Peerages in the United Kingdom

The peerage is a system of titles of honor unique to Britain, and is one part of the British honours system. Peers were, historically, title holders entitled to be summoned to the House of Lords. The families of title-holders are not peers. This is a fundamental distinction from the Continental system of titles, where families rather than individuals are ennobled (see nobleman), and where more than one person can hold the same title simultaneously.

There are several distinct groupings of peerages within Britain: there are peerages of England, of Ireland, of Scotland, of Great Britain and of the United Kingdom.

The titles within a peerage are, in ascending order of rank, baron, viscount, earl, marquess, and duke. The particular titles take the form of "Rank Surname" or "Rank (of) Placename". While at one time it was true that a peer with an associated place name actually administered that place, this is no longer true, and the associated place is not necessarily even ruled by the United Kingdom. For example, the only duke in the British Isles who has an associated duchy is the Duke of Cornwall. The mode of inheritance of a peerage title is determined by the method of its creation. A peer can hold several different titles simultaneously.

In 1963 the law was changed to permit hereditary peers to disclaim their peerages for life. This was notably used by a number of peers who wished to become members of the House of Commons, including Viscount Stansgate (Tony Benn), the Earl of Home (Sir Alec Douglas-Home) and Viscount Hailsham (Quintin Hogg). The latter two later returned to the Lords as life peers. The heir to a disclaimed peerage is entitled to inherit it on the death of the person who disclaimed it.

Not all titles are peerage titles: knights and baronets are not by virtue of that title peers, nor are princes or princesses.