List of dukedoms in the peerages of Britain and Ireland

This article lists all dukedoms, extant, extinct, dormant, abeyant, or forfeit, in the peerages of England, Scotland, Great Britain, Ireland and the United Kingdom.

Introduction of dukedoms into England

Edward III of England created the first three dukedoms of England (Cornwall, Lancaster, and Clarence). His eldest son, Edward, the Black Prince, was created Duke of Cornwall, the first English Duke, in 1337. Two weeks after the Prince's death the dukedom was recreated for his 9-year-old son Richard of Bordeaux, who would eventually succeed his grandfather as Richard II. The Dukes of Cornwall are not numbered as part of their style.

The second dukedom was originally given to Henry of Grosmont, 1st Duke of Lancaster, but upon his death was re-created for the 3rd son of Edward III, John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster. On that same day Edward III also created a dukedom for his second son, Lionel of Antwerp, 1st Duke of Clarence. When Richard II reached majority, he created dukedoms for his last two uncles on the same day: Edmund of Langley, 1st Duke of York, and Thomas of Woodstock, 1st Duke of Gloucester.

Originally, dukedoms were created for those who had royal blood, either by descent or marriage (see below, list of surnames). By the end of the Middle Ages, traditionally marked by the Battle of Bosworth Field on 22 August 1485, a total of 31 dukedoms (with 16 distinct titles) had been created; yet only those of Cornwall, Lancaster and Suffolk remained. The Duchy of Cornwall was permanently associated with the heir apparent, and the Duchy of Lancaster became Crown property.

The first Duke of Norfolk had died in the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485. Three decades later the Dukedom of Norfolk was restored to his son by Henry VIII. Thus when Elizabeth I came to power the only living duke was Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk. Elizabeth did not create any dukes, and she had Thomas Howard beheaded at the age of 36 for plotting to wed Mary, Queen of Scots and overthrow her. By 1572, this class of peerage was extinct, and there were no dukes in the last 30 years of her reign. The extant dukedoms in the Peerage of England were all created (or restored, in the cases of Norfolk and Somerset) in the Stuart period, beginning with James I's re-creation of the dukedom of Buckingham in 1623 for George Villiers.

With the possible exception of the Duchy of Cornwall and the Duchy of Lancaster (which come with great territories attached), all ducal titles in England have been created and held by royal patent or charter, and not by tenure. As a result, the rules of succession to a ducal title are usually explicitly laid out in the patent, and are not necessarily consistent, nor do they coincide with common inheritance laws on property. For instance, an heir does not usually inherit the ducal title by virtue of being the heir of the last holder, but by virtue of descent from the first person to whom the title was given, so a full-blood daughter of a duke may be superseded by a half-blood male relative who can prove direct descent from the first holder.

