View source for Peerage

{{short description|System of nobility}}
{{other uses}}
{{Distinguish|Peer of the realm}}
A '''peerage''' is a legal system historically comprising various [[hereditary title]]s (and sometimes [[Life peer|non-hereditary titles]]) in a number of countries, and composed of assorted [[Imperial, royal and noble ranks|noble ranks]].

Peerages include:
{{TOC right}}

==Australia==
* [[Australian peers]]

==Belgium==
* [[Belgian nobility]]

==Canada==
* [[Canadian peers and baronets#Canadian nobility in the aristocracy of the United Kingdom|British peerage titles granted to Canadian subjects of the Crown]]
* [[Canadian peers and baronets#Canadian nobility in the aristocracy of France|Canadian nobility in the aristocracy of France]]

==China==
* [[Chinese nobility]]

==France==
* [[Peerage of France]]
* [[List of French peerages]]
* [[Peerage of France#Peerage of Jerusalem|Peerage of Jerusalem]]

==Japan==
* [[Kazoku|Peerage of the Empire of Japan]]
* [[House of Peers (Japan)]]

==Portugal==
* [[Chamber of Most Worthy Peers]]

==Spain==
{{see also|Spanish nobility}}
* [[Chamber of Peers (Spain)]]
* [[List of dukes in the peerage of Spain]]
* [[List of viscounts in the peerage of Spain]]
* [[List of barons in the peerage of Spain]]
* [[List of lords in the peerage of Spain]]

==United Kingdom==
{{refbegin|100em|indent=yes}}
{{hanging indent |text=<big>'''{{font color |green | Overview}}'''</big>}}
{{refend}}
{{refbegin|30em|indent=yes}}
: {{hanging indent |text=Peerage (''general introduction'')}}
: {{hanging indent |text=[[Social class in the United Kingdom]]}}

{{hanging indent |text=<big>'''{{font color |green | Peerage Titles (nobility), ranked by order}}'''</big>}}
{{hanging indent |text=(''highest-ranking hereditary titles in the British peerage system'')}}
: {{section link|Duke|United Kingdom}} [[File:Coronet of a British Duke.svg|frameless|20px]]
: {{section link|Marquess|United Kingdom}} [[File:Coronet of a British Marquess.svg|frameless|20px]]
: [[Earl]] [[File:Coronet of a British Earl.svg|frameless|20px]]
: {{hanging indent |text={{section link|Viscount|United Kingdom}} / [[Viscount#United Kingdom|Viscountess]] [[File:Coronet of a British Viscount.svg|frameless|20px]]}}
: [[Baron]] [[File:Coronet of a British Baron.svg|frameless|20px]]
: {{hanging indent |text=[[Victory title]] 👑 (''peerage granted for military victories, ''e.g.'', [[Duke of Wellington]]; coronet varies by rank'')}}
: {{hanging indent |text=[[Peer of the realm]] (''legal term for members of the peerage with full rights'')}}
: {{hanging indent |text=[[Lord]] (''general title for many peers, also used informally'')}}
: {{hanging indent |text=[[Representative peer]] (''elected member of the Scottish [1707–1963] or Irish [1801–1922] peerage who sat in the UK House of Lords on behalf of their peerage group'')}}
: {{hanging indent |text=[[Hereditary peer]] [[File:Coronet of a British Baron.svg|frameless|20px]] (''peerage title that is passed down through inheritance; coronet depends on rank'')}}  
: {{hanging indent |text=[[Life peer]] [[File:Coronet of a British Baron.svg|frameless|20px]] (''peerage title granted for lifetime service; and, the title cannot be inherited; wears a Baron’s coronet'')}}

{{hanging indent |text=<big>'''{{font color |green | Titled but Below the Peerage}}'''</big>}}
{{hanging indent |text=(''honorary or hereditary titles that do not grant peerage status'')}}
: {{hanging indent |text=[[Baronet]] (''hereditary title ranking below a baron, but above a knight'')}}
: {{hanging indent |text=[[Knight]] (''non-hereditary honor awarded for service or merit'')}}
: {{hanging indent |text=[[Dame]] (''female equivalent of a Knight, awarded for distinguished service'')}}
: {{hanging indent |text=[[Privilege of peerage]] (''legal rights and privileges associated with being a peer, even if not sitting in Parliament'')}}

