Baronets are hereditary titles awarded by the Crown. The current baronetage of the United Kingdom has replaced the earlier but existing baronetages of England, Nova Scotia, Ireland and Great Britain.
To be recognised as a baronet, it is necessary to prove a claim of succession. When this has been done, the name is entered on the Official Roll of the Baronetage. Persons who have not proven their claims may not be officially styled as baronets. [1] This was ordained by Royal Warrant in February 1910. [2] A baronetcy is considered vacant if the previous holder has died within the previous five years and if no one has proven their succession, and is considered dormant if no one has proven their succession in more than five years after the death of the previous incumbent. [3]
All extant baronetcies, including vacant baronetcies, are listed below in order of precedence (i.e. date). All other baronetcies, including those which are extinct, dormant or forfeit, are on a separate list of baronetcies. The list is current as of January 2024, when it was last updated. [1] The baronetcy lists include any peerage titles which are held by the baronet.
Extant | All |
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Dukes | Dukedoms |
Marquesses | Marquessates |
Earls | Earldoms |
Viscounts | Viscountcies |
Barons | Baronies |
Baronets | Baronetcies |
King James I created the hereditary Order of Baronets in England on 22 May 1611, to fund the settlement of Ireland. He offered the dignity to 200 gentlemen of good birth, with a clear estate of £1,000 a year, on condition that each one should pay a sum equivalent to three years' pay to 30 soldiers at 8d. per day per man (total – £1,095) into the King's Exchequer.
The Baronetage of England comprises all baronetcies created in the Kingdom of England before the Act of Union in 1707. In that year, the Baronetage of England and the Baronetage of Nova Scotia were replaced by the Baronetage of Great Britain.
The Baronetage of Nova Scotia was devised in 1624 as a means of settling the plantation of that province (now a province of Canada). King James VI announced his intention of creating 100 baronets, each of whom was to support six colonists for two years (or pay 2,000 merks in lieu thereof) and also to pay 1,000 merks to Sir William Alexander, to whom the province had been granted by charter in 1621. [4]
James died before this scheme could be implemented, but it was carried out by his son Charles I, who created the first Scottish baronet on 28 May 1625, covenanting in the creation charter that the baronets of Scotland or of Nova Scotia should never exceed 150, that their heirs apparent should be knighted on coming of age (21), and that no one should receive the honour who had not fulfilled the conditions, viz, paid 3,000 merks (£166, 13s. 4d.) towards the plantation of the colony. [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] Four years later (17 November 1629) the king wrote to the contractors for baronets, recognising that they had advanced large sums to Sir William Alexander for the plantation on the security of the payments to be made by future baronets, and empowering them to offer a further inducement to applicants; and on the same day he granted to all Nova Scotia baronets the right to wear about their necks, suspended by an orange tawny ribbon, a badge bearing an azure saltire with a crowned inescutcheon of the arms of Scotland and the motto Fax mentis honestae gloria (Glory is the torch that leads on the honourable mind). As the required number, however, could not be completed, Charles announced in 1633 that English and Irish gentlemen might receive the honour, and in 1634 they began to do so. Yet even so, he was only able to create a few more than 120 in all. In 1638 the creation ceased to carry with it the grant of lands in Nova Scotia, and on the union with England (1707) the Scottish creations ceased, English and Scotsmen alike receiving thenceforth Baronetcies of Great Britain. [4]
This is a list of extant baronetcies in the Baronetage of Ireland. They were first created in 1619, and were replaced by the Baronetage of the United Kingdom in 1801, after the Acts of Union 1800 came into force.. The baronetcies are listed in order of precedence (i.e. date order).
The below is a list of all extant baronetcies in the Baronetage of Great Britain, which replaced the Baronetages of Nova Scotia and of England in 1707. In 1801 it was succeeded by the Baronetage of the United Kingdom. These baronetcies are listed in order of precedence, which is established by the date of the creation. For a complete list of baronetcies see List of baronetcies.
The Baronetage of the United Kingdom started with the formation of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland in 1801, replacing the Baronetage of Great Britain. (For a complete list of baronetcies, see List of Baronetcies – which includes extinct baronetcies.)
The baronetcies are listed below in order of precedence (date order). (For ease in editing, the table has been divided into 25-year periods.)
The last baronet to be created was Sir Denis Thatcher in 1990.
No | Title | Creation | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1308 | Thatcher of Scotney | 7 December 1990 |
The lands included in the baronies of New Scotland were resigned by Sir William Alexander into the hands of the king [Charles I], who re-granted them to the knights baronets. Thus the lands and titles were obtained directly from the sovereign. Infeftment, it was ruled, should be "expede" at the Castle of Edinburgh.
