Peerage of England

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The Peerage of England comprises all peerages created in the Kingdom of England before the Act of Union in 1707. In that year, the Peerages of England and Scotland were replaced by one Peerage of Great Britain. There are five peerages in the United Kingdom in total.

Contents

English Peeresses obtained their first seats in the House of Lords under the Peerage Act 1963 from which date until the passage of the House of Lords Act 1999 all Peers of England could sit in the House of Lords.

The ranks of the English peerage are, in descending order, duke, marquess, earl, viscount, and baron. While most newer English peerages descend only in the male line, many of the older ones (particularly older baronies) can descend through females. Such peerages follow the old English inheritance law of moieties so all daughters (or granddaughters through the same root) stand as co-heirs, so some such titles are in such a state of abeyance between these.

Baronets, while holders of hereditary titles, as such are not peers and not entitled to stand for election in the House of Lords. Knights, dames and holders of other non-hereditary orders, decorations, and medals are also not peers.

The following tables only show extant peerages. For lists of every peerage created at a particular rank, including extinct, dormant, and abeyant peerages, see:

Each peer is listed only by their highest English title. Peers known by a higher title in one of the other peerages are shown in blue, and peers with more than one title of the same rank in the Peerage of England are shown in orange.

Dukes in the Peerage of England

   Subsidiary title

TitleCreationOther dukedom or higher titles
The Duke of Cornwall 1337Usually Prince of Wales as the heir to the British throne;
Duke of Rothesay in the Peerage of Scotland
The Duke of Norfolk [lower-alpha 1] 1483
The Duke of Somerset 1547
The Duke of Richmond 1675 Duke of Gordon in the Peerage of the United Kingdom; Duke of Lennox in the Peerage of Scotland; Duke of Aubigny in the Peerage of France
The Duke of Grafton 1675
The Duke of Beaufort 1682
The Duke of St Albans 1684
The Duke of Bedford 1694
The Duke of Devonshire 1694
The Duke of Marlborough 1702
The Duke of Rutland 1703

Marquesses in the Peerage of England

TitleCreationOther marquessate or higher titles
The Marquess of Winchester [lower-alpha 2] 1551

Earls in the Peerage of England

TitleCreationOther earldom or higher titles
The Earl of Shrewsbury [lower-alpha 3] 1442 Earl Talbot in the Peerage of Great Britain;
Earl of Waterford in the Peerage of Ireland
The Earl of Derby 1485
The Earl of Huntingdon 1529
The Earl of Pembroke 1551Earl of Montgomery in Peerage of England
The Earl of Devon 1553
The Earl of Lincoln 1572
The Earl of Suffolk 1603 Earl of Berkshire in Peerage of England
The Earl of Exeter 1605 Marquess of Exeter in the Peerage of the United Kingdom
The Earl of Salisbury 1605 Marquess of Salisbury in the Peerage of Great Britain
The Earl of Montgomery 1605Held with the Earl of Pembroke in Peerage of England
The Earl of Northampton 1618 Marquess of Northampton in the Peerage of the United Kingdom
The Earl of Denbigh 1622? Earl of Desmond in the Peerage of Ireland
The Earl of Westmorland 1624
The Earl of Manchester 1626 Duke of Manchester in the Peerage of Great Britain
The Earl of Berkshire 1626Held with the Earl of Suffolk in Peerage of England
The Earl of Lindsey 1626 Earl of Abingdon in Peerage of England
The Earl of Winchilsea 1628 Earl of Nottingham in Peerage of England
The Earl of Sandwich 1660
The Earl of Essex 1661
The Earl of Carlisle 1661
The Earl of Doncaster 1663 Duke of Buccleuch and Queensberry in the Peerage of Scotland
The Earl of Shaftesbury 1672
The Earl of Nottingham 1681Held with the Earl of Winchilsea in Peerage of England
The Earl of Abingdon 1682Held with the Earl of Lindsey in Peerage of England
The Earl of Portland 1689
The Earl of Scarbrough 1690
The Earl of Albemarle 1697
The Earl of Coventry 1697
The Earl of Jersey 1697?
The Earl of Cholmondeley 1706 Marquess of Cholmondeley in the Peerage of the United Kingdom

Viscounts in the Peerage of England

TitleCreationOther viscountcy or higher titles
The Viscount Hereford [lower-alpha 4] 1550
The Viscount Townshend 1682 Marquess Townshend in the Peerage of Great Britain
The Viscount Weymouth 1682 Marquess of Bath in the Peerage of Great Britain

