# 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.

## 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

| Date | Title | Recipient | Current status | Notes |
| 1397 | Duchess of Norfolk Peerage of England | Margaret, 2nd Countess of Norfolk | Extinct on death of recipient 24 March 1399. | For life only. |

## Henry VIII

| Date | Title | Recipient | Current status | Notes |
| 1512 | Countess of Salisbury Peerage of England | Margaret Pole | Forfeited upon arrest for treason in May 1539. | First cousin once-removed of Henry VIII (first cousin to Henry's mother, Elizabeth of York). |
| 1532 | Lady Marquess of Pembroke Peerage of England | Anne Boleyn | Uncertain: 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

| Date | Title | Recipient | Current status | Notes |
| 1618 | Countess of Buckingham Peerage of England | Mary, Lady Villiers | Extinct on death of recipient 1632. | For life only. |
| 29 July 1620 | Baroness Offaly | Lettice Digby | Extant, as a subsidiary title of the Duke of Leinster. | Granddaughter of the 1st Baron Offaly of the first creation. |
| 8 July 1623 | Viscountess Maidstone | Elizabeth, Lady Finch | Extant, as a subsidiary title of the Earl of Winchilsea. | |

## Charles I

| Date | Title | Recipient | Current status | Notes |
| 29 February 1628 | Lady Cramond Peerage of Scotland | Elizabeth, Lady Richardson | Extinct 1735. | |
| 12 July 1628 | Countess of Winchilsea Peerage of England | Elizabeth, 1st Viscountess Maidstone | Extant |
| 12 September 1640 | Baroness Stafford Peerage of England | Mary (Stafford) Howard | Extinct 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 creation |
| 1641 | Countess Rivers Peerage of England | Elizabeth, Viscountess Savage | Extinct 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 1644 | Duchess of Dudley Peerage of England | Alice, Lady Dudley | Extinct on death of recipient 1668. | For life only. Wife of Robert Dudley, styled Earl of Warwick. |

## Charles II

| Date | Title | Recipient | Current status | Notes |
| 29 May 1660 | Countess of Chesterfield Peerage of England | Katherine Stanhope, Lady Stanhope | Extinct on death of recipient, 9 April 1667. | For life only. For service. |
| 1660 | Countess of Guilford Peerage of England | Elizabeth Boyle, Viscountess Boyle | Extinct on death of recipient, 1667. | For life only. |
| 20 April 1663 | Duchess of Buccleuch Peerage of Scotland | Anne Scott, 4th Countess of Buccleuch | Extant. | On the occasion of her marriage to James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth. |
| 1663 | Baroness Lucas, of Crudwell, in the County of Wiltshire Peerage of England | Mary Grey, Countess of Kent | Extant. | Daughter of John, 1st Baron Lucas. |
| June 1667 | Duchess of Cleveland, Countess of Southampton, and Baroness Nonsuch, of Nonsuch Park Peerage of England | Barbara Palmer, Countess of Castlemaine | Extinct 1774. | Mistress of Charles II. |
| 19 August 1673 | Duchess of Portsmouth, Countess of Fareham, and Baroness Petersfield Peerage of England | Louise de Kérouaille | Extinct on death of recipient 14 November 1734. | For life only. Mistress of Charles II. |
| 1674 | Baroness Belasyse Peerage of England | Susan Belasyse | Extinct on death of the recipient in 1713. | For life only. |
| 1674 | Viscountess Bayning Peerage of England | Anne Murray | Extinct on death of recipient 1678. | For life only. |
| 1679 | Viscountess Corbet | Sarah Corbet | Extinct on death of recipient 1682. | For life only. |
| 1680 | Countess of Sheppey | Elizabeth Lennard | Extinct on death of recipient 1686. | For life only. |

## James II

| Date | Title | Recipient | Current status | Notes |
| 1686 | Countess of Dorchester Baroness Darlington | Catherine Sedley | Extinct on death of recipient 26 October 1717 | For life only. Mistress of James II. |
| 5 October 1688 | Countess of Stafford | Mary Howard, Baroness Stafford | Extinct on death of recipient, 1693. | For life only. Wife of William Howard, 1st Viscount Stafford, executed 1680. |
| 13 December 1688 | Baroness Shelburne | Elizabeth, Lady Petty | Extinct on death of recipient, February 1708. | For life only. |

