5 British Title Of Nobility: Understanding Prestige And The Social Hierarchy In The UK

Are you wondering what are the British Title of Nobility in the UK? Ever pondered the proper way to address a duchess? Do you know if a viscount is an earl’s superior or inferior, or whose offspring use the title “Honorable”?

I live in the UK for more than a decade now and became a naturalised British citizen. As part of the naturalisation process, I have to swear my allegiance to the British monarch and become one of the subjects of the Crown. Together with that, giving respect and courtesy to the other British title of nobility.

The British peerage is described in this article as an introduction. With titles that date back centuries and a hierarchy that has changed over time, the world of British peerage is one that is intricate and fascinating. One person holding multiple peerages of various ranks, each with their own level of seniority, adds to the complexity. Continue reading to find out more.

Duke, marquess, earl, viscount, and baron are the five titles of the peerage, listed in decreasing order of rank or precedence. Earl is the oldest title in the peerage and comes from Anglo-Saxon times, while Duke, the highest rank, is the most exclusive.

Read more: British Culture: Great Traditions and Celebrations in the UK

Here is the British Title of Nobility in the United Kingdom:

1. DUKE and DUCHESS

Duke is the highest rank in the hierarchy of nobility just below the Prince/Princess and King/Queen titles. A duke’s wife is called a Duchess. Duke is a translation of the Latin word dux, which means leader. Most likely the person who has the Prince/Princess titles also has a Duke/Duchess title.

The title was first used to denote sovereign status; for instance, William the Conqueror was the Duke of Normandy. It wasn’t until 1337 that it was used as a peerage title when King Edward I granted the Black Prince, his eldest son, the Dukedom of Cornwall.

In Parliament, Duke was established by fastening a ceremonial sword to a belt or girdle (a practice known as cincture until 1615, when it was replaced by the conferral of letters patent under the Great Seal, which symbolizes the Sovereign’s authority).

Sir William de la Pole, Marquess of Suffolk, who was made Duke of Suffolk in 1448, was the first subject to be given a dukedom who was neither a member of the royal family nor even remotely related.

Typically, a Prince of Royal Blood becomes a duke either soon after reaching adulthood or upon his marriage. When Prince Andrew married in 1986, he was made Duke of York. The Duke of Cambridge – HRH Prince William, Queen Elizabeth II’s grandson, was given that title upon his marriage in 2011.

When Prince Edward married in 1999, he decided to take the title of Earl of Wessex, breaking with royal tradition. The Dukedom of Edinburgh Crown will be awarded to the Earl of Wessex, according to a statement from Buckingham Palace. On March 2023, At Prince Edward’s 59th Birthday, he was awarded by King Charles III with the title of Duke of Edinburgh to continue to champion the legacy of their late father Prince Philip who held the title before him.

The Duke of Gloucester and the Duke of Kent, The Queen’s first cousins, are the other royal dukes (both grandsons of King George V)

There are currently 24 dukes (not including royal dukes).

The Duke of Norfolk is England’s foremost duke and earl. John Howard, his forebear, was made Duke of Norfolk in 1483; however, because he received his dukedom from his mother, Margaret Mowbray’s duke’s precedence, or seniority in terms of the age of his title, is dated 1397, the year that her father was made Duke of Norfolk.

The Duke of Hamilton and Brandon is Scotland’s highest-ranking peer (created 1643). The Duke of Leinster, the Marquess, and the Premier Duke (created 1766). Westminster was established as a non-royal dukedom in 1874, making it the most recent.

Only Portland, which became extinct in 1990, was a dukedom that had existed since 1989; however, Timothy Bentinck, who plays David Archer in the drama series “The Archers” on BBC Radio 4, continues to hold the earldom of Portland.

2. MARQUESS and MARCHIONESS

Marquess is the peerage’s second-highest rank after Duke. The Marquess stands above the ranks of Earl and Baron. A marquessate is a term used to describe a marquess’s dignity. A Marquess’ wife is called a Marchioness.

Marquess protecting the Welsh and Scottish Marches, or borderlands, were referred to as “marchio” in Norman slang. It was known that the Marquess is the land owner of marches on the border of the country. Therefore, they were deemed to have more important roles in protecting, defending and fortifying the sovereign’s country against the invasion of the hostile neighbouring kingdoms.

King Richard I, the Margrave of Brandenburg’s brother-in-law, bestowed the title on Robert de Vere, Earl of Oxford, who later rose to the position of Marquess of Dublin in 1385. The title was given by letters patent under the Great Seal, which signifies the Sovereign’s power.

Earls were greatly offended by the fact that the new title of marquess was given preference over them, and de Vere’s status was revoked in 1386.

