Editing Baronet

{{short description|Hereditary title awarded by the British Crown}}
{{Distinguish|Barony (county division)|Baronage|Baronette|}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2022}}
{{Use British English|date=December 2010}}
{{Royal and noble ranks}}
[[File:BaronetUK.jpg|thumb|right|190px|Neck decoration for baronets, depicting the [[Red Hand of Ulster]]]]
A '''baronet''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|b|æ|r|ə|n|ɪ|t}} or {{IPAc-en|ˈ|b|æ|r|ə|ˌ|n|ɛ|t}};<ref name="Collins 1">{{cite web|url=http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/baronet?showCookiePolicy=true|title=Baronet|access-date=23 September 2014|date=n.d.|publisher=Collins Dictionary}}</ref> abbreviated '''Bart''' or '''Bt'''<ref name="Collins 1"/>) or the female equivalent, a '''baronetess''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|b|æ|r|ə|n|ɪ|t|ɪ|s}},<ref name="Randome House 1">{{cite web|url=http://www.dictionary.com/browse/baronetess|title=Baronetess|publisher=Dictionary.com Unabridged|access-date=15 August 2016|date=n.d.}}</ref> {{IPAc-en|ˈ|b|æ|r|ə|n|ɪ|t|ɛ|s}},<ref name="OED 1">{{Cite OED|baronetess}}</ref> or {{IPAc-en|ˌ|b|æ|r|ə|ˈ|n|ɛ|t|ɛ|s}};<ref name="Collins 2">{{cite web|url=http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/baronetess?showCookiePolicy=true|title=Baronetess|publisher=Collins Dictionary|access-date=23 September 2014|date=n.d.}}</ref> abbreviation '''Btss'''), is the holder of a '''baronetcy''', a [[hereditary title]] awarded by the [[British Crown]]. The title of baronet is mentioned as early as the [[14th century]]; however, in its current usage it was created by [[James VI and I|James I of England]] in 1611 as a means of raising funds for the crown.

Baronets rank below [[baron]]s and above [[knight bachelor|knights bachelor]]. Like knights, they are addressed as "Sir" (or "Dame" in the case of baronetesses). They are conventionally seen to belong to the lesser nobility, although [[William Thoms]] wrote in 1844 that:
<blockquote>
The precise quality of this dignity is not yet fully determined, some holding it to be the head of the {{lang|la|nobiles minores}}, while others, again, rank Baronets as the lowest of the {{lang|la|nobiles majores}}, because their honour, like that of the higher nobility, is both hereditary and created by patent.<ref>William J. Thoms (1844). ''The Book of the Court'' (2nd edition). London: Henry G. Bohn, York Street, Covent Garden, p. 132</ref>
</blockquote>

Comparisons with continental titles and ranks are tenuous due to the British system of [[primogeniture]] and because claims to baronetcies must be proven; currently the [[Official Roll of the Baronetage]] is overseen by the [[Ministry of Justice (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Justice]]. In practice this means that the UK Peerage and Baronetage consists of about 1,200 families (some peers are also baronets), which is roughly less than 0.01% of UK families.

==History of the term==
The term ''baronet'' has medieval origins. [[Thomas de la Moore|Sir Thomas de La More]] (1322), describing the [[Battle of Boroughbridge]], mentioned that baronets took part, along with barons and knights.<ref>Stubbs, Vol. II, Part IV, p 303</ref> [[Edward III]] created eight baronets in 1328.

The title of baronet was initially conferred upon [[nobility|noblemen]] who lost the right of [[Hereditary peer#Writs of summons|individual summons to Parliament]], and was used in this sense in a [[statute]] of [[Richard II of England|Richard II]]. A similar title of lower rank was [[banneret]].

