The Scottish Peerage
Contents
Introduction
A History of the Peerage
Ranks of the Peerage
Inheritance
Precedence
Early Scottish History
Lords of Parliament
Privy Counsellors
Orders of Chivalry
Freemasonry
King and Queens of
General Comments on Titles
Lists of Titles
Credits
{N.B. If you
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Introduction
I have been
interested in the Scottish Peerage for many years, partly due to a general
interest in Scottish history, where for many centuries members of the peerage
were the main protagonists, and partly due to the historic novels of Nigel
Tranter, which turned them into realistic historic figures. This section of my
website aims at identifying both the people involved, and, where possible, the
history of which these people are a vital part.
Peers can be
viewed as being the privileged class of a kingdom holding hereditary titles.
Other words that may define them are the nobility or aristocracy (the latter
meaning government by a ruling class). The Peerage is then defined as the peers
of a kingdom considered as a group. There are examples worldwide of this idea,
mostly obviously in
The Scottish
Peerage cannot be properly described in isolation from the rest of the British
Isles, most obviously
A History of the Peerage
In
The idea of
the landholding thane developed at roughly the same time as the concept of the Shire in
The king’s
thanes were of particular use in running the shire system, under his direct
control and with local knowledge. As the earls were more and more required at
court, there was a requirement for a new officer of local government, the Reeve or Sheriff, to perform not only the administrative function of
tax-raising, but also to stand in for the absent earls at local courts. After
the Norman Conquest, this process was accelerated, with sheriffs assuming the
role of government, although the rank of earl retained its influence in
parliament and a loose connection to the shires via a fixed stipend. As additional
earldoms were created, these would often be titled after smaller and smaller
areas of land, until eventually the connection between the shires and the earls
withered entirely.
Traditionally,
the earliest rank of the peerage within
The extension
of the shire concept into Northumbria after the conquest was to have a lasting
effect on the Scottish administrative system, it being based on arbitrary
divisions of land, previously known as sokes, which may or may not have been a
Danish creation, consisting of large estates dependent on a main village. The
advent of thanes and shires to
It is
important to stress that in England after the Norman Conquest, the earls were a
remnant of a defeated political structure, and although powerful, were never
considered true peers of the king, rather simply peers of each other, at
whatever level of power they could achieve. In
Much of the
development of the peerage as outlined above was heavily influenced by the
feudal nature of British, especially English, society at the time. I shall now
give a brief description of this form of rule.
Feudalism
Feudalism is a
term coined in the middle ages to describe the traditional (for this read
old-fashioned) obligations between lord and vassal common to many European
countries. At its most basic, it is a political system involving reciprocal
legal and military obligations between various tiers of society, mostly
operating at the upper levels, that is, the nobility. This usually involves the
lord (or whatever equivalent) first creating vassals, in a formal ceremony
involving homage and oaths of fealty, and an exchange of contractual mutual
obligations. The principal obligation of the lord is then the granting of land
to such vassals, often the primary reason for the vassal to enter into the
agreement. It should be noted that the land was not handed over to the vassal,
but only the right to exploit it. Other obligations sometimes placed on the
lord are the maintenance and protection of the land, or fief as it was known.
In return, the vassal was entitled to collect revenues in terms of rent and
produce, often having to yield a percentage of this to the lord. The vassal was
also required to provide military aid, most often the primary reason for the
lord to enter into the agreement.
Feudalism
itself arose naturally amongst the Germanic tribes after the fall of the
Most societies
described as feudal deviate to a greater or lesser extent from the pure
concept. The name is also used to describe some non-European societies such as
that of
In
The decline of
feudalism after a couple of hundred successful years is as a result of many
factors. The Crusades brought about an increase in trade, which encouraged the
growth of towns, which in turn attracted peasants from the country. With
increased trade, there was a growing requirement for payment in money rather
than kind. As the noble class became richer, they became less interested in
fighting someone else’s wars, and started to pay for soldiers rather than raise
levies from their territories. This led to standing armies, and an increase in
the monarch’s power at the expense of the nobles, with the effect of
centralising government. The Black Death also had a big effect, denuding the
land of workers, so that labour costs rose, allowing the common man a degree of
independence from his feudal superiors. In
Ranks of the Peerage
The central
rank of the peerage is Earl, from
the old Norse “jarl”, which equates with chieftain, and carried much power in
pre-feudal times, often being associated with earlier independent kingdoms. It
is equivalent to the continental rank of Count. In
The highest
non-royal title in the peerage is that of Duke,
which is considered the equal of Prince, and if fact royal children are born
princes but are then raised to the rank of Duke, there being a number of
dukedoms used exclusively by royalty, such as Edinburgh and York. The earliest
dukedoms were specifically created by the king for members of his family, but
over time, senior ranking earls were promoted, usually for political ends.