## George I

| Date | Title | Recipient | Current status | Notes |
| 1 January 1715 | Countess Granville Viscountess Carteret | Grace Granville Carteret | Extinct 1776. | Daughter of John Granville, 1st Earl of Bath. |
| 18 July 1716 | Duchess of Munster Marchioness of Dungannon Countess of Dungannon Baroness Dundalk | Melusine von der Schulenburg | All titles extinct on death of recipient, 10 May 1743. | For life only. Mistress and unofficial wife of George I. |
| 19 March 1719 | Duchess of Kendal Countess of Feversham Baroness Glastonbury | Melusine von der Schulenburg | All titles extinct on death of recipient, 10 May 1743. | For life only. Mistress and unofficial wife of George I. |
| 1721 | Countess of Leinster | Countess Sophia von Platen | Extinct on death of recipient 20 April 1725. | For life only. Half-sister of George I. |
| 6 April 1722 | Countess of Darlington Baroness Brentford | Countess Sophia von Platen | Extinct on death of recipient 20 April 1725. | For life only. Half-sister of George I. |
| 7 April 1722 | Countess of Walsingham | Melusina von der Schulenburg | Extinct on death of recipient 16 September 1778. | For life only. Illegitimate daughter of George I. |

## George II

| Date | Title | Recipient | Current status | Notes |
| 24 March 1740 | Countess of Yarmouth | Amalie von Wallmoden | Extinct on death of recipient, 19 October 1765. | For life only. Mistress of George II. |
| 1746 | Viscountess Grandison | Elizabeth Mason | Extinct 1800. | Daughter of John Villiers, 1st Earl Grandison. |
| 18 October 1749 | Countess Temple | Hester Grenville, 2nd Viscountess Cobham | Extinct 26 March 1889. | |
| 1 August 1758 | Countess of Brandon | Ellis Agar Bourke Bermingham | Extinct on death of recipient, 11 March 1789 | For life only. |
| 21 May 1760 | Baroness Stawell | Mary Bilson-Legge | Extinct 1820. | Daughter of the 4th Baron Stawell who could not inherit his title. |

## George III

| Date | Title | Recipient | Current status | Notes |
| 3 April 1761 | Baroness Mount Stuart | Mary Stuart, Countess of Bute | Extant, as a subsidiary title of the Marquess of Bute. | Wife of the Earl of Bute, soon to become prime minister. |
| 4 December 1761 | Baroness Chatham | Lady Hester Pitt | Extinct 24 September 1835. | Wife of William Pitt the Elder, the recently resigned Leader of the House of Commons. |
| 6 May 1762 | Baroness Holland | Lady Caroline Fox | Extinct 18 December 1859. | Wife of Henry Fox, then Leader of the House of Commons. |
| 1766 | Viscountess Langford Baroness Summerhill | Elizabeth Rowley | Extinct 1796. | |
| 1767 | Countess Grandison Viscountess Villiers | Elizabeth Mason, Viscountess Grandison | Extinct 1800. | |
| 19 August 1767 | Baroness Greenwich | Lady Caroline Townshend | Extinct on death of recipient 11 January 1794. | Daughter of John Campbell, 1st Duke of Greenwich. |
| 1770 | Baroness Arden | Catherine Perceval, Countess of Egmont | Extinct 2011. | |
| 20 May 1776 | Baroness Hamilton of Hameldon | Elizabeth Campbell, Duchess of Argyll | Extant, as a subsidiary title of the Duke of Argyll. | |
| 1783 | Baroness Donoughmore | Christiana Hely-Hutchinson | Extant, as a subsidiary title of the Earl of Donoughmore. | |
| 1783 | Countess of Longford | Elizabeth Pakenham | Extant | |
| 1790 | Baroness Oriel of Collon | Margaretta Amelia Foster | Extant, as a subsidiary title of the Viscount Massereene. | |
| 1792 | Baroness Waterpark | Sarah, Lady Cavendish | Extant | |
| 13 June 1792 | Baroness Fermanagh | Mary Verney | Extinct on death of recipient 15 November 1810. | Granddaughter of Ralph Verney, 1st Earl Verney. |
| 26 July 1792 | Baroness Bath | Laura Pulteney | Extinct on death of recipient, 14 July 1808. | |
| 1793 | Countess of Wicklow | Alice, Viscountess Wicklow | Extinct 1983. | Widow of Ralph Howard, 1st Viscount Wicklow. |
| 27 March 1795 | Baroness Hood | Susanna Hood | Extant, as a subsidiary title of the Viscount Hood. | |
| 1795 | Baroness Kilwarden | Anne Wolfe | Extinct 1830. | |
| 1 December 1797 | Baroness Crofton | Anne, Lady Crofton | Extant | In place of her husband, Sir Edward Crofton, 2nd Baronet, who died 30 September 1797. |
| 1797 | Viscountess Ferrard | Margaretta, 1st Baroness Oriel | Extant | |
| 1797 | Baroness Norwood | Grace Toler | Extant, as a subsidiary title of the Earl of Norbury | |
| 1798 | Baroness ffrench | Rose, Lady ffrench | Extant | For her son, Sir Thomas ffrench, who later inherited the title. |
| 31 July 1800 | Baroness Dufferin and Claneboye | Dorcas, Lady Blackwood | Extant | In place of her late husband, Sir John Blackwood, 2nd Baronet, d. 27 February 1799. |
| 1800 | Baroness Nugent | Mary Nugent-Temple-Grenville | Extinct 1850. | |
| 1800 | Baroness Newcomen | Charlotte Gleadowe-Newcomen | Extinct 1825. | In place of her husband, Sir William Gleadowe-Newcomen, 1st Baronet. |
| 28 May 1801 | Baroness Abercromby | Mary, Lady Abercromby | Extinct 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 Sandys | Mary Hill, Marchioness of Downshire | Extant, as a subsidiary title of the Marquess of Downshire. | |
| 1803 | Viscountess Newcomen | Charlotte Gleadowe-Newcomen, 1st Baroness Newcomen | Extinct 1825. | In place of her husband, Sir William Gleadowe-Newcomen, 1st Baronet. |
| 26 October 1803 | Countess of Bath | Laura, 1st Baroness Bath | Extinct upon death of recipient, 14 July 1808. | |
| 25 October 1816 | Countess de Grey | Amabel Hume-Campbell, 5th Baroness Lucas | Extinct 1923. | |