Barons and baronesses in the Peerage of England

TitleCreationOther barony or higher titles
The Baron de Ros [lower-alpha 5] 1264
The Baron le Despencer 1264 Viscount Falmouth in the Peerage of Great Britain
The Baron Mowbray 1283 Baron Segrave and Baron Stourton in Peerage of England
The Baron Hastings 1295
The Baron FitzWalter 1295
The Baron Segrave 1295 Baron Mowbray and Baron Stourton in Peerage of England
The Baron Clinton 1299
The Baron De La Warr 1299 Earl De La Warr in the Peerage of Great Britain
The Baron de Clifford 1299
The Baron Strange 1299 Viscount St Davids in the Peerage of the United Kingdom
Held with Baron Hungerford and Baron de Moleyns in Peerage of England
The Baron Zouche 1308
The Baroness Willoughby de Eresby 1313
The Baron Strabolgi 1318
The Baroness Dacre 1321
The Baron Darcy de Knayth 1332
The Baron Cromwell 1375
The Baron Camoys 1383
The Baron Grey of Codnor 1397
The Baron Berkeley 1421 Lord Gueterbock for Life in the Peerage of the United Kingdom
The Baron Hungerford 1426 Viscount St Davids in the Peerage of the United Kingdom
Held with Baron Strange and Baron de Moleyns in Peerage of England
The Baron Latymer 1432
The Baron Dudley 1440
The Baron de Moleyns 1445 Viscount St Davids in the Peerage of the United Kingdom
Held with Baron Strange and Baron Hungerford in Peerage of England
The Baron Saye and Sele 1447
The Baron Stourton 1448 Baron Mowbray and Baron Segrave in Peerage of England
The Baroness Berners 1455
The Baron Herbert 1461
The Baron Willoughby de Broke 1491
The Baron Vaux of Harrowden 1523
The Baroness Braye 1529
The Baron Windsor 1529 Earl of Plymouth in the Peerage of the United Kingdom
The Baron Burgh 1529
The Baron Wharton 1544
The Baron Howard of Effingham 1554 Earl of Effingham in the Peerage of the United Kingdom
The Baron St John of Bletso 1559
The Baroness Howard de Walden 1597
The Baron Petre 1603
The Baron Clifton 1608 Earl of Darnley in the Peerage of Ireland
The Baron Dormer 1615
The Baron Teynham 1616
The Baron Brooke 1621 Earl Brooke and Earl of Warwick in the Peerage of Great Britain
The Baron Craven 1626 Earl of Craven in the Peerage of Great Britain
The Baron Strange 1628
The Baron Stafford 1640
The Baron Byron 1643
The Baron Ward 1644 Earl of Dudley in the Peerage of the United Kingdom
The Baron Lucas 1663
The Baroness Arlington 1665
The Baron Clifford of Chudleigh 1672
The Baron Guilford 1683 Earl of Guilford in the Peerage of Great Britain
The Baron Waldegrave 1683 Earl Waldegrave in the Peerage of Great Britain
The Baron Barnard 1698
The Baron Guernsey 1703 Earl of Aylesford in the Peerage of Great Britain
The Baron Gower 1703 Duke of Sutherland in the Peerage of the United Kingdom
The Baron Conway 1703 Marquess of Hertford in the Peerage of Great Britain
The Baron Hervey 1703 Marquess of Bristol in the Peerage of the United Kingdom

See also

Notes

  1. As Premier Duke of England
  2. As Premier Marquess of England
  3. As Premier Earl of England [1]
  4. As Premier Viscount of England
  5. As Premier Baron of England

Related Research Articles

Peerages in the United Kingdom form a legal system comprising both hereditary and lifetime titles, composed of various ranks, and within the framework of the Constitution of the United Kingdom form a constituent part of the legislative process and the British honours system. The term peerage can be used both collectively to refer to the entire body of titled nobility, and individually to refer to a specific title. British peerage title holders are termed peers of the Realm.

The Peerage of Ireland consists of those titles of nobility created by the English monarchs in their capacity as Lord or King of Ireland, or later by monarchs of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. It is one of the five divisions of Peerages in the United Kingdom. The creation of such titles came to an end in the 19th century. The ranks of the Irish peerage are duke, marquess, earl, viscount and baron. As of 2016, there were 135 titles in the Peerage of Ireland extant: two dukedoms, ten marquessates, 43 earldoms, 28 viscountcies, and 52 baronies. The Crown of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland continues to oversee the Peerage of Ireland, including those peers whose titles derive from places located in what is now the Republic of Ireland. however these titles have no official recognition in the Republic of Ireland, with Article 40.2 of the Constitution of Ireland forbidding the state conferring titles of nobility and stating that an Irish citizen may not accept titles of nobility or honour except with the prior approval of the Irish government. This issue has not arisen in respect of the Peerage of Ireland because no creation of titles in it has been made since the constitution came into force.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peerage Act 1963</span> United Kingdom legislation

The Peerage Act 1963 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that permits women peeresses and all Scottish hereditary peers to sit in the House of Lords and allows newly inherited hereditary peerages to be disclaimed.