Present-day baronets date from 1611 when [[James VI and I|James I]] granted [[letters patent]] to 200 gentlemen of good birth with an income of at least £1,000 a year (equivalent to £{{formatnum:{{Inflation|UK|1000|1611|r=-3}}}} in {{Inflation-year|UK}}{{Inflation-fn|UK|df=y}}). In return for the honour, each was required to pay one pound a day for the upkeep of thirty soldiers for three years (1,095 days), thus amounting to £1,095 (equivalent to £{{formatnum:{{Inflation|UK|1095|1611|r=-3}}}} in {{Inflation-year|UK}}{{Inflation-fn|UK|df=y}}), in those days a very large sum. The money was to help fund the [[Plantation of Ulster]].<ref name="Curl2000">{{cite book |last1=Curl |first1=James Stevens |title=The Honourable the Irish Society and the Plantation of Ulster, 1608-2000: The City of London and the Colonisation of County Londonderry in the Province of Ulster in Ireland : a History and Critique |date=2000 |publisher=Phillimore |isbn=978-1-86077-136-1 |page=48 |language=en }}</ref> In 1619, James I established the [[Baronetage of Ireland]]; [[Charles I of England|Charles I]] in 1625 created the Baronetages of [[Baronetage of Scotland|Scotland]] and [[List of baronetcies in the Baronetage of Nova Scotia|Nova Scotia]]. The new baronets were each required to pay 2,000 [[Mark (currency)|marks]] (equivalent to £{{formatnum:{{Inflation|UK|2250|1625|r=-3}}}} in {{Inflation-year|UK}}{{Inflation-fn|UK|df=y}}), or to support six colonial settlers for two years. Over a hundred of these baronetcies, now familiarly known as Scottish baronetcies, survive to this day.

As a result of the [[Union of England and Scotland]] in 1707, all future creations were styled [[Baronetage of Great Britain|baronets of Great Britain]].  Following the Union of Great Britain and Ireland in 1801, new creations were styled as [[Baronetage of the United Kingdom|baronets of the United Kingdom]].

Under [[Warrant (law)|royal warrant]]s of 1612 and 1613, certain privileges were accorded to baronets. Firstly, no person or persons should have place between baronets and the younger sons of peers. Secondly, the right of [[knighthood]] was established for the eldest sons of baronets (this was later revoked by [[George IV]] in 1827), and thirdly, baronets were allowed to augment their armorial bearings with the [[Coat of arms|Arms]] of [[Ulster]] on an [[inescutcheon]]: "in a field Argent, a Hand [[gules|Geules]] (or a bloudy hand)". These privileges were extended to baronets of Ireland, and for baronets of Scotland the privilege of depicting the Arms of Nova Scotia as an augmentation of honour. The former applies to this day for all baronets of Great Britain and of the [[Baronetage of the United Kingdom|United Kingdom]] created subsequently.

==Conventions==
Like knights, baronets are accorded the style "[[Sir]]" before their first name. Baronetesses in their own right use "[[Dame (title)|Dame]]", also before their first name, while wives of baronets use "[[Lady]]" followed by the husband's (marital) surname only, this by longstanding courtesy. Wives of baronets are not baronetesses; only women holding baronetcies [[Suo jure|in their own right]] are so styled.

Unlike knighthoods&nbsp;– which apply to the recipient only&nbsp;– a baronetcy is hereditarily entailed. The eldest son of a baronet who is born [[Legitimacy (family law)|in wedlock]] succeeds to a baronetcy upon his father's death, but will not be officially recognised until his name is recognised by being placed on the Official Roll. With some exceptions granted with special remainder by letters patent, baronetcies descend through the male line.

A full list of extant baronets appears in ''[[Burke's Peerage and Baronetage]]'', which also published a record of extinct baronetcies.

A baronetcy is not a peerage; so baronets, like knights and junior members of peerage families, are [[commoner]]s and not [[Peer of the realm|peers of the realm]]. Originally, all first baronets were knighted. Baronets also had other rights, including the right to have the eldest son knighted on his 21st birthday. However, at the beginning of [[George IV]]'s reign, these rights were eroded by [[Order in Council|orders-in-council]] on the ground that sovereigns should not necessarily be bound by acts of their predecessors. Although never having been automatically entitled to heraldic [[supporter]]s, baronets who were also a Knight Grand Cross of a Crown order were allowed them in heredity in the first half of the 19th century.

