List of dukedoms in the peerages of Britain and Ireland


This page 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

created the first three dukedoms of England. 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. By the end of the Middle Ages, traditionally marked by the Battle of Bosworth Field on 22 August 1485, a total of 31 dukedoms 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 beheaded Thomas Howard 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 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, 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

DukedomDate of creationGranteeSurnameCurrent statusNotes
CornwallEdward of WoodstockPlantagenet ExtantHeld by the eldest living son of the monarch who is also heir-apparent to the throne; title currently held by Charles, Prince of Wales. Also includes the Duchy of Cornwall.
LancasterHenry 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 monarch
YorkEdmund of LangleyPlantagenetMerged in crown Forfeit 1415-1425; November 1459-7 October 1460
GloucesterThomas of WoodstockPlantagenetForfeit
IrelandRobertVereForfeit Creation for life only.
HerefordHenry of BolingbrokePlantagenetMerged in crown
AumaleEdward of NorwichPlantagenetDeprived of title Also Earl of Rutland from 1390 and Duke of York from 1402
ExeterJohnHollandDeprived 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 to 1425. Descendant in female line of Thomas of Brotherton, Earl of Norfolk, son of Edward I.
NorfolkMargaretPlantagenetExtinct For life only
LancasterHenry of MonmouthPlantagenetMerged in crown Also Duke of Cornwall
ClarenceThomas of LancasterPlantagenetExtinct
BedfordJohn of LancasterPlantagenetExtinct
GloucesterHumphrey of LancasterPlantagenetExtinct
ExeterThomasBeaufort Extinct Son of John of Gaunt, grandson of Edward III.
ExeterJohnHollandForfeit Descendant of Edmund of Woodstock, earl of Kent, son of Edward I.
SomersetJohnBeaufort Extinct Descended from son of John of Gaunt, grandson of Edward III.
BuckinghamHumphreyStaffordForfeit Also forfeit 2 November 1483-November 1485 Descendant of daughter of Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, youngest son of Edward III.
WarwickHenryBeauchampExtinct
SomersetEdmundBeaufort 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
GloucesterRichardPlantagenetMerged in crown
BedfordGeorgeNevilleDeprived of title Intended husband of Elizabeth of York, daughter of Edward IV.
YorkRichard of ShrewsburyPlantagenetExtinct Also Duke of Norfolk from 1477
NorfolkRichard of ShrewsburyPlantagenetExtinct Also Duke of York
BedfordGeorgePlantagenetExtinct
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.
BedfordJasperTudorExtinct
YorkHenryTudorMerged in crown Also Duke of Cornwall from 1502
SomersetEdmundTudorExtinct
SuffolkCharlesBrandonExtinct Husband of Mary Tudor, sister of Henry VIII and former Queen of France.
Richmond and SomersetHenryFitzroyExtinct Illegitimate son of Henry VIII.
SomersetEdwardSeymourExtantForfeit 22 January 1552-13 September 1660. Maternal uncle of Edward VI.
NorthumberlandJohnDudleyForfeit
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 from 1612
RichmondLudovicStuartExtinct
BuckinghamGeorgeVilliersExtinct
RichmondJamesStuartExtinct
CumberlandPrince Rupert of the RhineNone Extinct Created for Prince Rupert of the Rhine
YorkJamesStuartMerged in crown
DudleyAliceDudleyExtinct For life only
GloucesterHenryStuartExtinct
AlbemarleGeorgeMonckExtinct
MonmouthJamesScott Forfeit
CambridgeJamesStuartExtinct
Newcastle upon TyneWilliamCavendishExtinct
KendalCharlesStuartExtinct
CambridgeEdgarStuartExtinct
ClevelandBarbaraVilliers, Fitzroy Extinct Also Duke of Southampton from 1709
PortsmouthLouisePenancoët de KérouailleExtinct For life only
RichmondCharlesLennox ExtantAlso Duke of Gordon in the United Kingdom from 1876 and Duke of Lennox in Scotland
SouthamptonCharlesFitzroy Extinct Also Duke of Cleveland from 1709
GraftonHenryFitzroy Extant
OrmondeJamesButlerForfeit Also Duke of Ormonde in Ireland
BeaufortHenrySomerset ExtantDescended from John of Gaunt, son of Edward III via house of Beaufort.
NorthumberlandGeorgeFitzroy Extinct
St AlbansCharlesBeauclerk Extant
Berwick-upon-TweedJamesFitzjames 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.
CumberlandPrince GeorgeOldenburgExtinct
BoltonCharlesPauletExtinct
SchombergFrederickSchombergExtinct Also Duke of Leinster in Ireland from 1691
ShrewsburyCharlesTalbotExtinct
LeedsThomasOsborneExtinct
BedfordWilliamRussellExtant
DevonshireWilliamCavendishExtant
Newcastle upon TyneJohnHollesExtinct
MarlboroughJohnChurchill, Spencer, Spencer-ChurchillExtant
Buckingham and NormanbyJohnSheffieldExtinct
RutlandJohnMannersExtant
MontaguRalphMontaguExtinct
CambridgeGeorgeHanoverMerged in crown Also Duke of Cornwall from 1714