Immediately below Duke is the rank of Marquess
(in
In Britain,
the peerage has evolved over the centuries, and now includes that of life peer,
a non-hereditary position given to senior members of the establishment such as
judges, politicians (mostly on retiral), and latterly also to other
distinguished citizens, such as actors, film directors, athletes, etc. These
have the rank of Baron. Prime Ministers were previously entitled to hereditary
earldoms created specifically for them. The last such award, that of Earl of
Stockton, was given to Harold Macmillan, and is currently held by his son.
Inheritance
Although the
principal method of inheritance is primogeniture, there are subtle differences
between
The specific
nature of succession is often enshrined in law when the title is created, and
sometimes this is altered when the title is re-created, or granted a re-issue
subject to altered rules of succession. For instance, the current holder may
stipulate the sequence of succession amongst brothers, nephews and nieces if he
has no children himself.
The heir-male
to a title is the closest living relative of the current (or just deceased)
holder, through any male line. An heir-general is the closest living relative
through either male or female line. This does not indicate the gender of the
heir, which, as I have mentioned, may be male or female. Newer titles will
often specify that the heir-male has precedence.
In the good
old days, peerages were also often forfeited by Act of Parliament, usually as a
result of the holder being found guilty of treason. However, many of these
would later be restored by petitioning, often by descendants of the guilty
party.
Occasionally,
an extinct earldom will be enabled by Act of Parliament upon the claim of a
descendant. In these cases, the numbering is often backdated for continuity. In
such cases, where a person is named as earl after they are dead, they are
considered to have held the title “de jure”, that is, by law.
Precedence
As well as the
nominal ranks of Duke, Marquess, Earl, Viscount, Baron, (or in
Due to
intermarriage, it is possible for a single person to hold a number of different
titles, all hereditary. In these cases, the holder is referred to usually by
only his most senior rank, with lesser titles available for use by the heir as
a courtesy. If none such are available, a Viscountcy is often made available.
The British
Peerage is separated into various divisions, with slightly different status and
benefits:
The Peerage of
England, being all titles created in
The Peerage of
Scotland, being all titles created in
The Peerage of
Ireland, being all titles created by the British monarch as the King of Ireland
before the Act of Union in 1801, and some after
The Peerage of
Great Britain, being all titles created in
The Peerage of
the
A separate and
subsidiary tier of the nobility comes in the form of the baronetage. The
Baronetage of England was created as an hereditary Order in 1611 to encourage
the settlement of
The order of
precedence within each rank of the Peerage was formerly of extreme importance,
indicating closeness to the monarch and by extension, seniority and influence.
Within each division of the Peerage, this has been formalised by several Acts
of Parliament, and covers the complete range from Royalty, Great Officers of
State (now mostly political), dukes, marquesses, earls, barons, lords of
parliament, lords-lieutenant, viscounts, baronets, knights, with wives and
eldest sons of all of these. Orders of Precedence are now of less significance
than they were in the middle ages, but are still used on ceremonial occasions
to avoid unnecessary confusion.
The Jacobite
Peerage, consisting of peerages extant in 1588 when James VII was exiled, plus
newer titles created by James VII, is not considered in this article.
Early Scottish History
After the
Romans left
The Vikings
also raided and settled in much of
Scotland would
from now on be heavily influenced by English pressure, although it would be
another 650 years of never being quite obliging enough before finally uniting in
1707.