Dukedoms in the Peerage of England, 1337–1707

English title CreationGranteeSurnameCurrent status NotesMonarchCornwallEdward of WoodstockPlantagenet (originally)ExtantHeld by the eldest living son of the monarch who is also heir-apparent to the throne; title currently held by William, Prince of Wales. See also Duchy of Cornwall.Edward IIILancasterHenry of GrosmontPlantagenetExtinct —ClarenceLionel of AntwerpPlantagenetExtinct —LancasterJohn of GauntPlantagenetMerged in crown The Sovereign is occasionally styled as Duke of Lancaster, regardless of gender. See also Duchy of Lancaster. CornwallRichard of BordeauxPlantagenetMerged in crown Distinct from the 1337 creation, as the holder was not the eldest son of the monarchYorkEdmund of LangleyPlantagenetMerged in crown Forfeit 1415–1425; November 1459 – 7 October 1460Richard IIGloucesterThomas of WoodstockPlantagenetForfeit —IrelandRobertVereForfeit Creation for life only.HerefordHenry of BolingbrokePlantagenetMerged in crown —Albemarle (Aumale)Edward of NorwichPlantagenetDeprived of title Also Earl of Rutland from 1390 and Duke of York from 1402ExeterJohnHollandDeprived of title Descendant of Edmund of Woodstock, earl of Kent, son of Edward I.SurreyThomasHollandForfeit Descendant of Edmund of Woodstock, earl of Kent, son of Edward I.NorfolkThomasMowbrayExtinct Title not in use 1399–1425. Descendant in female line of Thomas of Brotherton, Earl of Norfolk, son of Edward I.NorfolkMargaretPlantagenetExtinct For life onlyLancasterHenry of MonmouthPlantagenetMerged in crown Also Duke of CornwallHenry IVClarenceThomas of LancasterPlantagenetExtinct —BedfordJohn of LancasterPlantagenetExtinct —Henry VGloucesterHumphrey of LancasterPlantagenetExtinct —ExeterThomasBeaufort (Plantagenet)Extinct Son of John of Gaunt, grandson of Edward III.ExeterJohnHollandForfeit Descendant of Edmund of Woodstock, earl of Kent, son of Edward I.Henry VISomersetJohnBeaufort (Plantagenet)Extinct Descended from son of John of Gaunt, grandson of Edward III.BuckinghamHumphreyStaffordForfeit Also forfeit 2 November 1483 – November 1485 Descendant of Anne of Gloucester, the daughter of Thomas of Woodstock, youngest son of Edward III.WarwickHenryBeauchampExtinct —SomersetEdmundBeaufort (Plantagenet)Forfeit Also forfeit 1461–1463 Descended from son of John of Gaunt, grandson of Edward III.SuffolkWilliamde la PoleSurrendered Forfeit 1450–1463. Married Elizabeth of York, sister of Edward IV and Richard III.ClarenceGeorgePlantagenetForfeit —Edward IVGloucesterRichardPlantagenetMerged in crown —BedfordGeorgeNevilleDeprived of title Intended husband of Elizabeth of York, daughter of Edward IV.YorkRichard of ShrewsburyPlantagenetExtinct Also Duke of Norfolk from 1477NorfolkRichard of ShrewsburyPlantagenetExtinct Also Duke of YorkBedfordGeorgePlantagenetExtinct —NorfolkJohnHoward, Fitzalan-HowardExtantTitle forfeit 22 August 1485 – 1 February 1514,27 January 1547 – October 1553,2 June 1572 – September 1660. Descendant in female line of Thomas of Brotherton, Earl of Norfolk, son of Edward I.Richard IIIBedfordJasperTudorExtinct —Henry VIIYorkHenryTudorMerged in crown Also Duke of Cornwall from 1502SomersetEdmundTudorExtinct —SuffolkCharlesBrandonExtinct Husband of Mary Tudor, sister of Henry VIII and former Queen of France.Henry VIIIRichmond and SomersetHenryFitzroyExtinct Illegitimate son of Henry VIII.SomersetEdwardSeymourExtantForfeit 22 January 1552 – 13 September 1660. Maternal uncle of Edward VI.Edward VINorthumberlandJohnDudleyForfeit —SuffolkHenryGreyForfeit Married Lady Frances Brandon, daughter of Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk and Mary Tudor, sister of Henry VIII.YorkCharlesStuartMerged in crown Also Duke of Albany in Scotland and Duke of Cornwall and Rothesay from 1612James IRichmondLudovicStuartExtinct —BuckinghamGeorgeVilliersExtinct —RichmondJamesStuartExtinct —Charles ICumberlandPrince Rupert of the RhineNone (royal prince) (Wittelsbach)Extinct Created for Prince Rupert of the RhineYorkJamesStuartMerged in crown —DudleyAliceDudleyExtinct For life onlyGloucesterHenryStuartExtinct —Charles IIAlbemarleGeorgeMonckExtinct —MonmouthJamesScott (illegitimate Stuart)Forfeit —CambridgeJamesStuartExtinct —Newcastle (upon Tyne)WilliamCavendishExtinct —KendalCharlesStuartExtinct —CambridgeEdgarStuartExtinct —ClevelandBarbaraVilliers, Fitzroy (illegitimate Stuart)Extinct Also Duke of Southampton from 1709PortsmouthLouisePenancoët de KérouailleExtinct For life onlyRichmondCharlesLennox (illegitimate Stuart)ExtantAlso Duke of Gordon in the United Kingdom from 1876 and Duke of Lennox in ScotlandSouthamptonCharlesFitzroy (illegitimate Stuart)Extinct Also Duke of Cleveland from 1709GraftonHenryFitzroy (illegitimate Stuart)Extant—OrmondeJamesButlerForfeit Also Duke of Ormonde in IrelandBeaufortHenrySomerset (illegitimate Plantagenet)ExtantDescended from John of Gaunt, son of Edward III via house of Beaufort.NorthumberlandGeorgeFitzroy (illegitimate Stuart)Extinct —St AlbansCharlesBeauclerk (illegitimate Stuart)Extant—Berwick-upon-TweedJamesFitzjames (illegitimate Stuart)UnclearIt was long thought that the title was forfeit sometime around 1695, but there is no evidence of an attainder. If there was not one, the title is extant and held by the Dukes of Peñaranda del Duero.James IICumberlandPrince GeorgeOldenburgExtinct —William III and Mary IIBoltonCharlesPauletExtinct —SchombergFrederickSchombergExtinct Also Duke of Leinster in Ireland from 1691ShrewsburyCharlesTalbotExtinct —LeedsThomasOsborneExtinct —BedfordWilliamRussellExtant—DevonshireWilliamCavendishExtant—Newcastle (upon Tyne)JohnHollesExtinct —MarlboroughJohnChurchill, Spencer, Spencer-ChurchillExtant—AnneBuckingham and NormanbyJohnSheffieldExtinct —RutlandJohnMannersExtant—MontaguRalphMontaguExtinct —CambridgeGeorgeHanoverMerged in crown Also Duke of Cornwall and Rothesay from 1714 (continues below Scotland as Dukedoms of Great Britain)