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: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)Before this charter was ratified by the Scots Parliament, his Majesty [James VI] died; when, in 1625, the grant was renewed by his successor [Charles I] in form of a Charter of Novodamus, proceeding upon the above narrative, and conceding, over and above, additional powers to Sir William Alexander. These charters are in the usual form of feudal conveyances employed by the law of Scotland, but erecting Nova Scotia into a Barony, and declaring sasine at the castle of Edinburgh to be equivalent to sasine on the lands themselves.
As such like parties were not baronets of the colonising kind, and yet were desirous, no doubt, to take seisin of their purchased grants in Nova Scotia, old Sir William, always provident, had his remedy prepared. He had had it laid down in the formula of the charter, that "the realm of Nova Scotia, and original infeftment thereof, is holden of the kingdom of Scotland, and forms part of the County of Edinburgh." Argal, to take seisin and instruments of possession "on the Castle Hill of Edinburgh," formed a cure for every difficulty, and served the desired purpose as well as if the baronets had indulged in a trip to the actual site of their new possessions.
The precept for the charter for each Baronet was granted in the name of Sir William Alexander, who surrendered to the Crown the respective portions of his Lordship of Nova Scotia to be attached to the Baronetcy with all rights of regality. The Baronets were allowed to take possession of their territory by deed of infeftment within the walls of Edinburgh Castle.
Had it been exacted ... that each Baronet, with a stated number of colonists, should take personal possession, it is certain the number of applicants would have been scanty indeed. To obviate this difficulty it was held, by a fiction of the law, that the usual legal form of taking possession by an instrument of seisin, or infeftment of lands on the other side of the Atlantic, should take place within the Castle of Edinburgh.
For the purpose of taking possession of his lands after the feudal fashion then prevailing, Nova Scotia was made a part of the county of Edinburgh, and at Edinburgh Castle the ceremony of Sasine was performed. … [excerpt of 1621 charter:] And we will, and grant, and, for ourselves and our successors, do decree and ordain, that one seisin, at this time, by the said Sir William, and his aforesaid, upon any part of the soil of the said lands and province above written, shall, in all time to come, stand, and be a sufficient seisin for the whole region, …
The colony was named New Scotland, and by a legal fiction, it was, for administrative purposes, connected with Edinburgh. In order to raise men to help found the colony, the King instituted the Order of Baronets of Nova Scotia. This hereditary title was given to gentlemen who arranged to send a certain number of men and to pay a certain amount of money to help to found the Plantation of New Scotland, …. The Order was instituted in 1625, the ceremony being held in the courtyard of Edinburgh Castle. By Royal Decree that place was declared to be an integral part of the new colony. This decree has never been annulled.
To make this possible, since Nova Scotia was so distant, the King declared that sasine could be taken either in the new province or alternatively 'at the castle of Edinburgh as the most eminent and principal place of Scotland.'
Under Scots Law, Baronets "take sasine" by receiving symbolic "earth and stone" on the actual land. Part of Edinburgh Castle was deemed granted to Sir William as part of Nova Scotia. The Baronets were installed with "earth and stone" there while standing in Nova Scotia.
Baronets could receive their patents in Edinburgh rather than London, and an area of Edinburgh Castle was declared Nova Scotian territory for this purpose.
A baronet or the female equivalent, a baronetess, is the holder of a baronetcy, a hereditary title awarded by the British Crown. The title of baronet is mentioned as early as the 14th century; however, in its current usage it was created by James I of England in 1611 as a means of raising funds for the crown.
Lord Napier, of Merchistoun, is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in 1627 for Sir Archibald Napier, 1st Baronet. Earlier that year, he already held the Napier Baronetcy, of Merchistoun in the County of Midlothian, created in the Baronetage of Nova Scotia. The titles remained united until 1683, when the Baronetcy became dormant. It was revived in the early 19th century and is now held by another branch of the Napier family. Between 1683 and 1686, the Lords of Napier also held the Nicolson Baronetcy, of Carnock in the County of Stirling, and since 1725 the Scott Baronetcy, of Thirlestane in the County of Selkirk, both baronetcies created in the Baronetage of Nova Scotia. The latter is still held today. Additionally, the tenth Lord was created Baron Ettrick, of Ettrick in the County of Selkirk in the Peerage of the United Kingdom on 16 July 1872.