{{hanging indent |text=<big>'''{{font color |green | Commoners and Gentry}}'''</big>}}
{{hanging indent |text=(''non-peerage ranks historically associated with privilege and status'')}}
: {{hanging indent |text=[[Courtesy title]] (''honorific used by heirs of peers, not legally recognized'')}}
: {{hanging indent |text=[[Esquire]] (''once a rank below knight, now an informal designation'')}}
: {{hanging indent |text=[[Gentleman]] [[File:Torse of a British Gentleman.svg|frameless|35px]] (''traditional term for men of status and refinement'')}}
: {{hanging indent |text=[[Baronage]] (''collective term for barons, historically linked to landownership'')}}
: {{hanging indent |text=[[Laird]] (''Scottish landowner, similar to an esquire or lord of the manor, but not a peer'')}}
: {{hanging indent |text=[[Scottish clan]] (''traditional kinship-based groups in Scotland, some led by clan chiefs'')}}
: {{hanging indent |text=[[Scottish clan chief]] (''leader of a Scottish clan, recognized under Scottish heraldic law'')}}
: {{hanging indent |text=[[List of Scottish clans]] (directory of notable historical and modern Scottish clans'')}}

{{hanging indent |text='''Concepts Related to the Peerage (and Non-Peerage)'''}}
{{hanging indent |text=(''broader ideas, historical context, and legislative aspects of the peerage system'')}}
: {{hanging indent |text=[[Peerage Bill]] (''legislation related to the peerage, including reforms'')}}
: {{hanging indent |text=[[British nobility]] (''wider concept of noble ranks, including those not part of the peerage'')}}
: {{hanging indent |text=[[Noblesse in Scotland]] (''Scottish equivalent of nobility, often distinct from peerage'')}}
: {{hanging indent |text=[[English heraldry]] (''system of coats of arms and noble symbols in England'')}}
: {{hanging indent |text=[[Territorial designation]] (''titles associated with land, e.g., [[Duke of Cornwall]], [[Earl of Wessex]]'')}}
: {{hanging indent |text=[[Forms of address in the United Kingdom]] (''proper ways to address peers and titled individuals'')}}
: {{hanging indent |text={{section link|Lord|Modern usage}} (''explanation of how "Lord" is used today, both formally and informally'')}}

{{hanging indent |text='''Regalia and Symbols'''}}
{{hanging indent |text=(''items associated with noble status and rank'')}}
: {{hanging indent |text=[[Robes of the British peerage]] (''ceremonial garments worn by peers at state occasions'')}}
: {{hanging indent |text=[[Coronet]] (''small crown worn by peers, indicating rank in the hierarchy'')}}
: {{hanging indent |text=[[Orders of precedence in the United Kingdom]] → (''hierarchy of ranking among nobles and officials'')}}
: {{hanging indent |text=[[Orders of precedence in the United Kingdom]]}}
: {{hanging indent |text=[[Order of precedence in Scotland]]}}
: {{hanging indent |text=[[Order of precedence in England and Wales]]}}
: {{hanging indent |text=[[Order of precedence in Northern Ireland]]}}

{{hanging indent |text='''Honors and Nobiliary Elements'''}}
: [[Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom]]
: {{section link|Post-nominal letters|Civil usage in the UK}}
: {{section link|Post-nominal letters|Academic usage in the UK}}
: [[List of post-nominal letters (United Kingdom)]]
: {{section link|Nobiliary particle|United Kingdom}}
: [[College of Arms]] [[File:Coat_of_Arms_of_the_College_of_Arms.svg|20px]]
: {{hanging indent |text=[[Herald]] [[File:Crown of a British King of Arms.svg|frameless|20px]] (''officer of arms responsible for heraldry and ceremonial functions'')}}
: [[Garter Principal King of Arms]] [[File:Coat_of_Arms_of_the_Garter_King_of_Arms.svg|20px]]
: [[King of Arms]]
: [[Lord Lyon King of Arms]] [[File:Crown_of_a_British_King_of_Arms.svg|20px]]
: [[Order of the Garter]] [[File:Arms_of_the_Most_Noble_Order_of_the_Garter.svg|20px]]
: [[Order of the British Empire]]
: [[Order of St Michael and St George]]
: [[List of people who have declined a British honour]]

{{hanging indent |text='''Scottish and Other Nobility Structures''' [[File:Flag of Scotland.svg|frameless|20px]]}}
: [[Scottish clan]]
: [[Baronage of Scotland]]
: [[Substantive title]]

{{hanging indent |text=🏰 '''Early Peerages (Before 1707)'''}}
: {{hanging indent |text=[[Peerage of England]] (English titles created before the 1707 Acts of Union'')}}
: {{hanging indent |text=[[Welsh peers and baronets]] (''holders of British peerage and baronetcy titles associated with Welsh lands or heritage'')}}
: {{hanging indent |text=[[Peerage of Scotland]] (''Scottish titles created before 1707; some later sat in the House of Lords, with all gaining seats from 1964 to 1999'')}}
: {{hanging indent |text=[[List of Scottish representative peers]] (''elected Scottish peers in the House of Lords from 1707 to 1963'')}}
: {{hanging indent |text=[[Jacobite peerage]] (''titles granted by exiled Stuart monarchs (1689–1766) in opposition to the British and Irish peerage systems'')}}

