British nobility

British nobility refers to the noble families of the United Kingdom.

General History of British Nobility

Main article: History of the Peerage

The nobility of the four constituent home nations of the United Kingdom has played a major role in shaping the history of the country, although in the present day even hereditary peers have no special rights, privileges or responsibilities, except for residual rights to stand for election to the House of Lords and the right to certain titles (see below).

The British nobility consists of two entities, the peerage and the landed gentry. Members of the peerage are titled (duke, marquess, earl, viscount, baron), and frequently referred to as peers or lords. The rest of the nobility is referred to as the landed gentry. Scottish lairds' names include a description of their lands in the form of a territorial designation.^[1] In Scotland, a territorial designation infers the rank of "Esquire", thus this is not normally added after the name; Lairds are part of Scotland's landed gentry.^[2]

Before the twentieth century, peerages were generally hereditary and (with a few exceptions), descended in the male line. The eldest son of a Duke, Marquess or Earl frequently has a courtesy title - often one of his father's subsidiary titles. For example, the elder son of the Earl of Snowdon is called Viscount Linley.

In 1958 the government introduced (non-hereditary) life peers and from then on the creation of hereditary peerages (except for members of the Royal Family) rapidly became obsolete, almost ceasing after 1964. This, however, is only a convention and was not observed by former prime minister Margaret Thatcher who had the Queen create three hereditary peerages (two of them, however, to men who had no heirs) and whose husband also received the hereditary non-peerage rank of baronet.

Until 1999 possession of a title in the English peerage entitled its holder to a seat in the House of Lords, once of age. The Scottish (since 1707) and Irish (since 1801) peerages elected some of their members to sit in the Lords. Since 1999 only 92 hereditary peers are entitled to sit in the House of Lords, chosen by ballot. A member of the House of Lords cannot be a member of the House of Commons. In 1960, Anthony (Tony) Wedgwood Benn, MP inherited his father's title as Viscount Stansgate. He fought and won the ensuing by election, but was disqualified from taking his seat until an act was passed enabling hereditary peers to renounce their titles.

Titles of Peerage

Dukes

• Dukes in Britain
• List of dukes in the peerages of the British Isles
• List of dukedoms in the peerages of the British Isles

Marquesses

• List of Marquesses in the peerages of the British Isles
• List of Marquessates in the peerages of the British Isles

Earls

• List of Earls in the peerages of the British Isles
• List of Earldoms in the peerages of the British Isles

Viscounts

• List of Viscounts in the peerages of the British Isles
• List of Viscountcies in the peerages of the British Isles

Barons / Lords of Parliament of Scotland

• List of Barons in the peerages of the British Isles
• List of hereditary baronies

Titles of the Landed Gentry

Baronets

• List of Baronetcies

Knights

• Knight
• British honours system

Scottish Barons

• Scottish Baron
• Clan Chief

Lairds

• Laird

Untitled Classes

• Esquire
• Gentleman

Irish and Gaelic nobility

See also: Tanistry, Derbfine, and Early Irish law

Outside the United Kingdom, the remaining Gaelic nobility of Ireland continue informally to use their archaic provincial titles. As a large part of Ireland was nominally part of the United Kingdom and formerly England for several hundred years, the Gaelic system coexisted with the British system. A modern survivor of this coexistence is the Baron Inchiquin, still referred to in Ireland as the Prince of Thomond. The Prince of Thomond is one of three remaining claimants to the non-existent, since the 12th century, so-called High Kingship of Ireland, the others being The O'Neill, and the O'Conor Don.

Chief of the Name is most often a princely title in Ireland and so it is to be distinguished from the Scottish clan chief, the difference being that nearly all the surviving Irish chiefs descend from provincial and regional kings with pedigrees beginning in Late Antiquity, the Scottish chiefly lines being half as old and arising well after the formation of the Kingdom of Scotland, despite pleas to the contrary (with the exception of the Clann Somhairle, or Clan Donald and Clan MacDougall, the two of royal origins). The related Mór ("Great") is sometimes used by the dominant branches of the larger Irish dynasties to declare their status as the leading princes of the blood, e.g. Ó Néill Mór, lit. (The) Great O'Neill. In any case an Irish chief is properly addressed with his "sept" name as his title, e.g. O'Neill of Clanaboy, and the inclusion of any other elements is unnecessary and may even be undesired (less often means more). O'Donovan is an example of a recent Irish chief in the British service.

Following the Norman invasion of Ireland several Hiberno-Norman families also became princely and adopted Gaelic styles, the most prominent being the De Burgh dynasty and FitzGerald dynasty.

See also

• Peerage, an exposition of great detail
• Peerage of England
• Peerage of Scotland
• Welsh peers
• Peerage of Ireland
• Landed gentry
• Gentry
• Forms of address in the United Kingdom
• British honours system

References

1. ^ "Debrett's Forms of Address (Lairds)". http://www.debretts.com/forms-of-address/titles/scottish--and-irish-titles/chief,-chieftain,-laird.aspx. Retrieved 2010-07-18. 
2. ^ Adam, F. & Innes of Learney, T. (1952). The Clans, Septs, and Regiments of the Scottish Highlands (4th ed.). Edinburgh & London: W. & A.K. Johnston Limited. p. 410.