The Norman
invasion of
Immediately
prior to the Norman conquests, the Scottish kingdom was a much smaller country
geographically than it is now. Much of the western islands and coastal regions
were controlled by maritime clans whose society was modelled on that of the
Vikings (who were also their principal enemy); the Shetlands, Orkneys and large
parts of the most northern areas still considered themselves to be part of
Norway; large areas of Strathclyde, Dumfries & Galloway and the Borders
were run as independent lordships only loosely allied to the king. Those areas
that formed the core of the kingdom were based on the original Pictish lands,
hence contributing the earliest earldoms: Angus, Atholl with Gowrie, Caithness
with Sutherland,
After
In the
meantime, the Norse-Scots Celtic chieftains of the west and north, many of whom
still owing more allegiance to Norway than Scotland, revelled in their degree
of independence, and continued to rebel and raid. However, with stability in
relations with
It would be
impossible to condense the history of
Lords of Parliament
Various minor
members of the nobility have been made Lords of Parliament
over the centuries in recognition of their capabilities, administrative,
political or military. This allowed them to attend parliament along with more
senior nobles and clerics. While some of these positions were later forfeited
or became extinct, others were preserved as lesser titles when earldoms were
created for a particular holder. With the rise of the constitutional
governments in both
Privy Counsellors
The Privy Council
previously consisted of the monarch’s closest advisors, a small group of very
powerful men who made decisions on how the country should be run. In modern
Orders of Chivalry
Various Orders
of Chivalry, or Knighthoods, were created over the centuries based on military
orders of professional soldiers created during the Crusades, and influenced by
clerics trying to manipulate religious fervour. These emphasised commitment to
certain goals and activities, usually somewhat aggressive towards
non-Christians in general. These commitments took the form of vows, with
particular concentration on piety as well as military ability. In essence, they
became religious orders, and as such sought recognition from the Pope, giving
him a certain influence over their policies. When the last Crusader stronghold
fell to the Arabs in 1291, there was little use for these organisations, though
they had built up large amounts of money and land, and they turned to less
pious pursuits. Ultimately they became discredited by their excesses and
political interference and faded away. However, with the end of feudalism, the
old ideas were rehashed by monarchs looking to replace personal fealty for
another type of loyalty. As the Crusades became a thing of the past, they
became romanticised, as in the Arthurian writings, and it was convenient for
kings to create orders of knights based on the old military orders, with
membership voluntary but prestigious, and pandering to idealised notions of
heroic chivalry. Knights would swear allegiance not to a set of rules but to
the king himself, with any religious overtones played down. Again, over time
the usefulness of these organisations faded as the need to bind individuals to
one’s person declined. However, the prestige remained, and they became useful
as honorific rewards. The current system of orders within the
The Most Noble
Order of the Garter, (KG/LG)
The Most Ancient
and Noble Order of the Thistle (KT/LT)
The Most
Honourable Order of the
The Most
Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George (GCMG, KCMG/DCMG, CMG)
The
Distinguished Service Order (DSO)
The Royal
Victorian Order (GCVO, KCVO/DCVO, CVO, LVO, MVO)
The Order of
Merit (
The Imperial
Service Order (ISO)
The Most
Excellent Order of the
The Order of
the Companions of Honour (CH)
Officers of State
Since the
earliest times, a variety of offices associated with the running of the kingdom
have developed, and over time became hereditary, or at least customary for
certain families to hold. These include some functions which became purely
honorary, such as Lord High Constable, now hereditary to the Hays of Erroll.
Others, while remaining honorary, have become part of the parliamentary domain,
such as Lord Privy Seal. Others, such as Lord Advocate, have preserved their
importance to this day. The full list of Scottish offices of state is as
follows:
Keeper of the
Great Seal of
Keeper of the
Privy Seal of Scotland, or Lord Privy Seal, now extinct, there being a British
equivalent held by a member of the Cabinet
Lord Clerk
Register, nominally responsible for the keeping of public records
Lord Advocate,
chief legal officer of the Scottish Government
Lord Justice
Clerk, second most senior judge
Lord President
(of the Court of Session), head of the judiciary in
Lord Justice
General, formerly Justiciar, senior high court judge (this is currently
combined with Lord President)
Lord Lyon,
King of Arms, regulator of heraldry
Lord Great
Chamberlain, extinct title, formerly senior prosecuting counsel
Lord High
Constable, now honorary, formerly the senior officer of the Scottish army, with
judicial powers
Earl Marschal, extinct hereditary title, formerly
responsible for protecting the king and custodian of the Royal Regalia
Lord High
Admiral, now downgraded to Vice-Admiral of Scotland, there being a British
equivalent
Knight
Marischal, extinct title first used at the coronation of Charles I
Master of the
Royal Household, hereditary now to the Dukes of Argyll
Keeper of
Armour-Bearer,
formerly squire to the king
Standard-Bearer,
one each for the saltire and the royal standard
High Steward, hereditary post until the 1371, when the last
High Steward became King of Scotland. This post is now held by the
heir-apparent
As well as
these, there is the post of Lord-Lieutenant, generally of a county or shire,
who acts as the monarch’s representative and has various official tasks to performs.
Though these have a history in being responsible for the raising of local
militia, there function now is very ceremonial, including presentation of
medals, escorting Royal visitors and the like. Scottish Lord-Lieutenants were
thin on the ground until permanent posts were established in 1794 by Royal
Warrant. They are based around a preserved shire structure that exists outside
of local government re-organisation.