{{hanging indent |text='''🇬🇧 Peerages of Great Britain and Ireland (1707–1801)'''}}
: {{hanging indent |text=[[Peerage of Great Britain]] (''titles created in the Kingdom of Great Britain between 1707 and 1800'')}}
: {{hanging indent |text=[[Peerage of Ireland]] (''Irish titles created before 1920; held seats in the Irish House of Lords until 1801, with some later sitting in the UK House of Lords'')}}
: {{hanging indent |text=[[List of Irish representative peers]] (''elected Irish peers in the House of Lords from 1801 to 1922'')}}

{{hanging indent |text=🏛 '''Peerages of the United Kingdom (1801–Present)'''}}
: {{hanging indent |text=[[Peerages in the United Kingdom]] (''titles created since 1801 in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland – renamed the UK of Great Britain and Northern Ireland after 1921'')}}
: {{hanging indent |text=[[List of life peerages|Life Peerages Act 1958]] (''established non-hereditary life peerages in the House of Lords'')}}
: {{hanging indent |text=[[List of law life peerages|Appellate Jurisdiction Act 1876]] (''created judicial life peers for the House of Lords'')}}
: {{hanging indent |text=[[List of spiritual peers]] (Bishops in the House of Lords as Lords Spiritual'')}}

{{hanging indent |text=📜'''Other Peerage-Related Topics'''}}
: {{hanging indent |text=[[Peerage Act 1963]] (''allowed hereditary peers to disclaim their titles for life; ended Scottish representative peers'')}}
: {{hanging indent |text=[[History of the British peerage]] (''development and evolution of the peerage system'')}}
: {{hanging indent |text=[[Peerage of Britain and Ireland by date]] (''chronological list of peerage creations'')}}
: {{hanging indent |text=[[List of British Jewish nobility and gentry]] (''Jewish peers, baronets, and gentry in the UK'')}}
: {{hanging indent |text=[[Courtesy titles in the United Kingdom]] (''honorific titles used by heirs of peers'')}}
: {{hanging indent |text=[[List of courtesy titles in the peerages of Britain and Ireland]] (''specific courtesy titles and their holders'')}}

{{hanging indent |text='''[[Channel Islands]]''' [[File:Flag_of_the_Channel_Islands_1.png|20px]]}}
{{hanging indent |text=(''not part of the United Kingdom, but [[Crown Dependencies]]'')}}
:: {{hanging indent |text=[[Bailiwick of Jersey]] [[File:Flag_of_Jersey.svg|20px]] (''seigneurs, but no peerage system'')}}
:: {{hanging indent |text=[[Bailiwick of Guernsey]] [[File:Flag_of_Guernsey.svg|20px]] (''seigneurs, but no peerage system'')}}
:::[[Alderney]] [[File:Flag_of_Alderney.svg|20px]]
:::[[Guernsey]] [[File:Flag_of_Guernsey.svg|20px]]
:::[[Herm]]	[[File:Flag_of_Herm.svg|20px]]
:::[[Sark]] [[File:Flag_of_Sark.svg|20px]]

{{hanging indent |text='''Other Crown Dependencies'''}}
::{{hanging indent |text=[[Cornwall]] [[File:Flag_of_Cornwall.svg|20px]] (''Duchy of Cornwall, but no separate peerage'')}}
::{{hanging indent |text=[[Isle of Man]] [[File:Flag_of_the_Isle_of_Mann.svg|20px]] (''Lord of Mann, no separate peerage'')}}
:::{{hanging indent |text=Order of precedence in the Isle of Man}}

{{hanging indent |text=<big>'''{{font color |green | Peerages in the [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]]}}'''</big>}}
{{hanging indent |text='''Peerages in the [[Australia]]''' [[File:Flag_of_Australia_(converted).svg|20px]]}}
: [[Australian peers and baronets]]
: [[Australian knights and dames]]
: [[Order of the Thistle]]
: [[Table of precedence for the Commonwealth of Australia]]
: [[Order of Australia]] (''established February 14, 1975)

{{hanging indent |text='''Peerages in the [[Canada]]''' [[File:Flag_of_Canada.svg|20px]]}}
: [[Canadian peers and baronets]]
: [[Canadian titles debate]]

:: {{hanging indent |text='''Peerages in the [[British Columbia]]''' [[File:Flag_of_British_Columbia.svg|20px]]}}
:::[[Order of precedence in British Columbia]]

:: {{hanging indent |text='''Peerages in the [[Newfoundland and Labrador]]''' [[File:Flag_of_Newfoundland_and_Labrador.svg|20px]]}}
:::[[Order of precedence in Newfoundland and Labrador]]

{{hanging indent |text='''Peerages in the [[New Zealand]]''' [[File:Flag_of_New_Zealand.svg|20px]]}}
: [[New Zealand royal honours system]]
: [[Orders, decorations, and medals of New Zealand]]
: [[New Zealand Order of Merit]] (''established May 30, 1996'')
: [[New Zealand royal honours system]]