Baronets of Scotland or Nova Scotia were allowed to augment their armorial bearings with the Arms of Nova Scotia and the privilege of wearing a neck badge signifying "of Nova Scotia", suspended by an orange-tawny ribbon. This consists of an [[Escutcheon (heraldry)|escutcheon]] argent with a [[saltire]] azure, an inescutcheon of the [[Royal Arms of Scotland]], with an Imperial Crown above the escutcheon, and encircled with the motto ''Fax Mentis Honestae Gloria''. This badge may be shown suspended by the ribbon below the escutcheon.

Baronets of England and Ireland applied to [[Charles I of England|King Charles I]] for permission to wear a badge. Although a badge was worn in the 17th century, it was not until 1929 that King [[George V]] granted permission for all baronets (other than those of Scotland) to wear badges.

===Addressing a baronet and the wife of a baronet===
A baronet is referred to and addressed as, for example, "Sir Joseph" (using his forename). The correct style on an envelope for a baronet who has no other titles is "Sir Joseph Bloggs, Bt." or "Sir Joseph Bloggs, Bart."  A formal letter would commence with the salutation "Dear Sir Joseph".

The wife of a baronet is addressed and referred to by her married surname, as "Lady Bloggs"; the salutation would be "Dear Lady Bloggs". Her given name is used only when necessary to distinguish between two holders of the same title. For example, if a baronet has died and the title has passed to his son, the widow (the new baronet's mother) will remain "Lady Bloggs" while he (the son) is not married, but if he is or becomes married, his wife becomes "Lady Bloggs" while his mother will be known by the style "Alice, Lady Bloggs". Alternatively, the mother may prefer to be known as "The [[Dowager]] Lady Bloggs". A previous wife will also become "Alice, Lady Bloggs" to distinguish her from the current wife of the incumbent baronet. She would not be "Lady Alice Bloggs", a style reserved for the daughters of dukes, marquesses and earls (and now Ladies Companion of the Garter and Ladies of the Thistle without higher styles).<ref>[http://www.debretts.com/forms-of-address/titles/baronet/family-of-a-baronet.aspx Debrett's Correct Form. Addressing the family of a Baronet.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110815141938/http://www.debretts.com/forms-of-address/titles/baronet/family-of-a-baronet.aspx |date=15 August 2011 }}</ref>

The children of a baronet are not entitled to the use of any [[courtesy title]]s.

===Baronetess===
In history, there have been only four baronetesses:

* [[Bolles baronets|Dame Mary Bolles, 1st Btss (née Witham)]] (1579–1662); the only woman apparently to be ''created'' a baronetess (of Nova Scotia)<ref>[https://archive.org/details/cu31924092524382 ''Cokayne's Complete Baronetage'']</ref>
* [[Eleanor Dalyell|Dame Eleanor Dalyell, 10th Btss]] (1895–1972), cr. 1685, whose title and estate of [[The Binns]] passed to her son, the former [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]] politician [[Tam Dalyell|Tam Dalyell <small>MP</small>]] (who chose not to use the title)
* [[Maureen Dunbar|Dame Daisy Dunbar, 8th Btss]] of Hempriggs (1906–1997), cr. 1706<ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20080501224846/http://www.leighrayment.com/baronetage/baronetsD3.htm Leigh Rayment's baronetage: Draper to Dymoke]}}</ref>
* [[Stirling-Maxwell baronets|Dame Anne Christian Maxwell Macdonald, 11th Btss]] (née Stirling-Maxwel; 1906–2011) was recognised by the [[Lyon Court]] in 2005 as 11th holder of the baronetcy (formerly Stirling-Maxwel/Stirling-Maxwell) under the 1707 remainder and succeeded her father in 1956<ref> (See page B 599 of the Baronetage section of the latest edition of Debrett.)</ref>

In 1976, [[James Grant (officer of arms)|Lord Lyon King of Arms]] stated that, without examining the patent of every Scottish baronetcy, he was not in a position to confirm that only these four title creations could pass through female lines.