Dukedoms in the Peerage of Scotland, 1398–1707

Scottish title CreationSurnameCurrent status NotesMonarchRothesayStuart (originally)ExtantHeld by eldest son of the monarch who is also heir-apparent; thus also Duke of Cornwall since 1603Robert IIIAlbanyStuartForfeit —Albany abtStuartExtinct Forfeit 1479–1482, 1483–1514James IIRossStuartExtinct —James IIIMontroseLindsayExtinct Deprived of title 1488–1489, title for life from 1489RossStuartExtinct Alexander Stewart was styled Duke of Ross, but never formally created a peer.James VAlbanyStuartExtinct Arthur Stewart was styled Duke of Albany, but never formally created a peerAlbanyStuartMerged in crown —Mary IOrkneyHepburnForfeit —LennoxStuartExtinct Also Duke of Richmond in England from 1623 until 1624 and from 1641; sat in the English House of Lords as Earl of Richmond 1613–1623 and as Earl of March 1624–1641James VIAlbanyStuartMerged in crown Also Duke of York in England from 1605 and Duke of Rothesay from 1612Kintyre and LorneStuartExtinct —HamiltonHamilton, Douglas-HamiltonExtantAlso Duke of Brandon in Great Britain from 1711; sat in the English House of Lords as Earl of Cambridge in the Peerage of England 1643–1651 and in the British House of Lords as Duke of Brandon in the Peerage of Great Britain 1782–1963Charles IHamiltonDouglas (Hamilton)Extinct For life only; husband of the suo jure Duchess of HamiltonCharles IIAlbanyStuartMerged in crown Also Duke of York in EnglandBuccleuchScottForfeit Also Duke of Monmouth in EnglandBuccleuchScott, Montagu-Douglas-ScottExtantAlso Duke of Queensberry from 1810; sat in the House of Lords as Earl of Doncaster in the Peerage of England 1743–1963LauderdaleMaitlandExtinct  LennoxLennoxExtantAlso Duke of Gordon in the United Kingdom from 1876 and Duke of Richmond in EnglandRothesLeslieExtinct —GordonGordonExtinct Sat in the House of Lords as Earl of Norwich in the Peerage of Great Britain 1784–1836QueensberryDouglas, Montagu-Douglas ScottExtantAlso Duke of Dover in Great Britain from 1708 until 1778 and Duke of Buccleuch from 1810ArgyllCampbellExtantAlso Duke of Greenwich in Great Britain from 1718 until 1743 and Duke of Argyll in the United Kingdom from 1892; sat in the House of Lords as Earl of Greenwich 1705–1743, and as Baron Sundridge 1782–1892William IIDouglasDouglasExtinct Created for the Marquess of DouglasAnneAthollMurrayExtantSat in the House of Lords as Earl Strange 1786–1957MontroseGrahamExtantSat in the House of Lords as Earl Graham 1782–1963RoxburgheKerExtantDormant 22 October 1805 – 11 May 1812; Sat in the House of Lords as Earl Ker 1782–1804 and as Earl Innes 1837–1963

Dukedoms in the Peerage of Great Britain, 1707–1801