In
Other
ceremonial posts include other members of the Royal Household, such as
Gentleman, or Lord, of the Bedchamber, whose duties consist of providing a male
consort to the monarch, waiting on him, guarding access, and providing
companionship. The holders operate under the direction of the Lord Chamberlain.
Many of these posts, such as Captain of the Gentlemen-at-Arms, Captain of the
Yeomen of the Guard and Lord in Waiting, are now held by Government chief whips
in the House of Lords, while other titles exist for whips in the House of
Commons. Most of these titles are British rather than Scottish, but are often
held by senior Scottish nobles.
Freemasonry
Modern
Freemasonry is of comparatively recent invention, and has appealed to those of
the nobles classes for its political and charitable connections. However, the
concept has its roots in antiquity, and is of general interest, with its vague
connections to the chivalric orders, and important contributions by Scots to
its development.
Kings and Queens of
The ultimate
noble family is of course the royal line. It therefore makes sense to present
this line separately and prior to those listed below.
General Comments
These pages
are not meant as a genealogical study, but rather of the peerage in its
historical setting. In the particular case of Scotland, it is common for Lords of Parliament to be elevated to Earls, and Earls to
be elevated to Marquises or Dukes. As such, the titles of a single hereditary
line can change more than once, with the earlier, lesser ones being used to
describe the heir apparent. I will therefore approach things from a fiefdom
rather than title, for instance, I will list all the titles associated with
Huntly, it being first and earldom and then a marquessate, rather than list the
earls and marquesses separately.
In the lists
below, it is no surprise to note that more and more were created in order to
reward certain individuals for services rendered. However, in fact there were
often problems finding likely successors to titles. There are may reasons for
this. Early death due to illness and warfare was common, especially prior to
the Act of Union, and at a later period because of the expansion of the
For
consistency, I have ignored the distinction between marquess and marquis, and
referred to all such peerages as marquess.
The central core
of this set of pages is the earldom, and thus the history of any lordships that
were promoted to earldoms, and the history of any marquessates or dukedoms
raised from earldoms, will be found in the page related to the earldom, even if
the names have changed, for example, the lords Glamis were promoted to the
earls of Kinghorne, so the central page that covers both is the Kinghorne page,
and similarly, although the earls of Cassillis were raised to the marquesses of
Ailsa, the central page is the Cassillis page. The history of any baronetcies
or UK or British baronies that were involved in the lineage of any of the
listed title is included in the relevant pages for completeness.
The following
pages explicitly list titles in each of the ranks of the peerage.
Dukes & Marquesses – for all the titles of rank
duke or marquess in any of the peerages of the British Isles.
Earls – for a list of all earldoms created in the Peerage
of Scotland, whether extinct or extant, and also including later earldoms that
were obviously Scottish in origin
Viscounts – for a list of all viscountcies created in
the Peerage of Scotland, extinct or extant
Lords of Parliament – for a list of all lordships created
in the Peerage of Scotland, extinct or extant
The following
is a combined list covering all titles, in any of the peerages covering the
British Isles, of the rank of earl or higher that pertain substantially to Scotland.
Abercorn − the
lordship thereof was created for James Hamilton, 2nd Baron Paisley,
and soon after raised to an earldom. It was raised further to a marquessate in
the Peerage of Great Britain, and finally a dukedom in the Peerage of Ireland
Aberdeen − created
as an earldom for the then Lord Chancellor of Scotland, George Gordon, the 4th
Earl became Prime Minister of Great Britain. It was raised to a marquessate in the
Peerage of Great Britain for the 7th Earl
Aboyne − earldom
created for Charles Gordon in 1660. The 5th Earl inherited the title
of Marquess of Huntly
Ailsa
− marquessate created
in the Peerage of Great Britain for the Earl of Cassillis
Airlie − ancient
lordship granted to the Ogilvy clan that was later raised to an earldom
Airth − a
replacement title given to William Graham, 7th Earl of Menteith
Albany − royal
dukedom first created in 1398 for King Robert III’s brother Robert
Ancram − earldom
created for Robert Kerr in 1633, later merged with that of Lothian
Angus − ancient
earldom that passed from Stewart hands to the Douglas clan
Annandale − ancient
independent lordship which became extinct, though the earldom thereof was
created for John Murray in 1625, and re-created for James Johnstone, 1st
Earl of Hartfell. This second creation was recently backdated after it had also
become extinct
Argyll − old
and powerful earldom created for Colin Campbell, 2nd Lord Campbell.