{{As of|2025}}, there are no living baronetesses.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baronetage.org/official-roll/|title=Official Roll of the Baronetage (as at 2 January 2025)» The Standing Council of the Baronetage}}</ref>

For a baronetess one should write, for example, "Dame Daisy Smith, Btss" on the envelope. At the head of the letter, one would write "Dear Dame Daisy", and to refer to her, one would say "Dame Daisy" or "Dame Daisy Smith" (never "Dame Smith").

===Territorial designations===
All baronetcies are created with a [[Territorial designation|territorial sub-designation]]; however, only more recent creations duplicating the original creation require [[territorial designation]]s. So, for example, there have been baronetcies Moore of Colchester, Moore of Hancox, Moore of Kyleburn, and Moore of Moore Lodge.

===Baronetcies with special remainders===
Baronetcies usually descend through [[Heirs of the body|heirs male of the body]] of the [[grantee]], and can rarely be inherited by females or collateral [[Kinship|kin]], unless created with [[Remainder (law)|special remainder]], for example:
* with remainder to heirs male forever ([[Broun baronets|Broun baronetcy, ''of Colstoun'' (1686)]], [[Hay baronets|Hay baronetcy of Alderston (1703)]], ''etc.'')
* with remainder to the sons of the grantee's daughters, and the heirs male of their bodies ([[North baronets|Hicking (''later'' North) baronetcy, ''of Southwell'' (1920)]], ''etc.'')
* with remainder to the grantee's daughter's son ([[Amcotts baronets|Amcotts baronetcy, ''of Kettlethorp'' (1796)]], ''etc.'')
* with remainder to the grantee's son-in-law ([[Earl of Gainsborough|Middleton (''later'' Noel) baronetcy, ''of The Navy'' (1781)]], [[Rich baronets|Rich baronetcy, ''of London'' (1676)]], ''etc.'')
* with remainder to the grantee's brother(s) ([[Chapman baronets|Chapman baronetcy, ''of Killua Castle'' (1782)]], [[Pigot baronets|Pigot baronetcy, ''of Patshull'' (1764)]], [[White baronets#White baronets.2C of Tuxford and Wallingwells .281802.29|White baronetcy of Tuxford and Wallingwells (1802)]] ''etc.'')
* with remainder, in default of male issue of the grantee, to the grantee's brothers and to the grantee's father's second cousin, and the heirs male of their bodies ([[Baron Rokeby|Robinson baronetcy, ''of Rokeby Park'' (1730)]])
* with remainder to [[tailzie]] succeeding the grantee in the estate ([[Dalyell baronets|Dalyell baronetcy of The Binns (1685)]])
* with remainder specifically excluding the grantee's eldest son ([[Stonhouse baronets|Stonhouse baronetcy, ''of Radley'' (1628)]])

==Heraldic badges==
===Red Hand of Ulster===
[[File:Ulster.svg|thumb|right|190px| The [[Red Hand of Ulster]] ([[dexter and sinister|sinister]] (left) hand version), as used by baronets (other than [[Baronet of Nova Scotia|those of Nova Scotia]]) as a [[badge (heraldry)|heraldic badge]]]]
[[File:BaronetUK.jpg|thumb|right|190px|Neck decoration for baronets, depicting the [[Red Hand of Ulster]]]]

