The five ranks of the British peerage, from highest to lowest, are Duke, Marquess, Earl, Viscount and Baron. Below the peerage sit Baronets and Knights, who hold honours with the title Sir but are not peers. Across continental Europe the order runs Prince, Duke, Marquis, Count, Viscount and Baron. Japan used the same five-rank structure in its former kazoku peerage from 1884 to 1947.
Noble titles in order: the British peerage
| Rank | Female title | Form of address |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Duke | Duchess | Your Grace |
| 2. Marquess | Marchioness | My Lord / My Lady |
| 3. Earl | Countess | My Lord / My Lady |
| 4. Viscount | Viscountess | My Lord / My Lady |
| 5. Baron | Baroness | My Lord / My Lady |
| Baronet (not a peer) | Baronetess (rare) | Sir |
| Knight (not a peer) | Dame | Sir / Dame |
1. Duke and Duchess
Duke is the highest rank of the British peerage. The first English dukedom was created in 1337, when Edward III made his son Edward, the Black Prince, Duke of Cornwall. A duke is addressed as Your Grace. The British monarch holds the title Duke of Lancaster.
2. Marquess and Marchioness
Marquess ranks second. The title was introduced to England in 1385, when Robert de Vere was created Marquess of Dublin. Historically a marquess guarded the marches, the border lands of a kingdom, which is where the name comes from.
3. Earl and Countess
Earl is the oldest rank in the English peerage, descended from the Anglo-Saxon eorl and the Scandinavian jarl. Earl is the British equivalent of the continental Count, which is why the wife of an earl is a Countess. Former Prime Minister Harold Macmillan was created Earl of Stockton in 1984.
4. Viscount and Viscountess
Viscount ranks fourth. The first English viscountcy was created in 1440 for John Beaumont, Viscount Beaumont. The name comes from the Latin vicecomes, the deputy of a count.
5. Baron and Baroness
Baron is the lowest rank of the peerage and the most numerous. Barons held land from the Crown after the Norman Conquest of 1066, and the first baron created by letters patent was John Beauchamp of Holt in 1387. Most life peers created under the Life Peerages Act 1958 sit in the House of Lords as barons or baronesses.
Below the peerage: Baronets and Knights
A baronetcy is a hereditary honour created by James I in 1611. A baronet is addressed as Sir but is not a peer and has never sat in the House of Lords. A knighthood is a personal honour that is not inherited. Knights are addressed as Sir and their female equivalents as Dame.
Is Lord a rank?
In the British system, Lord is a form of address rather than a separate rank. Marquesses, earls, viscounts and barons are all addressed as Lord. A Lord of the Manor holds a manorial title, which is a historic property right and not a title of nobility. Read more about peerage titles, how the peerage system works and how to address people with noble titles.
Noble ranks in continental Europe
Continental European nobility follows a similar order, with Prince at the top in many countries. The table shows the main equivalents.
| English | French | German | Spanish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prince | Prince | Fürst | Príncipe |
| Duke | Duc | Herzog | Duque |
| Marquis | Marquis | Markgraf | Marqués |
| Count | Comte | Graf | Conde |
| Viscount | Vicomte | (not used) | Vizconde |
| Baron | Baron | Freiherr | Barón |
| Knight | Chevalier | Ritter | Caballero |
Germany abolished the nobility as a legal class in 1919 under the Weimar Constitution, and former titles became part of the family surname. Spain still grants titles of nobility through the Crown.
Japanese noble ranks: the kazoku
Japan created the kazoku peerage in 1869 and set out five ranks in the Peerage Act of 1884: kōshaku (公爵, Prince or Duke), kōshaku (侯爵, Marquis), hakushaku (伯爵, Count), shishaku (子爵, Viscount) and danshaku (男爵, Baron). The 1947 Constitution of Japan abolished the kazoku.
Noble titles of the Principality of Sealand
The Principality of Sealand was founded on 2 September 1967 by Prince Roy Bates on HM Fort Roughs, a fortress in Sealand territorial waters in the central North Sea, with England to the west. Sovereign Prince Michael of Sealand launched the Noble Title initiative in 2007 to fund and safeguard the Principality. Sealand awards four Noble Titles and one knighthood:
- Lord or Lady of Sealand, the entry Noble Title
- Baron or Baroness of Sealand
- Count or Countess of Sealand
- Duke or Duchess of Sealand, the highest Noble Title
- Sir or Dame of Sealand, a knighthood in the Sovereign Military Order of Sealand, formed after the attempted takeover of 1978 and opened to the public by Royal Decree in 2012
Sealand's Noble Title holders include Baron Ed Sheeran, Lord Ben Stokes and Duke Nas Daily. Every title comes with a Deed of Title, and Premium packs are signed by Sovereign Prince Michael. A Sealand Noble Title is awarded under Sealand law and is not a title of the United Kingdom or any other country. Compare all Sealand Noble Titles.
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest noble title?
Duke is the highest rank of nobility in the British peerage. In many continental European countries, Prince ranks above Duke.
What is the lowest noble title?
Baron is the lowest rank of the British peerage. Baronets and Knights rank below barons but are not peers.
Is a Duke higher than a Marquess?
Yes. Duke is the first rank of the peerage and Marquess the second, so a duke always outranks a marquess.
Is a Marquess higher than an Earl or Count?
Yes. Marquess ranks second and Earl, the British equivalent of Count, ranks third.
Is a Count higher than an Earl?
Count and Earl are the same rank. Count is used in continental Europe and Earl in Britain, and the female title for both is Countess.
Is a Viscount higher than a Baron?
Yes. Viscount is the fourth rank of the peerage and Baron the fifth.
Is a Count higher than a Baron?
Yes. Count, or Earl in Britain, is the third rank and Baron the fifth, with Viscount between them.
What is the difference between a Baron and a Baronet?
A baron is a peer, the fifth rank of the peerage. A baronet holds a hereditary honour created in 1611, is addressed as Sir and is not a peer.
Is a knight a member of the nobility?
A knight is not a peer. A knighthood is a personal honour that is not inherited.
Can you buy a British noble title?
No. The Honours (Prevention of Abuses) Act 1925 makes it a criminal offence to sell British honours or titles. Read why English titles cannot be bought.