The title was later raised to a dukedom. The holder is Chief of Clan Campbell
Arran − earldom
created twice in the Peerage of Scotland, firstly for Thomas Boyd in 1467, and
then for James Hamilton, 2nd Lord Hamilton
Atholl − one
of the original earldoms, this title was re-created several times, the last of which
was to the Murray family. It was then elevated first to a marquessate and then
a dukedom
Avondale
− a subsidiary earldom granted
to James Douglas, shortly before he became 7th Earl of Douglas
Balcarres − a
comparatively recent earldom of the Lindsay family, it tied with the earldom of
Crawford when the incumbent was declared earl of the latter, formerly extinct,
title
Ballenbreich
− a subsidiary marquessate created for John Leslie, 7th Earl
of Rothes, when he was created 1st Duke of
Rothes, and which became extinct at his death, though the earldom continued
Bothwell − earldom
created for Patrick Hepburn in 1488
Bowmont
− a subsidiary marquessate of
the Duke of Roxburghe
Breadalbane − earldom created for John
Campbell of Glenorchy in 1681
Buccleuch − the
earldom of Buccleuch was created for the Lords Scott of Buccleuch, and was
raised to a dukedom by James II and VII
Buchan − a
very old title, the earldom has had three distinct creations, firstly granted
to the Comyn in the 13th century, and then the Stewarts on two
occasions
Bute − a
comparatively young earldom created for James Stuart in 1703 that was later
raised to a marquessate
Caithness − ancient
earldom, which has been created several times in the Peerage of Scotland
Callendar − earldom
created for Sir James Livingstone, younger son of Alexander Livingstone, 1st
Earl of Linlithgow and closely entwined with that
other earldom
Campbell
− a subsidiary earldom created
for the 1st Duke of Argyll
Carnwath − earldom
created for the 2nd Lord Dalzell in 1639
Carrick − old
earldom created out of part of the lordship of Galloway, subsequently falling
on the Bruce family, whereon it became a crown title
Cassillis − earldom
created for the 3rd Lord Kennedy in 1509
Cathcart − recent
earldom in the Peerage of the United Kingdom created for the 10th
Lord Cathcart
Cawdor − recent
earldom in the Peerage of the United Kingdom created for John Frederick
Campbell, 2nd Baron Cawdor, in 1827
Cessford
− a subsidiary marquessate of
the Duke of Roxburghe
Clydesdale
− a subsidiary marquessate created
for the 1st Duke of Hamilton
Cowal
− a subsidiary earldom
created for the 1st Duke of Argyll
Crawford − one
of the oldest surviving earldoms in the UK, the title was created in the
Peerage of Scotland for Sir David Lindsay in 1398, but lay dormant in the 19th
century until reverting to the related line of the earls of Balcarres
Cromartie − earldom
created for George Mackenzie in 1702, which was later declared extinct by
forfeiture, but eventually revived by members of the Mackenzie family
Dalhousie − earldom
created for William Ramsay in 1633, that was later raised to a marquessate in
the Peerage of the United Kingdom
Dalkeith
− a subsidiary earldom of the
Duke of Buccleuch
Darnley
− a subsidiary earldom of the
Duke of Lennox
Delorain − earldom
created for Henry Scott in 1706, a son of the 1st Duke and Duchess
of Buccleuch
Dirletoun
− earldom created for James Maxwell
(b.b.1604) by Charles I. He had no male heirs and the earldom became extinct
after his death. His daughter Elizabeth married Sir William Hamilton, 2nd
Duke of Hamilton
Douglas − the
original powerful earldom was exterminated by the crown, but later a
marquessate with this title was created for the Douglas earls of Angus. The marquessate has now passed to the Dukes of Hamilton
Drumlanrig
− a subsidiary earldom of the Duke
of Buccleuch, and formerly of the Duke of Queensberry
Dumbarton − earldom
created for Major-General George Douglas in 1674-1675, son of the 1st
Marquess of Douglas
Dumfries − earldom
created for the Lord Crichton of Sanquhar, and later inherited by the Marquess
of Bute
Dumfriesshire
− a subsidiary marquessate of the Duke of Queensberry
Dunbar − ancient
earldom, previously known as Lothian, held by the heirs of the original Earl of
Northumberland
Dundee − earldom
created in 1660 in the Peerage of Scotland for the then hereditary royal
standard-bearer John Scrymgeour.