## George IV

| Date | Title | Recipient | Current status | Notes |
| 18 July 1821 | Baroness Rayleigh | Lady Charlotte Strutt | Extant | In place of her husband, Joseph Strutt MP, who refused a peerage. |
| 27 June 1826 | Baroness FitzGerald and Vesey | Catherine Vesey | Extinct 20 March 1860. | |
| 22 January 1828 | Viscountess Canning | Joan Scott Canning | Extinct 17 June 1862. | In place of her husband George Canning, Prime Minister, who died in office 8 August 1827. |

## William IV

| Date | Title | Recipient | Current status | Notes |
| 28 May 1831 | Baroness Talbot of Malahide | Margaret Talbot | Extant | |
| 3 June 1834 | Baroness Wenman | Sophia Wykeham | Extinct upon death of recipient 1870. | |
| 22 January 1836 | Baroness Stratheden | The Hon. Mary, Lady Campbell | Extant | Wife of Sir John Campbell. |

## Victoria

| Date | Title | Recipient | Current status | Notes |
| 10 April 1840 | Duchess of Inverness | Lady Cecilia Underwood | Extinct upon death of recipient 1 August 1873. | Illegally married to Prince Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex. |
| 21 October 1861 | Countess of Cromartie Viscountess Tarbat Baroness Castlehaven Baroness Macleod | Anne, Duchess of Sutherland | Extant | Descendant of George Mackenzie, 3rd Earl of Cromartie. |
| 27 April 1864 | Baroness Buckhurst | Elizabeth, Countess De La Warr | Extant, as a subsidiary title of the Earl De La Warr. | Daughter of John Sackville, 3rd Duke of Dorset and 9th Baron Buckhurst. |
| 30 November 1868 | Viscountess Beaconsfield | Mary Anne Disraeli | Extinct upon death of recipient, 15 December 1872. | Placeholder for her husband Benjamin Disraeli, who remained in the House of Commons. |
| 9 June 1871 | Baroness Burdett-Coutts | Angela Burdett-Coutts | Extinct upon death of recipient, 30 December 1906. | For service. |
| 23 April 1880 | Baroness Bolsover | Augusta Cavendish-Bentinck | Extinct 21 March 1977. | In place of her deceased husband Lieutenant-General Arthur Cavendish-Bentinck. |
| 14 August 1891 | Baroness Macdonald of Earnscliffe | Agnes, Lady Macdonald | Extinct on death of recipient, 5 September 1920. | In place of her husband, Sir John A. Macdonald, who died in office as Prime Minister of Canada 6 June 1891. |
| 11 November 1891 | Viscountess Hambleden | Emily Danvers Smith | Extant | In place of her husband, William Henry Smith, who died in office as Leader of the House of Commons 6 October 1891. |
| 2 August 1899 | Baroness Dorchester | Henrietta Carleton | Extinct 20 January 1963. | Daughter of 3rd Baron Dorchester who could not inherit his title. |

## George V

| Date | Title | Title | Recipient | Current status | Notes |
| 8 May 1928 | | Countess Cave of Richmond | Anne Cave, Viscountess Cave | Extinct upon death of recipient 1938. | In place of her husband, George Cave, 1st Viscount Cave, who died 29 March 1928, the day of his resignation as Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain. |

## George VI

| Date | Title | Title | Recipient | Current status | Notes |
| 6 May 1943 | | Viscountess Daventry | Muriel FitzRoy | Extant | In place of her husband, Edward FitzRoy, who died in office as Speaker of the House of Commons 3 March 1943. |