Marking the baronetage's origins in the [[Plantation of Ulster]],<ref name="Curl2000"/> baronets of England, Ireland, Great Britain or the United Kingdom (i.e., all except [[Baronet of Nova Scotia|baronets of Nova Scotia]]) can display the [[Red Hand of Ulster]] ([[dexter and sinister|sinister]] (left) hand version) as a [[heraldic badge]], being the arms of the ancient [[Kingdom of Ulster|kings of Ulster]].<ref>Collins, 1741, p.287</ref> This badge (or augmentation of honour) is [[blazon]]ed as follows: ''Argent a Hand sinister couped at the wrist extended in pale Gules''.<ref>Collins, Arthur, ''The English Baronetage: Containing a Genealogical and Historical Account of all the English Baronets now Existing'', Volume 4, London, 1741, p.287 [https://books.google.com/books?id=KmUUAAAAYAAJ&dq=hand+sinister+couped+at+the+wrist+extended+in+pale+gules&pg=PA287]</ref> King James I of England established the hereditary Order of Baronets in England on 22 May 1611, in the words of [[Arthur Collins (antiquarian)|''Collins' Peerage'']] (1741): "for the plantation and protection of the whole Kingdom of Ireland, but more especially for the defence and security of the Province of Ulster, and therefore for their distinction those of this order and their descendants may bear the badge (Red Hand of Ulster) in their [[coat of arms|coats of arms]] either in [[Canton (heraldry)|canton]] or an [[inescutcheon|escutcheon]] at their election".<ref>Collins, 1741, vol.4, p.287</ref> Since 1929, such baronets may also display the Red Hand of Ulster on its own as a badge, suspended by a ribbon below the shield of arms.<ref name="Debrett's Peerage, 1968, p.1235">Debrett's Peerage, 1968, p.1235</ref>

===Arms of Nova Scotia===
Baronets of Nova Scotia, unlike other baronets, do not use the Baronet's Badge (of Ulster), but have their own badge showing the [[Coat of arms of Nova Scotia|escutcheon of the arms of Nova Scotia]]: ''Argent, a Saltire Azure with an [[inescutcheon]] of the [[Royal Arms of Scotland]]''. From before 1929 to the present, it has been customary practice for such baronets to display this badge on its own suspended by the [[Honour|order's]] ribbon below the shield of arms.<ref name="Debrett's Peerage, 1968, p.1235"/>
{{Gallery
|width=160 | height=170 
|align=center 
|File:Arms of Nova Scotia.svg|Arms of Nova Scotia: ''Argent, a Saltire Azure an [[inescutcheon]] of the [[w:Royal Arms of Scotland|Royal Arms of Scotland]]'', as used by baronets of Nova Scotia as a heraldic [[badge (heraldry)|badge]]
|File:Arms of Baronet Agnew of Lochnaw.jpg|[[Coat of arms]] of the [[Agnew baronets]] (1629) with the badge of a [[Baronet of Nova Scotia]] ([[Coat of arms of Nova Scotia]]) in chief
|File:Arms of Baronet Agnew of Gt Stanhope St.jpg|Coat of arms of the Agnew baronets (1895) with the badge of a [[Baronetage of the United Kingdom|Baronet of the United Kingdom]] ([[Red Hand of Ulster]]) in canton
||[[Coat of arms|Armorial bearings]] of the [[Sir Egerton Leigh, 1st Baronet|Leigh baronets]] (1773) displaying in the [[Quartering (heraldry)|1st quartering]] the badge of a [[Baronetage of Great Britain|Baronet of Great Britain]] 
|Image:Baronet's Badge ribbon.png|A baronet's [[Service ribbon|medal ribbon]] 
}}

==Number of baronetcies==
{| class="wikitable floatright"
|+ Estimated numbers of baronetcies as at 1 January 2023<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baronetage.org/media/1271/baronetslist1jan2023.docx|title=Baronets of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom|publisher=The Standing Council of the Baronetage|last=Kershaw|first=Stephen|access-date=2 January 2023}}</ref>
|-
! scope="col" | Creations
! scope="col" | Total
! scope="col" | Baronets
! scope="col" | Peers
|-
| [[List of baronetcies in the Baronetage of England|Baronets of England]] ||  align="center" |134 || align="center" | 84 || align="center" | 50
|-
| [[List of baronetcies in the Baronetage of Ireland|Baronets of Ireland]] ||  align="center" |57 || align="center" | 34 || align="center" | 23
|-
| [[List of baronetcies in the Baronetage of Nova Scotia|Baronets of Nova Scotia]] ||  align="center" |103 || align="center" | 73 || align="center" | 30
|-
| [[List of baronetcies in the Baronetage of Great Britain|Baronets of Great Britain]] ||  align="center" |121 || align="center" | 90 || align="center" | 31
|-
| [[List of baronetcies in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom|Baronets of the United Kingdom]] ||  align="center" |777 || align="center" | 671 || align="center" | 106
|-
|- style="font-weight: bold;"
| Total                 || align="center" |1192 || align="center" |952 || align="center" |240
|}

