749 Ninian Home, aged 17, was sent to stay with George, his uncle, to learn trade; he remained in Virginia for three years.