Peerage of the United Kingdom
Encyclopedia
The Peerage of the United Kingdom comprises most peerage
s 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
. New peers continued to be created in the Peerage of Ireland
, but none have been since the creation of Baron Curzon
in 1898.
The ranks of the peerage are Duke
, Marquess
, Earl
, Viscount
, and Baron
.
The last non-royal dukedom was created in 1900, and the last marquessate in 1926. Creation of the remaining ranks mostly ceased once Harold Wilson
's Labour government took office in 1964, and only four non-royal hereditary peerages have been created since then. These were:
Until the House of Lords Act 1999
was passed, all Peers of the United Kingdom were automatically members of the House of Lords
. However, from that date, most of the hereditary peer
s ceased to be members as part of Parliamentary reform, whereas the life peer
s retained their seats. All hereditary peers of the first creation (i.e., those for whom a peerage was originally created, as opposed to those who inherited a peerage from an ancestor), and all surviving hereditary peers who had served as Leader of the House of Lords
were offered a life peerage in order to allow them to sit in the House should they so choose.
Peerage
The Peerage is a legal system of largely hereditary titles in the United Kingdom, which constitute the ranks of British nobility and is part of the British honours system...
s created in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom during the period when what is now the Republic of Ireland formed a part of it....
after the Act of Union
Act of Union 1800
The Acts of Union 1800 describe two complementary Acts, namely:* the Union with Ireland Act 1800 , an Act of the Parliament of Great Britain, and...
in 1801, when it replaced the Peerage of Great Britain
Peerage of Great Britain
The Peerage of Great Britain comprises all extant peerages created in the Kingdom of Great Britain after the Act of Union 1707 but before the Act of Union 1800...
. New peers continued to be created in the Peerage of Ireland
Peerage of Ireland
The Peerage of Ireland is the term used for those titles of nobility created by the English and later British monarchs of Ireland in their capacity as Lord or King of Ireland. The creation of such titles came to an end in the 19th century. The ranks of the Irish peerage are Duke, Marquess, Earl,...
, but none have been since the creation of Baron Curzon
Baron Curzon
Baron Curzon can refer to :* Baron Curzon of Penn, an 18th century title in the peerage of Great Britain* Baron Curzon of Kedleston, a 19th century title in the peerage of Ireland...
in 1898.
The ranks of the peerage are Duke
Duke
A duke or duchess is a member of the nobility, historically of highest rank below the monarch, and historically controlling a duchy...
, Marquess
Marquess
A marquess or marquis is a nobleman of hereditary rank in various European peerages and in those of some of their former colonies. The term is also used to translate equivalent oriental styles, as in imperial China, Japan, and Vietnam...
, Earl
Earl
An earl is a member of the nobility. The title is Anglo-Saxon, akin to the Scandinavian form jarl, and meant "chieftain", particularly a chieftain set to rule a territory in a king's stead. In Scandinavia, it became obsolete in the Middle Ages and was replaced with duke...
, Viscount
Viscount
A viscount or viscountess is a member of the European nobility whose comital title ranks usually, as in the British peerage, above a baron, below an earl or a count .-Etymology:...
, and Baron
Baron
Baron is a title of nobility. The word baron comes from Old French baron, itself from Old High German and Latin baro meaning " man, warrior"; it merged with cognate Old English beorn meaning "nobleman"...
.
The last non-royal dukedom was created in 1900, and the last marquessate in 1926. Creation of the remaining ranks mostly ceased once Harold Wilson
Harold Wilson
James Harold Wilson, Baron Wilson of Rievaulx, KG, OBE, FRS, FSS, PC was a British Labour Member of Parliament, Leader of the Labour Party. He was twice Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during the 1960s and 1970s, winning four general elections, including a minority government after the...
's Labour government took office in 1964, and only four non-royal hereditary peerages have been created since then. These were:
- John Morrison, 1st Baron MargadaleJohn Morrison, 1st Baron MargadaleMajor John Granville Morrison, 1st Baron Margadale, TD, DL was a British Conservative Party politician.He was appointed High Sheriff of Wiltshire for 1938 and was Member of Parliament for Salisbury from 1942 until 1965....
, 1965 - William Whitelaw, 1st Viscount WhitelawWilliam Whitelaw, 1st Viscount WhitelawWilliam Stephen Ian Whitelaw, 1st Viscount Whitelaw, KT, CH, MC, PC, DL , often known as Willie Whitelaw, was a British Conservative Party politician who served in a wide number of Cabinet positions, most notably as Home Secretary and Deputy Prime Minister.-Early life:Whitelaw was born in Nairn, in...
, 1983 - George Thomas, 1st Viscount TonypandyGeorge Thomas, 1st Viscount TonypandyThomas George Thomas, 1st Viscount Tonypandy PC was a British Labour Party politician and Speaker of the House of Commons. Born in Port Talbot, Wales, he initially worked as a teacher in both London and Cardiff...
, 1983 - Harold MacmillanHarold MacmillanMaurice Harold Macmillan, 1st Earl of Stockton, OM, PC was Conservative Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 10 January 1957 to 18 October 1963....
, Earl of StocktonEarl of StocktonEarl of Stockton is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created on 24 February 1984 for Harold Macmillan, the former Conservative Prime Minister, just under three years before his death...
, 1984
Until the House of Lords Act 1999
House of Lords Act 1999
The House of Lords Act 1999 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that was given Royal Assent on 11 November 1999. The Act reformed the House of Lords, one of the chambers of Parliament. For centuries, the House of Lords had included several hundred members who inherited their seats;...
was passed, all Peers of the United Kingdom were automatically members of the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
. However, from that date, most of the hereditary peer
Hereditary peer
Hereditary peers form part of the Peerage in the United Kingdom. There are over seven hundred peers who hold titles that may be inherited. Formerly, most of them were entitled to sit in the House of Lords, but since the House of Lords Act 1999 only ninety-two are permitted to do so...
s ceased to be members as part of Parliamentary reform, whereas the life peer
Life peer
In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the Peerage whose titles cannot be inherited. Nowadays life peerages, always of baronial rank, are created under the Life Peerages Act 1958 and entitle the holders to seats in the House of Lords, presuming they meet qualifications such as...
s retained their seats. All hereditary peers of the first creation (i.e., those for whom a peerage was originally created, as opposed to those who inherited a peerage from an ancestor), and all surviving hereditary peers who had served as Leader of the House of Lords
Leader of the House of Lords
The Leader of the House of Lords is a member of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom who is responsible for arranging government business in the House of Lords. The role is always held in combination with a formal Cabinet position, usually one of the sinecure offices of Lord President of the Council,...
were offered a life peerage in order to allow them to sit in the House should they so choose.
Lists of Peers
- Dukes: see List of dukes in the Peerage of the United Kingdom
- Marquesses: see List of Marquesses in the Peerage of the United Kingdom
- Earls and Countesses: see List of Earls and Countesses in the Peerage of the United Kingdom
- Viscounts: see List of Viscounts in the Peerage of the United Kingdom
- Hereditary Barons: see List of hereditary Baronies in the Peerage of the United Kingdom
- Life Barons and Baronesses: see List of Life Barons and Baronesses in the Peerage of the United Kingdom