The first publication listing all baronetcies ever created was C. J. Parry's ''Index of Baronetcy Creations'' (1967). This listed them in alphabetical order, other than the last five creations ([[Dodds baronets|Dodds of West Chiltington]], [[Redmayne baronets|Redmayne of Rushcliffe]], [[Pearson baronets|Pearson of Gressingham]], [[Finlay baronets|Finlay of Epping]] and [[Thatcher baronets|Thatcher of Scotney]]). It showed the total number created from 1611 to 1964 to have been 3,482. They include five of [[Oliver Cromwell]], several of which were recreated by [[Charles II of England|Charles II]]. Twenty-five were created between 1688 and 1784 by [[James II of England|James II]] in exile after his dethronement, by his son [[James Francis Edward Stuart|James Stuart ("The Old Pretender")]] and his grandson [[Charles Edward Stuart|Charles Edward Stuart ("Bonnie Prince Charlie")]]. These "Jacobite baronetcies" were never accepted by the English Crown, have all disappeared and should properly be excluded from the 3,482, making the effective number of creations 3,457. A close examination of Parry's publication shows he missed one or two,<ref name="Lindsay Baronetage">{{cite book|title=The Baronetage, 2nd edition|author=Sir Martin Lindsay of Dowhill, Bt|year=1979}}</ref> so there might well have been some more.

As of 2000, including baronetcies where succession was dormant or unproven, there was a total of 1,314 baronetcies divided into five classes of creation included on ''The [[Official Roll of the Baronetage]]''&nbsp;– 146 of England, 63 of Ireland, 119 of Scotland, 133 of Great Britain and 853 of the United Kingdom.

The total number of baronetcies today is approximately 1,204, although only some 1,020 are on ''The Official Roll of the Baronetage''.<ref name="Lindsay Baronetage"/> It is unknown whether some baronetcies remain extant and it may be that nobody can prove himself to be the actual heir. Over 200 baronetcies are now held by peers; and others, such as the Knox line, have been made tenuous by internal family disputes. According to the [[Ministry of Justice (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Justice]], it is not necessary to prove succession to a baronetcy in order to use the title, but a person cannot be referred to as a baronet in any official capacity unless their name is on the ''Official Roll''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baronetage.org/media/1276/guidance-notes-baronets-other-than-of-nova-scotia-rev-jan-23.pdf |title=Guidance Notes on Succession to a Baronetcy other than of Nova Scotia |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=January 2023 |website=baronetage.org |publisher=Ministry of Justice (UK) |access-date=14 September 2023 |quote=}}</ref>

===Baronetage decline since 1965===
There were 1,490 baronetcies extant on 1 January 1965. Since then the number has reduced by 286 through extinction or dormancy: a gross decline of 19.2% (up to 2017). Extant baronetcies numbered about 1,236 in 2015,<ref name="Baronetage decline since 1965">{{cite web|url=https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/peerage-news/NCaywWTirWw|title=Baronetage decline since 1965|access-date=21 September 2015}}</ref> and 1,204 as of 2017.

Since 1965 only one new baronetcy has been created, for [[Denis Thatcher|Sir Denis Thatcher]] on 7 December 1990, husband of a former British prime minister, [[Margaret Thatcher]] (later Baroness Thatcher); their only son, [[Mark Thatcher|Sir Mark Thatcher]], succeeded as [[Thatcher baronets|2nd Baronet]] upon his father's death in 2003.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.debretts.com/people/essential-guide-to-the-peerage/the-baronetage.aspx|title=The Baronetage|publisher=Debretts|quote=The creation of baronetcies lapsed in 1964; in 1990 the Conservative Government announced that this honour would be given to Denis Thatcher, but there have been no further creations|access-date=13 April 2013|url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130225002039/http://www.debretts.com/people/essential-guide-to-the-peerage/the-baronetage.aspx|archive-date=25 February 2013}}</ref>

