The Peerage of the United Kingdom comprises most peerages created in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland after the Acts of Union in 1801, when it replaced the Peerage of Great Britain. New peers continued to be created in the Peerage of Ireland until 1898 (the last creation was the Barony of Curzon of Kedleston).
The House of Lords Act 1999 reformed the House of Lords. Until then, all peers of the United Kingdom were automatically members of the House of Lords. However, from that date, most of the hereditary peers ceased to be members, whereas the life peers 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), and all surviving hereditary peers who had served as Leader of the House of Lords, were offered a life peerage to allow them to sit in the House should they wish.
Ranks
The ranks of the peerage are Duke, Marquess, Earl, Viscount, and Baron.[1]
The last non-royal dukedom was created in 1900, and the last marquessate was created in 1936. Creation of the remaining ranks, except baronies for life, mostly ceased once Harold Wilson's Labour government took office in 1964, and only eight (four non-royal and four royal) people have been created hereditary peers since then. These were:
Dukes in the Peerage of the United Kingdom
- Subsidiary title.
Marquesses in the Peerage of the United Kingdom
- Subsidiary title.
Earls in the Peerage of the United Kingdom
- Subsidiary title.
- Created for the holder of a Peer of Scotland and Ireland to have an automatic seat in the House of Lords until 1963 for Scotland and 1999 for Ireland.
Since the House of Lords Act 1999 the Earldoms of Munster – 4 June 1831, Lovelace – 30 June 1838, Halsbury – 19 January 1898 and Kitchener – 27 July 2011 have been extinct.
Viscounts in the Peerage of the United Kingdom
- Subsidiary title.
- Created for the holder of a Peer of Scotland and Ireland to have an automatic seat in the House of Lords until 1963 for Scotland and 1999 for Ireland.
Since the House of Lords Act 1999 the Viscountcies of Cross – 19 August 1886, Leverhulme – 27 November 1922, Greenwood – 16 February 1937, Ingleby – 17 January 1956
Barons in the Peerage of the United Kingdom
- Subsidiary title.
- Created for the holder of a Peer of Scotland and Ireland to have an automatic seat in the House of Lords until 1963 for Scotland and 1999 for Ireland.
Titles
Marquesses, earls, viscounts and barons are all addressed as 'Lord X', where 'X' represents either their territory or surname pertaining to their title. Marchionesses, countesses, viscountesses and baronesses are all addressed as 'Lady X'. Dukes and duchesses are addressed just as 'Duke' or 'Duchess' or, in a non-social context, 'Your Grace'.
Lists of peers
- 31 Dukes: see List of dukes in the peerages of Britain and Ireland
- 34 Marquesses: see List of marquesses in the peerages of Britain and Ireland
- 193 Earls and countesses: see List of earls in the peerages of Britain and Ireland
- 112 Viscounts: see List of viscounts in the peerages of Britain and Ireland
- 1,187 Barons: see List of barons in the peerages of Britain and Ireland
- Women: see List of peerages created for women and List of peerages inherited by women
See also
- British nobility
- Dukes in the United Kingdom
- History of the British peerage
- Marquesses in the United Kingdom
- Peerage of England
- Peerage of Great Britain
- Peerage of Ireland
- Peerage of Scotland
- Peerages in the United Kingdom