Peerage

A peerage is a legal system historically comprising various hereditary titles (and sometimes non-hereditary titles) in a number of countries, and composed of assorted noble ranks.

It also mean body of peers or titled nobility in Britain. The five ranks of British nobility, in descending order, are duke, marquess, earl (see count), viscount, and baron. Until 1999, peers were entitled to sit in the House of Lords and exempted from jury duty. Titles may be hereditary or granted for life.

Peerages include:

Australia

Australian peers

Belgium

Belgian nobility

Canada

China

Chinese nobility

France

Japan

Portugal

Chamber of Most Worthy Peers

Spain

United Kingdom

Great Britain and Ireland

Peerages in the United Kingdom
- Hereditary peer, holders of titles which can be inherited by an heir
- Life peer, members of the peerage of the United Kingdom whose titles cannot be inherited
- Peerage of England, holders of English titles created before 1707
- Peerage of Great Britain, holders of titles created in the Kingdom of Great Britain between 1707 and 1800
- Peerage of Ireland, holders of Irish titles created by the Crown before 1920, until 1801 carrying a seat in the Irish House of Lords, some of whom later sat in the House of Lords at Westminster
- Peerage of Scotland, holders of Scottish titles created before 1707, some of whom later sat in the House of Lords, all of them having a seat there from 1964 to 1999
- Peerage of the United Kingdom, holders of most titles created since 1801 in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (renamed United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland after 1921)
- Representative peers, holders of Scottish and Irish peerages who represented their peer-groups in the House of Lords at Westminster
- Welsh peers and baronets, holders of various titles with a Welsh territorial connection
List of dukedoms in the peerages of Britain and Ireland
Jacobite peerage, titles created following the deposition of King James II and VII from the thrones of England, Ireland, and Scotland

Lists of peers

Dukes: see List of dukes in the peerages of Britain and Ireland
Marquesses: see List of marquesses in the peerages of Britain and Ireland
Earls: see List of earls in the peerages of Britain and Ireland
Viscounts: see List of viscounts in the peerages of Britain and Ireland
Barons: see List of barons in the peerages of Britain and Ireland
Female peerages: see List of peerages created for women and List of peerages inherited by women