Seven baronetcies dormant in 1965 have since been revived: [[Innes baronets|Innes baronetcy, ''of Coxton'']] (1686), [[Nicolson baronets|Nicolson baronetcy of that Ilk and of Lasswade]] (1629), [[Hope baronets|Hope baronetcy, ''of Kirkliston'']] (1698), [[St John-Mildmay baronets|St John (''later'' St John-Mildmay) baronetcy, ''of Farley'']] (1772), [[Maxwell Macdonald baronets|Maxwell-Macdonald baronetcy of Pollok]] (1682),<ref name="Baronetage decline since 1965"/> [[Inglis baronets|Inglis baronetcy, ''of Cramond, Edinburgh'']] (1687) and [[Von Friesendorff baronets|Von Friesendorff baronetcy, ''of Hirdech, Sweden'']] (1661).

==Premier Baronet==

===England===

The Premier Baronet (of England) is the unofficial title afforded to the current holder of the oldest extant baronetcy in the realm. The Premier Baronet is regarded as the senior member of the Baronetage, and ranks above other baronets (unless they hold a [[peerage|peerage title]]) in the [[United Kingdom Order of Precedence]]. [[Sir Nicholas Bacon, 14th Baronet]], is the current Premier Baronet; his family's senior title was created by [[James VI and I|King James I]] in 1611.

===Scotland===
The Premier Baronets of Nova Scotia (Scotland) were the [[Gordon baronets|Gordon baronets of Gordonstoun and Letterfourie]] until the title's extinction in 1908.<ref>Cokayne, vol ii, pp277-280</ref> Subsequently, the Premier Scottish Baronets are the [[Innes baronets|Innes baronets of that Ilk]] (cr. 28 May 1625),<ref>Cokayne, vol ii, p 280</ref> the present Premier Baronet being [[Charles Innes-Ker, 11th Duke of Roxburghe]].

===Ireland===
The Premier Baronetcy of Ireland was created for [[Dominick Sarsfield, 1st Viscount Sarsfield|Sir Dominic Sarsfield]] in 1619, and was held by his successors until the [[attainder]] of the [[Dominick Sarsfield, 4th Viscount Sarsfield|4th Viscount Sarsfield]] in 1691.<ref>Cokayne, vol i, pp223-224</ref> Since then the descendants of [[Francis Annesley, 1st Viscount Valentia|Sir Francis Annesley Bt.]], the [[Annesley baronets]], have been the Premier Baronets of Ireland;<ref>Cokayne, vol ii, p 224</ref> presently [[Viscount Valentia|Francis William Dighton Annesley, 16th Viscount Valentia]].

==Baronetcies conferred upon British expatriates and non-British nationals==
{{main|List of baronetcies conferred upon British expatriates and non-British nationals}}

==In fiction==
{{Main|List of fictional baronets}}

==See also==
* [[Standing Council of the Baronetage]]
* [[List of extant baronetcies]]
* [[List of baronetcies]] (currently incomplete)
* [[British Honours System]]
* [[Canadian peers and baronets]]

==References and sources==
;References
{{reflist}}
;Sources
* {{Cite book|title=The Baronetage, 2nd edition|author=Sir Martin Lindsay of Dowhill, Bt |author-link=Sir Martin Lindsay, 1st Baronet |year=1979|publisher=published by the author}}
* {{Cite book|title=Chronicles of the Reigns of Edward I and Edward II, Vol. 2, Part IV – Vita Et Mors Edwardi II Conscripta A Thoma de La More|author=William Stubbs |year=1883|publisher=Longman & Co.}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20050711013704/http://www.debretts.co.uk/ Debrett's website]
* [http://www.burkespeerage.com/ Burke's website]

==External links==
{{EB1911 poster|Baronet}}
* [http://www.opsi.gov.uk/SI/si1992/Uksi_19921730_en_2.htm Letters patent]
{{British nobility}}{{British Honours System}}
{{Former Australian Honours}}

[[Category:1328 establishments in England]]
[[Category:Baronets| ]]
[[Category:Baronetcies| ]]
[[Category:Orders of chivalry of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Social class in England]]
[[Category:Gentry]]