The high sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown (prior to 1974 the office previously known as sheriff)."Sheriffs appointed for a county or Greater London shall be known as high sheriffs, and any reference in any enactment or instrument to a sheriff shall be construed accordingly in relation to sheriffs for a county or Greater London." () Formerly the high sheriff was the principal law enforcement officer in the county but over the centuries most of the responsibilities associated with the post have been transferred elsewhere or are now obsolete, so that its functions are now largely ceremonial. The high sheriff changes every March. The current High Sheriff is Jonathan Neame.

This is a list of high sheriffs of Kent. The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent Vol 1 (1797) Edward Halsted pp 177–213 from British History on line. List of Sheriffs to 1796 accessed 17 November 2007

11th century to 14th century DatesNamec. 1040–c. 1044Eadsigec. 1051–Robert of Jumièges?–1066Osward1067–1070Alain de Buckland (1045–1108)1070?–1077?Hugh de Port? (c1015–c1096) 1077–1100 Haimo1145Nicholas de Moels1154Rualon1155–1160Ralph Picot1161–1166Hugh of Dovor of Chilham1167Richard de Lucy1168–1174Gervase de Cornhill1175Gervase and Robert Fitz-Bernard1176–1183Robert Fitz-Bernard1184 William son of Nigel of Munevile1185–1188Allen of Valoynes of Fremomh1189–1193Reginald de Cornhill1194William of St Mardal1195Walter son of Derman1196–1209Reginald de Cornhill1210–1215John son of Unam of Selling and Reginald de Cornhill1216–1222Hubert de Burgh and Hugh of Windlesores of Warehorne1223–1225Hubert de Burgh and Roger Grimston1226–1231Hubert of Boroz and William Brito1232–1238Bertram of Cryall1239–1240Humphrey of Bohun Earl of Essex1241Peter of Subaudie and Bertram of Cryall1242Bertram of Cryall and John of Cobham1243–1247Bertram de Criol1248–1255Reginald of Cobham1256Walter of Bersted and Reginald of Cobham1257–1258Fulk Payferer of Iseling1259–1261John of Cobham1262Robert Walerand and Thomas Delaway.1263–1264Roger de Leybourne1265–1267Roger de Leybourne and Henry of Bourne1268–1270Stephen of Penchester of Allington Castle near Maidstone and Henry of Leese.1271–1272Henry Malmains of Pluckley, (died in office)1272–1273William of Hever of Hever CastleSheriffs in the time of Edward I at British History Online from Edward Hasted, General history: Sheriffs of Kent, in The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent: Volume 1 (Canterbury, 1797), pp. 177–213 (retrieved 13 June 2015 1273William Haute of Petham (remainder of year only)1274–1277William of Valoynes of Swerdlin and Repton1277Henry Perot of Knowlton (remainder of year only)1278–1281Robert of Scothon1282–1284Peter of Huntingfield of Iseling.1285Hamo of Gatton of Throwley1286–1288William of Chellesfield of Chelsfield1289–1290William of Bramshot1291John of Northwood in Milton near Sittingbourne1292John of Northwood and John of Bourne1293–1295John of Bourne1296–1297William Trussell1298Henry of Apuldorefield1299John of Northwood in Milton near Sittingbourne1300–1301Henry of Cobham of Rundal in Shorn1302–1303Warreis of Valloynes1304–1305John of Northwood in Milton near Sittingbourne1306William of Cossenton in Aylesford1307Henry of Cobham1308–1312John of Blunde1313–1314William of Basing & John the younger of Haudlo1315Henry of Cobham1316John Malemaines of Hoo1317John Malemaines of Hoo and John Fremingham1318John Fremingham and Henry Sarden1319Henry Sarden and William Septvans13201321–1322William Septvans of Milton and Ralph Savage1323John Shelvige of Shelvige Barne1324–1325John of Fremingham1326Ralph of St. Laurence of Swaycliffe1327William of Orlanston1328William of Orlanston replaced by John of Shelvige1329–1330Roger de Raynham replaced by John of Bourne1331–1332Thomas of Brockhall and Laurence of St. Laurence1333–1335Stephen of Cobham1336Thomas of Brockhall of Saltwood1337–1338William Morant of Morant's Court in Chevenning1339Henry of Valoynes of Repton in Ashford1340John de Mereworth of Mereworth1341John de Mereworth of Mereworth and John Widleston1342–1345John Widleston1346William of Langley of Knowlton1347John of Fremingham1348William Langley and Arnold Savage of Bobbing1349William Langley of Knowlton1350William Langley of Knowlton1351James Le Pine of East Sutton 1352William Apuldorefield of Linsted1353James le Pine of East Sutton 1354 Reginald de Dyke, of the Dykes family of Sussex.1355Gilbert of Hels of Egerton1356William of Apuldorefield of Linsted1357Ralph Fremingham of Fremingham1358William Makenade of Preston1359–1361William of Apuldorefield of Linsted1362William Pimpe of Nettlested1363William of Apuldorefield of Linsted1364–1366 Jeffrey Culpeper of Preston Hall, Aylesford.A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Extinct and Dormant Baronetcies of England Ireland and Scotland Burke and Burke (1838) pp 143–441367Richard at Leese of Shelwich1368John of Brockall of Saltwood1369John Culpeper of Bayhill, Pembury.1370William of Apuldorefeild of Linsted1371William Pimpe of Nettlested1372John Barry of Sevington1373 Jeffrey Culpeper of Preston Hall, Aylesford.1374Robert Nottingham of Milsted1375William Pimpe of Nettlested1376Nicholas at Crouch of Great Chart1377Henry of Apuldorefeild of Linsted1378Sir Thomas Cobham of Randall in Shorne and Allington Castle1379John of Freningham of Farningham, Loose and West Barming1380James of Peckham of Wrotham1381William Septuans of Milton Septuans1382Arnold Savage of Bobbing1383–1384Thomas Brockhill of Saltwood1385Robert Corbie of Boughton1386Arnold Savage of Bobbing1387Ralph St Leger of Ulcomb1388 William of Guildford1389James Peckham of Wrotham1390William Burcester of Hunton1391Richard Berham of Berham1392Thomas Chich of the Dungeon near Canterbury alias Thomas Chicche, of Balnerley or BalverleyPlea Rolls of the Court of Common Pleas; National Archives; CP 40./541; year 1396; http://aalt.law.uh.edu/AALT6/R2/CP40no541a/bCP40no541adorses/IMG_0425.htm; first entry. where his son Thomas is his administrator1393William Barry of Sevington1394John of Freningham of Farningham, Loose and West Barming1395Sir Thomas Culpeper of Bayhill, Pembury.1396Sir Nicholas Haute of Wadden Hall in Waltham1397Thomas St. Leger of Ulcomb1398Nicholas Potyn of Sheppey1399John Boteller of Graveney

15th century to 16th century