In England, the title of marquess remained unpopular. The title of Marquess of Dorset was attainted (forfeited), and the House of Commons petitioned King Henry IV to restore it in 1402, but John Beaufort implored the monarch not to do so because “the name of a marquess is a foreign name in our country.” Beaufort was the eldest of John’s legitimate sons.

There are now 34 marquesses (not inducing courtesy marquesses). The Marquess of Winchester, who resides in South Africa and was created in 1551, is the foremost marquess of England. The Marquess of Huntly is Scotland’s top marquess (created in 1599).

Since 1989, the Ormonde Marquessate has been the only one to have gone extinct.

3. EARL and COUNTESS

Earl is the third rank in the Peerage, following duke and marquess but preceding viscount and baron. Interestingly, an Earl’s wife is called a Countess.  

An “ealdorman” presided over a shire or region for the monarch prior to King Canute (c. 994–1035). The title of earl was first used by Canute, and it was made hereditary by the Norman kings, albeit the earls later lost their role as the king’s representatives in the county to the sheriff.

Like with dukes, the rank of an earl was awarded by fastening a ceremonial sword to a belt or girdle. A golden circlet was also placed on the recipient’s head, and the ritual also included a ceremonial cape. These ceremonies were granted in 1615 by letters patent issued under King James I’s Great Seal, which symbolizes the Sovereign’s power.

During King Richard II’s reign (1377-99), earldoms have either been created via birth or have been passed down through the male direct successors of the original titleholder. Certain Scottish earldoms may be held by women or descend from females.

There are now 191 earls (excluding the Earl of Wessex and courtesy earldoms) as well as four independent countesses. The Earl of Shrewsbury and Waterford is the most important earl in both England and Ireland (created 1442). The Earl of Crawford and Balcarres is the highest-ranking earl on the Union Roll (created 1398).

Stockton was established as the most recent earldom in 1984. Amherst, Monsell, Sondes, and Munster are the four earldoms that have vanished since 1989; Breadalbane is inactive. A title usually becomes dormant when a peer passes away and it is thought that there may be heirs to the title, but (a) it may not be known where they are, or (b) there may not be enough documentation for an heir to establish his claim to be the next in line to the deceased peer.

4. VISCOUNT and VISCOUNTESS

The Viscount is the fourth rank in the peerage, above baron but below duke, marquess, and earl. A viscount’s wife is referred to as a Viscountess.

The post of the deputy or lieutenant (vice-comes) of a count, a rank that had become hereditary in the Holy Roman Empire by the beginning of the 10th century, was where this title got its start. It was also applied to county sheriffs.

In 1440, during the Hundred Years’ War, it was first noted as a rank in the British peerage (1337-1450). King Henry VI, who was crowned King of England and France, wanted to combine the titles of the two nations, thus he made John Lord Beaumont a Viscount in both England and France.

Priority was given to this new peerage title over all barons, but it wasn’t until the 17th century that it gained widespread acceptance. The Great Seal, which stands for the Sovereign’s power, was always used to create viscounts.

There are 115 viscounts in the office at the moment (not including courtesy viscounts). Viscount Hereford is the top viscount in England (created 1550). Viscount Falkland, who was created in 1620, is the highest-ranking viscount in Scotland, while Viscount Gormanston is the highest-ranking viscount in Ireland (created 1478).

Muirsheil, Furness, Watkinson, Lambert, Leverhulme, Greenwood, Cross, and Ingleby are the eight viscountcies that have vanished since 1989; Barrington is either extinct or dormant.

5. BARON and BARONESS

Baron is the fifth and last peerage position, coming after duke, marquess, earl, and viscount in terms of precedence. The wife of a baron is called a Baroness.

Baron, the chief tenant of the king, originally meant “man” (i.e. a land-holding nobleman). The monarch in the 13th century used a royal writ to summon the barons to the Counsel or Parliament. The grant of this privilege did not initially mean that their successors would automatically be called to succeeding Parliaments. Yet, by the time of King Edward III (1327–77), it had become customary for the more prominent barons’ successors to receive writs without fail, effectively establishing a hereditary rank.

John Beauchamp de Holt, who was made Baron Kidderminster by King Richard II in 1387, was the first baron to be properly established by letters patent issued beneath the Great Seal, which denotes the Sovereign’s power. This method of creating baronies became the standard after 1440 or so.

Lords of Parliament are Scotland’s equivalent to Barons in England. The peerage’s baron level has by far the most population. There are now 9 hereditary baronesses and ladies of Parliament in their own right, and 426 hereditary barons and lords of Parliament (excluding courtesy baronies and lordships).

Lord de Ros, a major baron of England, was formed in 1264, and Lord Kingsale, a premier baron of Ireland, was created in 1223 and resides in New Zealand. 24 baronies have vanished since 1989; Kinnaird is dormant or extinct; and Audley is in abeyance.

Frequently Asked Questions about the British Title of Nobility:

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