How many peers hold the Peerage of England as of 2025?
As of September 2025, there are 93 English peers: 11 dukes (including one royal duke), one marquess, 26 earls, three viscounts, and 52 barons.
Questions about Peerage of England
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Why was the Peerage of England closed to new creations after 1707?
The Act of Union in 1707 merged England and Scotland into Great Britain, at which point both the Peerage of England and the Peerage of Scotland were closed to new creations. New peers were thereafter created in the single Peerage of Great Britain.
What are the five ranks of the Peerage of England in order?
The five ranks, in descending order, are duke, marquess, earl, viscount, and baron. Some peerages, particularly older baronies, can descend through female heirs as well as male heirs.
When did English peeresses first get seats in the House of Lords?
English peeresses obtained their first seats in the House of Lords under the Peerage Act 1963. All Peers of England could sit in the Lords from that date until the passage of the House of Lords Act 1999.
What is the oldest surviving barony in the Peerage of England?
The Baron de Ros and the Baron le Despencer are the oldest surviving baronies, both created in 1264. The Baron Mowbray, created in 1283, is the next oldest still in existence.
Are baronets part of the Peerage of England?
No. Baronets hold hereditary titles but are not peers and are not entitled to stand for election in the House of Lords. Knights, dames, and holders of other non-hereditary orders are also not peers.