Hereditary peer

This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (February 2024) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Part of a series on
Peerages in the United Kingdom
Ranks Duke / Duchess Marquess / Marchioness Earl / Countess Viscount / Viscountess Baron / Baroness (in Scotland, replaced by Lord / Lady of Parliament)
Types Hereditary Life Representative
Divisions England Scotland Great Britain Ireland United Kingdom
Topics Nobility History Privileges Robes Courtesy titles (list) Forms of address Family seat Territorial designation
Related Peerages Welsh Jacobite Australia Canada India
House of Lords
Politics portal United Kingdom portal
v t e

The hereditary peers form part of the peerage in the United Kingdom. As of November 2024, there are 801 hereditary peers: 30 dukes (including six royal dukes), 34 marquesses, 189 earls, 109 viscounts, and 439 barons (not counting subsidiary titles).

As a result of the Peerage Act 1963, all peers except those in the peerage of Ireland were entitled to sit in the House of Lords. Since the House of Lords Act 1999 came into force only 92 hereditary peers, elected from all hereditary peers, are permitted to do so, unless they are also life peers.^[1] Peers are called to the House of Lords with a writ of summons.

Not all hereditary titles are titles of the peerage. For instance, baronets and baronetesses may pass on their titles, but they are not peers. Conversely, the holder of a non-hereditary title may belong to the peerage, as with life peers. Peerages may be created by means of letters patent, but the granting of new hereditary peerages has largely dwindled; only seven hereditary peerages have been created since 1965, four of them for members of the British royal family. The most recent grant of a hereditary peerage was in 2019 for the youngest child of Elizabeth II, Prince Edward, who was created Earl of Forfar; the most recent grant of a hereditary peerage to a non-royal was in 1984 for former Prime Minister Harold Macmillan, who was created Earl of Stockton with the subsidiary title of Viscount Macmillan.