List of peerages created for women

This is a list of peerages created for women in the peerages of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain, or the United Kingdom. It does not include peerages created for men which were later inherited by women, or life peerages created since 1958 under the Life Peerages Act 1958 or under the Appellate Jurisdiction Act 1876.

Background Prior to the regular creation of life peerages, the great majority of peerages were created for men. Suo jure peeresses are known from an early period; however, most of them were women to whom a peerage had passed as an inheritance. It was very rare for a woman to be created a peeress before the 17th century. Peeresses of the first creation were not allowed to sit in the House of Lords until the passage of the Life Peerages Act 1958. Female holders of hereditary peerages could not sit in the Lords until the passage of the Peerage Act 1963. In some, but not all cases, peeresses of first creation were created for life only.

Created peeresses fall into the following categories:

Created for merit or achievement Having a father who was a peer, but who under the terms of the peerage could not pass the peerage to his daughter. Such an event could create the anomalous situation of commoners holding important lands and estates traditionally associated with lordship. Closely connected to a reigning monarch (including many royal mistresses) Created to honour a relative, including: As a posthumous honour for a dead husband, often one who would have received a peerage if he had not died To honour a husband who was living, but could not or would not accept a peerage in his own right (for instance if he wanted to retain his seat in the elected Commons) To confer nobility upon the peeress's children, again often in recognition of the achievement of a husband

The peerages are listed chronologically, divided by the monarch who created them.

Richard II DateTitleRecipientCurrent statusNotes1397Duchess of NorfolkMargaret, 2nd Countess of NorfolkExtinct on death of recipient 24 March 1399.For life only.

Henry VIII DateTitleRecipientCurrent statusNotes1512Countess of SalisburyMargaret PoleForfeited upon arrest for treason in May 1539.First cousin once-removed of Henry VIII (first cousin to Henry's mother, Elizabeth of York).1532Lady Marquess of PembrokeAnne BoleynUncertain: either forfeited upon conviction for treason 15 May 1536, or extinct upon her death on 19 May 1536.Second wife of Henry VIII.

James I DateTitleRecipientCurrent statusNotes1618Countess of BuckinghamMary, Lady VilliersExtinct on death of recipient 1632.For life only.29 July 1620 Baroness OffalyLettice DigbyExtant, as a subsidiary title of the Duke of Leinster.Granddaughter of the 1st Baron Offaly of the first creation.8 July 1623 Viscountess MaidstoneElizabeth, Lady FinchExtant, as a subsidiary title of the Earl of Winchilsea.

Charles I DateTitleRecipientCurrent statusNotes29 February 1628Lady CramondElizabeth, Lady RichardsonExtinct 1735.12 July 1628Countess of WinchilseaElizabeth, 1st Viscountess MaidstoneExtant12 September 1640Baroness StaffordMary (Stafford) HowardExtinct on death of recipient 1693.For life only. Sister of the 5th Baron Stafford of the fourth creation and wife of the 1st Baron Stafford of the fifth creation1641Countess RiversElizabeth, Viscountess SavageExtinct on death of recipient, 9 March 1650.For life only. Daughter of the 1st Earl Rivers of the second creation who could not inherit his title.23 May 1644Duchess of DudleyAlice, Lady DudleyExtinct on death of recipient 1668.For life only. Wife of Robert Dudley, styled Earl of Warwick.

Charles II DateTitleRecipientCurrent statusNotes29 May 1660Countess of ChesterfieldKatherine Stanhope, Lady StanhopeExtinct on death of recipient, 9 April 1667.For life only. For service. 1660Countess of GuilfordElizabeth Boyle, Viscountess BoyleExtinct on death of recipient, 1667.For life only. 20 April 1663Duchess of BuccleuchAnne Scott, 4th Countess of BuccleuchExtant.On the occasion of her marriage to James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth.1663Baroness Lucas, of Crudwell, in the County of WiltshireMary Grey, Countess of KentExtant.Daughter of John, 1st Baron Lucas.June 1667Duchess of Cleveland, Countess of Southampton, and Baroness Nonsuch, of Nonsuch ParkBarbara Palmer, Countess of CastlemaineExtinct 1774.Mistress of Charles II.19 August 1673Duchess of Portsmouth, Countess of Fareham, and Baroness PetersfieldLouise de KérouailleExtinct on death of recipient 14 November 1734.For life only. Mistress of Charles II. 1674Baroness BelasyseSusan BelasyseExtinct on death of the recipient in 1713.For life only.1674Viscountess BayningAnne MurrayExtinct on death of recipient 1678.For life only.1679Viscountess CorbetSarah CorbetExtinct on death of recipient 1682.For life only.1680Countess of SheppeyElizabeth LennardExtinct on death of recipient 1686.For life only.

James II DateTitleRecipientCurrent statusNotes1686 Countess of DorchesterBaroness DarlingtonCatherine SedleyExtinct on death of recipient 26 October 1717For life only. Mistress of James II.5 October 1688 Countess of StaffordMary Howard, Baroness StaffordExtinct on death of recipient, 1693.For life only. Wife of William Howard, 1st Viscount Stafford, executed 1680.13 December 1688 Baroness ShelburneElizabeth, Lady PettyExtinct on death of recipient, February 1708.For life only.

George I DateTitleRecipientCurrent statusNotes1 January 1715 Countess GranvilleViscountess CarteretGrace Granville CarteretExtinct 1776.Daughter of John Granville, 1st Earl of Bath.18 July 1716 Duchess of MunsterMarchioness of DungannonCountess of DungannonBaroness DundalkMelusine von der SchulenburgAll titles extinct on death of recipient, 10 May 1743.For life only. Mistress and unofficial wife of George I. 19 March 1719 Duchess of KendalCountess of FevershamBaroness Glastonbury1721 Countess of LeinsterCountess Sophia von Platen Extinct on death of recipient 20 April 1725.For life only. Half-sister of George I.6 April 1722 Countess of DarlingtonBaroness Brentford7 April 1722 Countess of WalsinghamMelusina von der SchulenburgExtinct on death of recipient 16 September 1778.For life only. Illegitimate daughter of George I.