Baron Macdonald, of Slate in the County of Antrim, is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1776 for Sir Alexander Macdonald, 9th Baronet, of Sleat. The Macdonald family of Sleat descends from Uisdean Macdonald, also known as Hugh of Sleat, or Hugh Macdonald, who was an illegitimate son of Alexander Macdonald, Earl of Ross. On 28 May 1625, his great-great-great-great-grandson Donald Gorm Og Macdonald was created a baronet, of Sleat in the Isle of Skye in the County of Inverness, in the Baronetage of Nova Scotia. The baronetcy was created with remainder to heirs male whatsoever and with a special clause of precedence which provided that it should have precedency over all former baronets.
There have been two baronetcies created for persons with the surname Colquhoun ("Cohoon"), one in the Baronetage of Nova Scotia (1625) and one in the Baronetage of Great Britain (1786).
There have been four baronetcies created for persons with the surname Leslie, one in the Baronetage of Nova Scotia, one in the Baronetage of Ireland, one in the Baronetage of Great Britain and one in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom. Three of the creations are extant as of 2010.
There have been five baronetcies created for persons with the surname Alexander, one in the Baronetage of Nova Scotia and four in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom. Four of the creations are extant as of 2010.
Sir John Home of Renton, Lord Renton was appointed Lord Justice Clerk by King Charles II. He was also a Senator of the College of Justice with the title Lord Renton.
There have been three baronetcies created for persons with the surname Kinloch, two in the Baronetage of Nova Scotia and one in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom. Two of the creations are extant as of 2010.
The Broun baronetcy of Colstoun is a title created on 16 February 1686 in the Baronetage of Nova Scotia for Patrick Broun. The family are a branch of the ancient Brouns of Coulston whose estate near Haddington, East Lothian, remains to this day in the possession of a cadet family.
There have been four baronetcies created for persons with the surname Hope, three in the Baronetage of Nova Scotia and one in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom. As of 2010 one creation is extant, one dormant and two extinct.
There have been four baronetcies created for persons with the surname Jardine, one in the Baronetage of Nova Scotia and three in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom.
Menstrie Castle is a three-storey manor house in the town of Menstrie, Clackmannanshire, near Stirling, central Scotland. From the early 17th century, it was home to Sir William Alexander, 1st Earl of Stirling, who was instrumental in founding the colony of Nova Scotia. It was later owned by the Holburn or Holborne family, who were created Baronets of Menstrie in 1706. The castle was restored in the 20th century, won a Civic Trust award, and now incorporates holiday accommodation, private flats and museum. The museum previously opened 2 daysa week by the National Trust for Scotland. is now open by request through the Menstrie Community Council.
There have been four baronetcies created for persons with the surname Seton, all in the Baronetage of Nova Scotia. As of 2008 one creation is extant, one dormant and two extinct.
The Official Roll of the Baronetage is an official list of baronets kept by the Lord Chancellor; an abridged version is published online by the Standing Council of the Baronetage.
The Campbell of Auchinbreck family was founded by Duncan Campbell in Glassary, Argyll, Scotland. He was the son of Lord Duncan Campbell, first Lord Campbell of the Clan Campbell, by his second wife Margaret, daughter of Sir John Stewart of Blackhall, the illegitimate son of King Robert III of Scotland. The family of the Lords Campbell later became Dukes of Argyll, and remain chiefs of Clan Campbell. Duncan Campbell, as a grandson of King Robert III, received a considerable estate confirmed by royal charter dated 19 June 1452. The family remained at their estate of Auchinbreck, from which they took their title, until 1641. The Campbells of Auchinbreck were commissioned to provide military training and were used by the Earls of Argyll as military support. In 1628 the then head of the family of Campbells in Auchinbreck received a baronetcy, which included a grant of North American land in Nova Scotia.
There have been three Keith Baronetcies.
The Alexanders of Menstrie, also known as the House of Alexander, are a sept of Clan MacAlister of Scotland. The family is said to descend from Somerled, Lord of the Isles. The seat of the clan was at Menstrie Castle in Menstrie, Clackmannanshire. Descendants of the Alexanders of Menstrie have become prominent in Ireland, England and the United States.
Sir Robert Gordon of Gordonstoun was a Scottish politician and courtier, known as the historian of the noble house of Sutherland.
The Macdonald baronetcy, later Bosville Macdonald Baronetcy, of Sleat in the Isle of Skye, County of Inverness, was created in the Baronetage of Nova Scotia on 14 July 1625 for Donald Macdonald. The 9th baronet was created Baron Macdonald in 1776.
Sir Alexander Wentworth Macdonald Bosville Macdonald, 14th Baronet JP DL was an English landowner of Scottish descent.