The Peerage of Scotland is one of the five divisions of peerages in the United Kingdom and for those peers created by the King of Scots before 1707. Following that year's Treaty of Union, the Kingdom of Scots and the Kingdom of England were combined under the name of Great Britain, and a new Peerage of Great Britain was introduced in which subsequent titles were created.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marquess of Huntly</span>

Marquess of Huntly is a title in the Peerage of Scotland that was created on 17 April 1599 for George Gordon, 6th Earl of Huntly. It is the oldest existing marquessate in Scotland, and the second-oldest in the British Isles; only the English marquessate of Winchester is older. The Marquess holds the following subsidiary titles: Lord Gordon of Strathaven and Glenlivet and Earl of Aboyne, and Baron Meldrum, of Morven in the County of Aberdeen.

The Peerage of Great Britain comprises all extant peerages created in the Kingdom of Great Britain between the Acts of Union 1707 and the Acts of Union 1800. It replaced the Peerage of England and the Peerage of Scotland, but was itself replaced by the Peerage of the United Kingdom in 1801.

The Peerage of the United Kingdom is one of the five Peerages in the United Kingdom. It comprises most peerages created in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland after the Acts of Union in 1801, when it replaced the Peerage of Great Britain. New peers continued to be created in the Peerage of Ireland until 1898.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Viscount Cobham</span> Viscountcy in the Peerage of Great Britain

Viscount Cobham is a title in the Peerage of Great Britain that was created in 1718. Owing to its special remainder, the title has passed through several families. Since 1889, it has been held by members of the Lyttelton family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marquess Townshend</span> Title in the Peerage of Great Britain

Marquess Townshend is a title in the Peerage of Great Britain held by the Townshend family of Raynham Hall in Norfolk. The title was created in 1787 for George Townshend, 4th Viscount Townshend.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marquess of Sligo</span> Title in the Peerage of Ireland

Marquess of Sligo is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1800 for John Browne, 3rd Earl of Altamont. The Marquess holds the subsidiary titles of Baron Mount Eagle, of Westport in the County of Mayo, Viscount Westport, of Westport in the County of Mayo, Earl of Altamont, in the County of Mayo, Earl of Clanricarde and Baron Monteagle, of Westport in the County of Mayo. All these titles are in the Peerage of Ireland, except the Barony of Monteagle, which is in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. The latter peerage entitled the Marquesses to a seat in the House of Lords prior to the House of Lords Act 1999. The Earldom of Clanricarde was inherited by the sixth Marquess in 1916 according to a special remainder in the letters patent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marquess of Cholmondeley</span> Title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom

Marquess of Cholmondeley is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1815 for George Cholmondeley, 4th Earl of Cholmondeley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Viscount Scarsdale</span> Title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom

Viscount Scarsdale, of Scarsdale in Derbyshire, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1911 for the prominent Conservative politician and former Viceroy of India George Curzon, 1st Baron Curzon of Kedleston, who was created Earl Curzon of Kedleston at the same time and was later made Marquess Curzon of Kedleston.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baron Carrington</span> Barony in the Peerage of Great Britain

Baron Carrington is a title that has been created three times, once in the Peerage of England, once in the Peerage of Ireland and once in the Peerage of Great Britain.

The hereditary peers form part of the peerage in the United Kingdom. As of August 2023, there are 805 hereditary peers: 30 dukes, 34 marquesses, 189 earls, 110 viscounts, and 442 barons.

The history of the British peerage, a system of nobility found in the United Kingdom, stretches over the last thousand years. The current form of the British peerage has been a process of development. While the ranks of baron and earl predate the British peerage itself, the ranks of duke and marquess were introduced to England in the 14th century. The rank of viscount came later, in the mid-15th century. Peers were summoned to Parliament, forming the House of Lords.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baron Dufferin and Claneboye</span>

Baron Dufferin and Claneboye, of Ballyleidy and Killyleagh in County Down, Northern Ireland, is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created on 30 July 1800 for Dame Dorcas Blackwood, widow of Sir John Blackwood, 2nd Baronet, Member of the Irish Parliament for Killyleagh and Bangor, in return for support for the Union of Ireland and the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Welsh peers and baronets</span>

This is an index of Welsh peers and baronets whose primary peerage, life peerage, and baronetcy titles include a Welsh place-name origin or its territorial qualification is within the historic counties of Wales.

The British nobility is made up of the peerage and the (landed) gentry. The nobility of its four constituent home nations has played a major role in shaping the history of the country, although the hereditary peerage now retain only the rights to stand for election to the House of Lords, dining rights there, position in the formal order of precedence, the right to certain titles, and the right to an audience with the monarch. More than a third of British land is in the hands of aristocrats and traditional landed gentry.

A peerage is a legal system historically comprising various hereditary titles in a number of countries, and composed of assorted noble ranks.

References

  1. "Debretts Peerage". debretts.com. Archived from the original on 2 September 2016.