George II DateTitleRecipientCurrent statusNotes24 March 1740 Countess of YarmouthAmalie von WallmodenExtinct on death of recipient, 19 October 1765.For life only. Mistress of George II. 1746 Viscountess GrandisonElizabeth MasonExtinct 1800.Daughter of John Villiers, 1st Earl Grandison.18 October 1749 Countess TempleHester Grenville, 2nd Viscountess CobhamExtinct 26 March 1889.1 August 1758 Countess of BrandonEllis Agar Bourke BerminghamExtinct on death of recipient, 11 March 1789For life only.21 May 1760 Baroness StawellMary Bilson-LeggeExtinct 1820.Daughter of the 4th Baron Stawell who could not inherit his title.

George III DateTitleRecipientCurrent statusNotes3 April 1761 Baroness Mount StuartMary Stuart, Countess of ButeExtant, as a subsidiary title of the Marquess of Bute.Wife of the Earl of Bute, soon to become prime minister.4 December 1761 Baroness ChathamLady Hester PittExtinct 24 September 1835.Wife of William Pitt the Elder, the recently resigned Leader of the House of Commons.6 May 1762 Baroness HollandLady Caroline FoxExtinct 18 December 1859.Wife of Henry Fox, then Leader of the House of Commons. 1766 Viscountess LangfordBaroness SummerhillElizabeth RowleyExtinct 1796.1767 Countess Grandison Viscountess VilliersElizabeth Mason, Viscountess GrandisonExtinct 1800.19 August 1767 Baroness GreenwichLady Caroline TownshendExtinct on death of recipient 11 January 1794.Daughter of John Campbell, 1st Duke of Greenwich.1770 Baroness ArdenCatherine Perceval, Countess of EgmontExtinct 2011.20 May 1776 Baroness Hamilton of HameldonElizabeth Campbell, Duchess of ArgyllExtant, as a subsidiary title of the Duke of Argyll.1783 Baroness DonoughmoreChristiana Hely-HutchinsonExtant, as a subsidiary title of the Earl of Donoughmore.1783 Countess of LongfordElizabeth PakenhamExtant1790 Baroness Oriel of CollonMargaretta Amelia FosterExtant, as a subsidiary title of the Viscount Massereene.1792 Baroness WaterparkSarah, Lady CavendishExtant13 June 1792 Baroness FermanaghMary VerneyExtinct on death of recipient 15 November 1810.Granddaughter of Ralph Verney, 1st Earl Verney.26 July 1792 Baroness BathLaura PulteneyExtinct on death of recipient, 14 July 1808.1793 Countess of WicklowAlice, Viscountess WicklowExtinct 1983.Widow of Ralph Howard, 1st Viscount Wicklow.27 March 1795 Baroness HoodSusanna HoodExtant, as a subsidiary title of the Viscount Hood.1795 Baroness KilwardenAnne WolfeExtinct 1830.1 December 1797 Baroness CroftonAnne, Lady CroftonExtantIn place of her husband, Sir Edward Crofton, 2nd Baronet, who died 30 September 1797.1797 Viscountess FerrardMargaretta, 1st Baroness OrielExtant1797 Baroness NorwoodGrace TolerExtant, as a subsidiary title of the Earl of Norbury1798 Baroness ffrenchRose, Lady ffrenchExtantFor her son, Sir Thomas ffrench, who later inherited the title. 31 July 1800 Baroness Dufferin and ClaneboyeDorcas, Lady BlackwoodExtantIn place of her late husband, Sir John Blackwood, 2nd Baronet, d. 27 February 1799.1800 Baroness NugentMary Nugent-Temple-GrenvilleExtinct 1850.1800 Baroness NewcomenCharlotte Gleadowe-NewcomenExtinct 1825.In place of her husband, Sir William Gleadowe-Newcomen, 1st Baronet.28 May 1801 Baroness AbercrombyMary, Lady AbercrombyExtinct 1924.In place of her husband Lieutenant-General Sir Ralph Abercromby, who died 28 March 1801 following the Battle of Alexandria.19 June 1802 Baroness SandysMary Hill, Marchioness of DownshireExtant, as a subsidiary title of the Marquess of Downshire.1803 Viscountess NewcomenCharlotte, 1st Baroness NewcomenExtinct 1825.In place of her husband, Sir William Gleadowe-Newcomen, 1st Baronet.26 October 1803 Countess of BathLaura, 1st Baroness BathExtinct upon death of recipient, 14 July 1808.25 October 1816 Countess de GreyAmabel Hume-Campbell, 5th Baroness LucasExtinct 1923.

George IV DateTitleRecipientCurrent statusNotes18 July 1821 Baroness RayleighLady Charlotte StruttExtantIn place of her husband, Joseph Strutt MP, who refused a peerage. 27 June 1826 Baroness FitzGerald and VeseyCatherine VeseyExtinct 20 March 1860.22 January 1828 Viscountess CanningJoan Scott CanningExtinct 17 June 1862.In place of her husband George Canning, Prime Minister, who died in office 8 August 1827.

William IV DateTitleRecipientCurrent statusNotes28 May 1831 Baroness Talbot of MalahideMargaret TalbotExtant3 June 1834 Baroness WenmanSophia WykehamExtinct upon death of recipient 1870.22 January 1836 Baroness StrathedenThe Hon. Mary, Lady CampbellExtantWife of Sir John Campbell.

Victoria