Dundonald − earldom
created for Sir William Cochrane in 1669
Dunfermline − earldom created for Alexander
Seton, son of George Seton, 5th Lord Seton, in 1605
Dunmore − earldom
created for Lord Charles Murray in 1686
Dysart − earldom
created for William Murray in 1643
Edinburgh
− royal dukedom currently held by
HRH Prince Philip, king-consort
Eglinton − earldom
created for Lord Alexander Montgomerie in 1508
Elgin − earldom
created for Thomas Bruce in 1633, now united with that of Kincardine
Enzie
− a subsidiary earldom
created for the 1st Marquis of Huntly
Erroll − ancient
earldom created for the hereditary Lord High Constable of Scotland, held by the
Hay family since the time of King Robert I
Ethie
− original name of the
earldom of Northesk
Fife − ancient
mormaership that eventually reverted to the monarch and became a Stewart
earldom, but was re-created as an Irish Peerage and then a dukedom in the
Peerage of the United Kingdom for descendants of the original family
Findlater − earldom
created for Lords Ogilvy of Deskford in 1638, later superseded by the earldom
of Seafield and becoming extinct due to failure of
the male line
Forfar − earldom
created for Archibald Douglas, the younger half-brother of the 2nd
Marquess of Douglas (for whom see the earls of Angus)
Forth − earldom
created for Sir Patrick Ruthven, a descendant of the 1st Lord
Ruthven, in 1642. He led the left wing at the Battle of Edgehill, and was made
Commander-in-Chief of the Royalist armies. In 1644 he was also created 1st
Earl of Brentford. All his honours became extinct on his death
Galloway − previously
an independent lordship, the earldom was created for Alexander Stewart, Lord
Garlies, in 1623
Garioch − the
title Earl of Garioch was created for David, 9th Earl of Huntingdon,
c.1180, and was later used as a title for the youngest son of James II
Gifford
− a subsidiary earldom of
the Marquess of Tweeddale
Glasgow − earldom
created for Lord David Boyle in 1703
Glencairn − earldom
created for Alexander Cunningham, Lord Kilmaurs, in 1488, now extinct
Gordon
− this dukedom was first
created for the Marquess of Huntly but became extinct,
whereupon the title was later granted to the Duke of Richmond & Lennox
Gowrie − earldom
created for William Ruthven, 3rd Lord Ruthven, in 1581, which was
later forfeited. The title was recreated in the Peerage of the United Kingdom
for Alexander Hore-Ruthven, former Governor-General of Australia
Graham
− a subsidiary marquessate of
the Duke of Montrose
Haddington − earldom
created for Sir Thomas Hamilton in 1627 to replace the earldom of Melrose
Haddo
− a subsidiary earldom
created for John Hamilton-Gordon, 1st Marquess of Aberdeen
Hamilton − though
no earldom of this name ever existed, the Hamilton family feature heavily in
Scottish history and have attracted many titles. The Lords Hamilton was raised
as the Earls of Arran, and later still raised as Marquesses of Hamilton, before
finally being raised as the Dukes of Hamilton
Hartfell − earldom
created for James Johnstone in 1643
Home − earldom
created for the 6th Lord Home in 1605
Hopetoun − earldom
created for Charles Hope in 1703, now a lesser title of the Marquess of
Linlithgow
Huntly − famous
earldom of antiquity, the first to be raised to a marquessate
Hyndford − earldom
created for John Carmichael, 2nd Lord Carmichael, in 1701
Ilay
− earldom created for
Archibald Campbell, second son of the 1st Duke of Argyll in 1706. He succeeded to the dukedom, and this
title became extinct at his death
Inchcape − recent
earldom created in the Peerage of the United Kingdom for the shipping magnate
James Lyle Mackay in 1929
Innes
− a subsidiary earldom
created in the Peerage of the United Kingdom for the Duke of Roxburghe
Inverness
− royal earldom currently held by
Prince Andrew, Duke of York
Irvine
− earldom created for
James Campbell, second son of Archibald Campbell, 7th Earl of Argyll in 1642.