Dukedoms in the Peerage of Scotland, 1398–1707

TitleDate of CreationSurnameCurrent StatusNotes
RothesayStuartExtantHeld by eldest son of the monarch who is also heir-apparent; thus also Duke of Cornwall since 1603
AlbanyStuartForfeit
Albany abtStuartExtinct Forfeit 1479-1482, 1483–1514
RossStuartExtinct
MontroseLindsayExtinct Deprived of title 1488-1489, title for life from 1489
RossStuartExtinct Alexander Stewart was styled Duke of Ross, but never formally created a peer
AlbanyStuartExtinct Arthur Stewart was styled Duke of Albany, but never formally created a peer
AlbanyStuartMerged in crown
OrkneyHepburnForfeit
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 1624-1641
AlbanyStuartMerged in crown Also Duke of York in England from 1605 and Duke of Rothesay from 1612
Kintyre 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 1782-1963
HamiltonDouglas Extinct For life only; husband of the suo jure Duchess of Hamilton
AlbanyStuartMerged in crown Also Duke of York in England
BuccleuchScottForfeit Also Duke of Monmouth in England
BuccleuchScott, Montagu-Douglas-ScottExtantAlso Duke of Queensberry from 1810; sat in the House of Lords as Earl of Doncaster in the Peerage of England 1743-1963
LauderdaleMaitlandExtinct
LennoxLennoxExtantAlso Duke of Gordon in the United Kingdom from 1876 and Duke of Richmond in England
RothesLeslieExtinct
GordonGordonExtinct Sat in the House of Lords as Earl of Norwich in the Peerage of Great Britain 1784-1836
QueensberryDouglas, Montagu-Douglas ScottExtantAlso Duke of Dover in Great Britain from 1708 until 1778 and Duke of Buccleuch from 1810
ArgyllCampbellExtantAlso 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 1782-1892
DouglasDouglasExtinct Created for the Marquess of Douglas
AthollMurrayExtantSat in the House of Lords as Earl Strange 1786-1957
MontroseGrahamExtantSat in the House of Lords as Earl Graham 1782-1963
RoxburgheKerExtantDormant 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

TitleDate of CreationGranteeSurnameCurrent StatusNotes
DoverJames Douglas, Duke of QueensberryDouglasExtinct Also Duke of Queensberry in Scotland
KentHenry Grey, Marquess of KentGreyExtinct
BrandonJames Hamilton, Duke of HamiltonDouglas-HamiltonExtantAlso Duke of Hamilton in Scotland
Ancaster and KestevenRobert Bertie, Marquess of LindseyBertieExtinct
Kingston-upon-HullEvelyn Pierrepont, Marquess of DorchesterPierrepontExtinct
Newcastle upon TyneThomas Pelham-Holles, Earl of ClarePelham-HollesExtinct Also Duke of Newcastle-under-Lyne from 1757
York and AlbanyErnest Augustus, Prince-Bishop of OsnabrückHanoverExtinct
PortlandHenry Bentinck, Earl of PortlandBentinckExtinct
WhartonPhilip Wharton, Marquess of WhartonWhartonExtinct
KendalMelusine von der Schulenburg, Duchess of MunsterSchulenburgExtinct Also Duchess of Munster in Ireland, peerage for life only
GreenwichJohn Campbell, Duke of ArgyllCampbellExtinct Also Duke of Argyll in Scotland
ManchesterCharles Montagu, Earl of ManchesterMontaguExtant
ChandosJames Brydges, Earl of CarnarvonBrydgesExtinct
DorsetLionel Cranfield Sackville, Earl of DorsetSackvilleExtinct
BridgewaterScroop Egerton, Earl of BridgewaterEgertonExtinct
EdinburghPrince Frederick LouisHanoverMerged in crown Also Duke of Cornwall from 1727 to 1751
CumberlandPrince Ernest AugustusHanoverExtinct
Newcastle-under-LyneThomas Pelham-Holles, Duke of Newcastle upon TynePelham-Holles, Pelham-ClintonExtinct Also Duke of Newcastle upon Tyne until 1768
York and AlbanyPrince Edward AugustusHanoverExtinct
Gloucester and EdinburghPrince William HenryHanoverExtinct
NorthumberlandHugh Percy, Earl of NorthumberlandPercyExtant
Cumberland and StrathearnPrince Henry FrederickHanoverExtinct
MontaguGeorge Montagu, Earl of CardiganMontaguExtinct
York and AlbanyPrince Frederick AugustusHanoverExtinct
Clarence and St AndrewsPrince William HenryHanoverMerged in crown
Kent and StrathearnPrince Edward AugustusHanoverExtinct
Cumberland and TeviotdalePrince Ernest AugustusHanoverSuspended

