After the French revolution, to improve the defence of Great Britain, a number of regiments were raised in counties whose members were yeomen. Yeomen were small farmers who owned the land they cultivated. These regiments were collectively called yeomanry.

Members of the yeomanry were not obliged to serve overseas. During the nineteenth century, the yeomanry regiments were used to suppress riots and civil disturbances, but as police force was formed in cities and towns, they were confined to local defence. Companies of the Imperial yeomanry served in the Second Boer War in South Africa. It was merged with the Territorial Army in 1908.

With advances in technology many of Yeomanry regiments which participated in the first and second world war were assigned to armoured units, artillery, engineers or signals. Some cavalry units were disbanded or their size was reduced to battery, squadron or company sub-units.