The title became extinct at his early death
Kellie − earldom
created for Thomas Erskine in 1619
Kelso
− a subsidiary earldom
of the Duke of Roxburghe
Kilmarnock − earldom
created for William Boyd, 10th Lord Boyd, in 1661
Kincardine − earldom
created for Edward Bruce in 1643, now twinned with that of Elgin
Kinghorne − earldom
created for Patrick Lyon in 1606, now twinned with that of Strathmore, and
granted twice, one in the Peerage of Scotland and another in the Peerage of the
United Kingdom
Kinnoull − earldom
created for George Hay in 1633
Kinrara
− a subsidiary earldom of
the Duke of Lennox created in the Peerage of the
United Kingdom
Kintore − earldom
created for John Keith in 1677
Kintyre
− a subsidiary marquessate
created for the 1st Duke of Argyll, having
previously been a Royal dukedom created for Robert Stuart, a younger son of
James VI
Lanark
− earldom created for
William Hamilton, who later became the 2nd Duke of Hamilton
Lauderdale − earldom
created for Lord John Maitland in 1624
Lennox − ancient
earldom which reverted to the monarchy and was re-awarded frequently to members
of the Stewart family, latterly as a dukedom
Leslie
− a subsidiary earldom
of the Duke of Rothes, which became extinct at his
death
Leven − earldom
created for Alexander Leslie in 1641, now twinned with that of Melville
Lindsay − earldom
created for Lord John Lindsay in 1633, who later also became earl of Crawford. The
Crawford title lay dormant after the death of the 6th Earl, but the
Lindsay title continued with a distant relative
Linlithgow − earldom
created for Alexander Livingstone, 6th Lord Livingston. It was later
to become extinct, and the title re-used as a marquessate created for the Earl
of Hopetoun
Lorne
− a subsidiary
marquessate created for the 1st Duke of Argyll,
having previously been a Royal dukedom created for Robert Stuart, a younger son
of James VI
Lothian − earldom
created for Mark Kerr in 1606
Loudoun − earldom
created for John Campbell in 1637
Macduff
− a subsidiary earldom of
the Duke of Fife
Mar − ancient
earldom that reverted to the monarchy and was awarded several times to family
and friends of the king until finally being returned to the Erskine family, who
had an ancient claim
March − ancient
earldom associated with the “marches” or boundary land in Northumbria, later
combined with that of Dunbar. Both titles were later
forfeit, and that of March re-created several times for members of the royal
family
Marchmont − earldom
created for Patrick Hume, Lord Polwarth, in 1697
Marischal − the
Earl Marischal is an hereditary office held by the Keith family, previously
responsible for the King’s person and Regalia during Parliament, in effect his
bodyguard
Melfort − earldom
created for John Drummond, younger brother of James Drummond, 4th
Earl of Perth. Drummond was a supporter of James II
& VII, and escaped to France in 1688, where he was created 1st
Duke of Melfort in the Jacobite Peerage. His descendant George Drummond,
eventually succeeded to the earldom of Perth by reversal of attainder and was
recreated with all his pre-attainder titles. He died without issue and the
Melfort title became dormant or extinct
Melrose
− original name of the
earldom of Haddington
Melville − earldom
created for Lord George Melville in 1690, now a subsidiary earldom of the Earl
of Leven
Menteith − ancient
mormaership later re-created as an earldom for Malise Graham in 1427
Middleton − earldom
created for John Middleton in 1656
Midlothian
− subsidiary earldom in the
Peerage of the United Kingdom created for the 5th Earl of Rosebery,
who was briefly Prime Minister
Minto − recent
earldom created in the Peerage of the United Kingdom for Gilbert Elliot, 1st
baron Minto in 1813
Montrose − an
original dukedom created for David Lindsay, 5th Earl of Crawford,
that was not inherited, the earldom thereof was created for Lord James Graham
in 1505, which later became a marquessate and then a dukedom for the second
time
Moray − ancient
earldom that reverted to the crown and was then awarded several times before
settling on a bastard branch of the royal line
Morton − earldom
created for Sir James Douglas of Dalkeith
Newburgh − earldom
created for James Livingston, 1st Viscount Newburgh, in 1660, and
now held by Papal Prince Rospigliosi of the Italian nobility
Nithsdale − earldom
created for Robert Maxwell, 9th Lord Maxwell, in 1620. The 5th
Earl was attainted after the Jacobite uprising in 1715 and his titles forfeit.
The earldom is now considered extinct as there are no heirs to claim reversal
of attainder
Northesk − earldom
created for John Carnegie in 1662
Orkney − ancient
Norse earldom that reverted to the Scottish crown and was used several times
before being granted to George Hamilton, in 1696. Through intermarriage, it has
for several generations been held by various Irish families
Ormelie
− a subsidiary earldom in
the Peerage of the United Kingdom awarded to the 1st Marquess of Breadalbane, it became extinct on the death of the 2nd
Marquess
Ormonde − this
title has been used for both earldoms and marquessates
Panmure − earldom
created for Patrick Maule in 1646
Perth − earldom
created for James Drummond, 4th Lord Drummond, in 1605
Portmore − earldom
created for David Colyear in 1703, now extinct
Queensberry − earldom created for Douglas of
Drumlanrig in 1633, later a marquessate
Ronaldshay
− a subsidiary earldom of the
Marquess of Zetland
Rosebery − earldom
created for Archibald Primrose, 1st Viscount Rosebery, in 1703
Ross − ancient
mormaership that became a royal dukedom, currently extinct
Rosslyn − recent
earldom created in the Peerage of the United Kingdom for Alexander Wedderburn,
the then Lord Chancellor, with special remainder to his nephew, James St.
