Earl Cairns is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom

Peerage of the United Kingdom

The Peerage of the United Kingdom comprises most peerages created in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland after the Act of Union in 1801, when it replaced the Peerage of Great Britain...

. It was created in 1878 for the prominent lawyer and Conservative

Conservative Party (UK)

The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...

 politician Hugh Cairns, 1st Baron Cairns

Hugh Cairns, 1st Earl Cairns

Hugh McCalmont Cairns, 1st Earl Cairns PC, QC was a British statesman who served as Lord Chancellor of the United Kingdom during the first two ministries of Benjamin Disraeli. He was one of the most prominent Conservative statesmen in the House of Lords during this period of Victorian politics...

. He was Lord Chancellor of the United Kingdom in 1868 and from 1874 to 1880. Cairns had already been created Baron Cairns, of Garmoyle in the County of Antrim, in 1867, and was made Viscount Garmoyle, in the County of Antrim, at the same time he was given the earldom. These titles are also in the Peerage of the United Kingdom.

He was succeeded by his second but eldest surviving son, the second Earl. He died young without male issue and was succeeded by his younger brother, the third Earl. He never married and was succeeded by his younger brother, the fourth Earl. On his death the titles passed to his second but only surviving son, the fifth Earl. He was a Rear-Admiral in the Royal Navy

Royal Navy

The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...

. the titles are held by his eldest son, the sixth Earl, who succeeded in 1989.

Sir William Cairns

William Cairns

Sir William Wellington Cairns, KCMG was a British colonial administrator, born in County Down, Ireland. He served in various senior colonial civil service posts in the British Empire before being appointed Governor of Queensland in January 1875. He held the post for two years before becoming...

, half-brother of the first Earl, served as Governor of Queensland from 1875 to 1877.

Earls Cairns (1878)

• Hugh McCalmont Cairns, 1st Earl Cairns
  Hugh Cairns, 1st Earl Cairns
  Hugh McCalmont Cairns, 1st Earl Cairns PC, QC was a British statesman who served as Lord Chancellor of the United Kingdom during the first two ministries of Benjamin Disraeli. He was one of the most prominent Conservative statesmen in the House of Lords during this period of Victorian politics...
  
   (1819–1885)
• Arthur William Cairns
  Arthur William Cairns, 2nd Earl Cairns
  Arthur William Cairns was the Second Earl Cairns, succeeding to the title on the death of his father the first Earl Cairns on April 2 1885.-Early life:...
  
  , 2nd Earl Cairns (1861–1890)
• Herbert John Cairns, 3rd Earl Cairns
  Herbert Cairns, 3rd Earl Cairns
  Herbert John Cairns was the 3rd Earl Cairns, succeeding to the title on the death of his older brother Arthur William Cairns, the 2nd Earl, in 1890....
  
   (1863–1905)
• Wilfred Dallas Cairns, 4th Earl Cairns
  Wilfred Cairns, 4th Earl Cairns
  Lieutenant- Colonel Wilfred Dallas Cairns, 4th Earl Cairns, CMG, DL was a peer of the United Kingdom and a Rifle Brigade officer....
  
   (1865–1946)
• David Charles Cairns, 5th Earl Cairns
  David Cairns, 5th Earl Cairns
  Rear-Admiral David Charles Cairns, 5th Earl Cairns GCVO CB , was Marshal of the Diplomatic Corps in the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom from 1962 to 1971....
  
   (1909–1989)
• Simon Dallas Cairns, 6th Earl Cairns
  Simon Cairns, 6th Earl Cairns
  Simon Dallas Cairns CVO CBE is the 6th Earl Cairns, having succeeded to the title on the death of his father David Cairns, 5th Earl Cairns on 21 March 1989....
  
   (b. 1939)

The heir apparent

Heir apparent

An heir apparent or heiress apparent is a person who is first in line of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting, except by a change in the rules of succession....

is the present holder's eldest son Hugh Sebastian Frederick Cairns, Viscount Garmoyle (b. 1965)