{{hanging indent |text=<big>'''{{font color |green | Lists of Titles and Holders}}'''</big>}}
{{hanging indent |text='''Dukes and Dukedoms'''}}
: [[Royal dukedoms in the United Kingdom]]
: [[Dukes in the United Kingdom]]
: [[List of dukes in the peerages of Britain and Ireland]]
: [[List of dukedoms in the peerages of Britain and Ireland]]
: {{section link|Earls, Marquises and Dukes in the Baronage of Scotland|List of Marquisates and Dukedoms in the Baronage of Scotland}}

{{hanging indent |text='''Marquesses and Marquessates'''}}
: [[Marquesses in the United Kingdom]]
:: {{hanging indent |text='''Britain and Ireland'''}}
::: [[List of marquesses in the peerages of Britain and Ireland]]
::: [[List of marquessates in the peerages of Britain and Ireland]]
:: {{hanging indent |text='''Scotland'''}}
::: {{section link|Earls, Marquises and Dukes in the Baronage of Scotland|List of Marquisates and Dukedoms in the Baronage of Scotland}}
::: [[:Category:Marquessates in the Peerage of Scotland]]

{{hanging indent |text='''Earls and Earldoms'''}}
: [[List of earls in the peerages of Britain and Ireland]]
: [[List of earldoms]]

:: {{hanging indent |text='''Scotland'''}}
::: {{section link|Earls, Marquises and Dukes in the Baronage of Scotland|List of Earldoms in the Baronage of Scotland}}

{{hanging indent |text='''Viscounts and Viscountcies'''}}
: [[List of viscounts in the peerages of Britain and Ireland]]
: [[List of viscountcies in the peerages of Britain and Ireland]]

{{hanging indent |text='''Barons, Lords of Parliament, and Baronetcies'''}}
: [[List of barons in the peerages of Britain and Ireland]]
: [[List of hereditary baronies in the Peerage of the United Kingdom]]
: [[List of baronies in the Peerage of England]]
: [[List of baronies in the peerages of Britain and Ireland]]
: [[List of life peerages]]
: [[List of lordships of Parliament]]
: [[List of peers 1790–1799]]
: [[List of peerages created for women]]
: [[List of peerages inherited by women]]
: [[Standing Council of the Baronetage]]

:: {{hanging indent |text='''Scotland'''}}
::: [[Baronage of Scotland]]
::: [[Lords in the Baronage of Scotland]]

{{hanging indent |text='''Dormant, Extinct, and Forfeited Peerages'''}}
: [[:Category:Dormant peerages]]
: [[List of extinct baronetcies]]
: [[:Category:Extinct dukedoms in the Peerage of England]]
: [[:Category:Extinct baronies]]
: [[:Category:Extinct dukedoms]]
: [[:Category:Extinct earldoms]]
: [[:Category:Extinct marquessates]]
: [[:Category:Extinct viscountcies]]
: [[:Category:Forfeited peerages]]
: [[:Category:Forfeited earldoms in the Peerage of England]]

{{hanging indent |text='''Legal Aspects of the Peerage'''}}
: [[Peerage law]]
: [[Baronies created by error]]
: [[Cash-for-Honours scandal]]
: [[False titles of nobility]]
: [[Titles Deprivation Act 1917]]

{{hanging indent |text='''Fictional Nobility'''}}
: [[List of fictional nobility]]

{{hanging indent |text=<big>'''{{font color |green | Reference Works and Databases}}'''</big>}}
: ''[[Burke's Peerage]]''
: {{hanging indent |text=''[[Burke's Landed Gentry]]'' (1833; 1st ed.) – by [[John Burke (genealogist)|John Burke]] (1786–1848).}}
: {{hanging indent |text=''[[The Complete Peerage]]'' (1887–1898) – In 8 Vols. by [[George Edward Cokayne]] (1825–1911).}}
: {{hanging indent |text=''[[Noblesse Oblige (book)|Noblesse Oblige]]'' (1956) – An anthology of four essays.}}
: {{hanging indent |text=''[[Debrett's]]'' – [[John Debrett]] (1753–1822), compiler and publisher of  ''The New Peerage'' in 1769.}}
: {{hanging indent |text=''[[International Register of Arms]]'', formerly ''Burke's Peerage & Gentry International Register of Arms''}}
: [[The Scots Peerage]]
: [[Roll of the Peerage]]

{{refend}}

==See also==
{{Wikiquote}}
* [[Baronage]]
* {{Lang|fr|[[Pairie]]}}, French equivalent of the English word "peerage"
{{Nobility by nation}}

[[Category:Peerage| ]]
[[Category:Broad-concept articles]]
[[Category:Nobility]]