Dukedoms in the Peerage of Ireland, 1661–1868

DukedomDate of CreationGranteeSurnameCurrent StatusNotes
OrmondeJames Butler, Marquess of OrmondeButlerExtinct Also Duke of Ormonde in England until 1715; the title was generally considered forfeit after 1715, and the third duke, brother of the attainted second duke, who held the title after 1745, did not use it.
LeinsterLord Meinhardt SchombergSchombergExtinct Also Duke of Schomberg in England from 1693
MunsterEhrengard Melusine von der SchulenburgSchulenbergExtinct Also Duchess of Kendal in Great Britain from 1719
LeinsterJames FitzGerald, Marquess of KildareFitzGeraldExtantSat in the British House of Lords as Viscount Leinster 1747-1999
AbercornJames Hamilton, Marquess of AbercornHamiltonExtantSat in the House of Lords as Marquess of Abercorn 1868-1999

Dukedoms in the Peerage of the United Kingdom, 1801–present

DukedomDate of CreationGranteeSurnameCurrent StatusNotesRef.
SussexPrince Augustus FrederickHanoverExtinct
CambridgePrince AdolphusHanoverExtinct
WellingtonArthur Wellesley, Marquess of WellingtonWellesleyExtant
Buckingham and ChandosRichard Temple-Nugent-Brydges-Chandos-Grenville, Marquess of BuckinghamTemple-Nugent-Brydges-Chandos-GrenvilleExtinct
SutherlandGeorge Leveson-Gower, Marquess of StaffordLeveson-Gower; Sutherland-Leveson-Gower; EgertonExtant
ClevelandWilliam Vane, Marquess of ClevelandVane; PowlettExtinct
InvernessCecilia UnderwoodUnderwoodExtinct Wife of The Duke of Sussex.
EdinburghPrince AlfredSaxe-Coburg and GothaExtinct
WestminsterHugh Grosvenor, Marquess of WestminsterGrosvenorExtant
Connaught and StrathearnPrince ArthurSaxe-Coburg and GothaExtinct
GordonCharles Gordon-Lennox, Duke of RichmondGordon-LennoxExtantAlso Duke of Richmond in England and Duke of Lennox in Scotland
AlbanyPrince LeopoldSaxe-Coburg and GothaSuspended
FifeAlexander Duff, Earl of FifeDuffExtinct Letters Patent contained the standard remainder "heirs male of his body". A re-creation in 1900 allowed the first Duke's daughters and their male issue to inherit.
Clarence and AvondalePrince Albert Victor of WalesSaxe-Coburg and GothaExtinct
ArgyllGeorge Campbell, Duke of ArgyllCampbellExtantAlso Duke of Argyll in Scotland
YorkPrince George of WalesSaxe-Coburg and GothaMerged in crown Also Duke of Cornwall from 1901
FifeAlexander Duff, Duke of FifeDuff; CarnegieExtant
YorkPrince AlbertWindsorMerged in crown
GloucesterPrince HenryWindsorExtant
KentPrince GeorgeWindsorExtant
WindsorPrince EdwardWindsorExtinct
EdinburghSir Philip MountbattenMountbattenExtant
YorkPrince AndrewWindsorExtant
CambridgePrince William of WalesWindsorExtant
Sussex19 May 2018Prince Henry of WalesWindsorExtant