George Durant was born in England 01 October 1632. He was in Northumberland County, Virginia before July 1658 where he lived for a time and purchased 300 acres. He married Ann Marwood 04 January 1658/9 there and shortly thereafter moved to Nansemond County, Virginia where he lived for about two years. Durant was associated with Nathaniel Batts, a fur trader and Richard Batts, a sea captain. Together they explored the Albemarle Sound area of Virginia. On 04 August 1661, Durant purchased, in the second oldest recorded deed of the area, land from Cisketando, King of the Yeopin Indians. By 1662 Durant was living on his property in Virginia on the Albemarle Sound which became North Carolina in 1665. Today that land is known as Durants Neck, in Perquimans County, North Carolina.

George Durant was one of the leading inhabitants of the area; he was one of the ablest and most influential men in the county. He was a leader of Culpepper's Rebellion which was an uprising against the British over the requirement that all colonial goods be transported in British ships. Durant openly opposed Seth Sothel, one of the Lords Proprietors who arrived to oversee the colony. Durant was arrested and imprisoned. Sothel confiscated the 2000 acres of Durant. The residents of the Albemarle area rose in defense of Durant and banished Sothel from the area.

George Durant was an attorney, Attorney General and Speaker of the House of Burgess of the Province of North Carolina. He is widely credited as being the "father of North Carolina". His family Bible is the oldest in North Carolina and is housed in a special collection at the University of North Carolina library in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. George Durant died ca. January 1693/4.