Clair-Erskine
Rothes − earldom
created for George Leslie, 1st Lord Leslie, in 1457, notable because
all holders must retain the name of Leslie, meaning that in the case of a
female holder, husbands are required to change their name
Rothesay
− royal dukedom held by the
heir to the throne
Roxburghe − earldom
created for Robert Ker in 1616, subsequently promoted to a dukedom
Ruglen − earldom
created for John Hamilton in 1697
Seafield − earldom
created for James Ogilvy, Viscount Seafield, in 1701, son and heir to the
earldom of Findlater
Seaforth − earldom
created for Colin Mackenzie, Lord Mackenize, in 1609, which was eventually
forfeit. A separate earldom was created in the Peerage of Ireland for the
grandson of the 5th Earl, but this became extinct at his death
Selkirk − earldom
created for William Douglas, younger son of the Marquess of Douglas. He later
became Duke of Hamilton by marriage and the title was passed to his younger
son, a step which was enshrined in law, and had to be used one two further
occasions due to the early deaths of its holders
Solway
− earldom created for
Charles Douglas, 3rd Duke of Queensberry,
but becoming extinct at his death
Southesk − earldom
created for Sir David Carnegie in 1633
Stair − earldom
created for John Dalrymple, 2nd Viscount of Stair
Stirling − earldom
created for Sir William Alexander, Viscount of Stirling
Strathearn − ancient
mormaerdom that was forfeited to the Crown, whereupon it was re-created as a
Stewart earldom. It is now used occasionally as an honorific granted as a
dukedom to junior members of the British Royal Family
Strathmore
− earldom created for Patrick Lyon,
3rd Earl of Kinghorne, and now twinned
with that earldom
Strathtay
& Strathardle − a subsidiary earldom of the Duke of Atholl
Sutherland − ancient
earldom given to the de Moravia, or Murray clan, and now a dukedom
Tarras
− earldom created for
Walter Scott in 1660 to make him of equal rank to his wife, Mary Scott, 3rd
Countess of Buccleuch, and an early example of a
life peerage
Teviot − earldom
created for Andrew Rutherford, a career soldier who served Charles II, this
became extinct on his death when he was attacked by Moors while serving as
Governor of Tangiers
Traquair − earldom
created for Sir John Stewart, Lord Stewart of Traquair, in 1633, and now either
dormant or extinct
Tullibardine − earldom created for Sir John
Murray in 1606, a descendant of whom was created Earl of Atholl
Tweeddale − earldom
created for Lord John Hay in 1646, it was later raised to a marquessate
Wemyss − earldom
created for John Wemyss, Baron Elcho, in 1633, and now twinned with the earldom
of March after the 8th Earl succeeded as heir-male in 1810
Wigton − also
spelled as Wigtown, an earldom created for John Fleming, Lord Fleming, in 1606,
having previously been a subsidiary earldom of the Earls of Douglas, which they
purchased from an earlier Fleming in 1372
Winton − earldom
created for Robert Seton, 6th Lord Seton, in 1600, which became
extinct due to forfeiture until revived in the peerage of the United Kingdom as
a lesser title of the Earls of Eglinton
Zetland − earldom
created in the Peerage of the United Kingdom for Lawrence Dundas, 2nd
Baron Dundas, in 1838, it was later raised to a marquessate
Credits
To get me up
and running originally, I used a lot of the information available on Wikipedia.
A very good website that I discovered early on is thePeerage.com. However,
some of the families here are less well researched than others. For a reliable
source of dates of birth and death and names of spouses, I also used Stirnet. As I started to expand on
particular histories, a very good website is Electric Scotland, in particular
the page on Great
Historic Families. The Undiscovered Scotland
website has also provided useful information. For lords of parliament, Cracroft’s Peerage
provides information not readily available elsewhere. I have also used
individual family and clan pages whenever possible to corroborate and augment
descriptions.
If you have
any positive or negative comments on the contents of this page or any of its
subsidiary pages, including directions on where to find more accurate or
extensive information on any individual, title or clan mentioned above, please
let me know by contacting me at nassarawa@btinternet.com
Joe McLean,
Glasgow
(Last updated:
02/03/2011)