General Considerations

King James I founded the hereditary order of baronets in England in 1611, for the settlement of Ireland. Some 200 gentlemen of good birth, with a clear estate of £1,000 a year, were offered the dignity on condition that each should pay into the king’s exchequer, in three equal instalments, a sum equivalent
to three years’ pay to 30 soldiers at 8d per day per man.

The baronetage of Ireland was instituted on 30 September 1611 and the baronetage of Scotland (or Nova Scotia) on 28 May 1625, for the establishment of the plantation of Nova Scotia.

After the union of England and Scotland in 1707, no further baronets of England or Scotland were created, the style being changed to baronet of Great Britain. With the union of Great Britain and Ireland in 1801, all baronets subsequently created were under the style of the United Kingdom.

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. 

The Official Roll of the Baronetage is the formal list where all baronetcy creations and successions are recorded, as evidence of their rank and status. It was instituted by Royal Warrant of King Edward VII dated 8 February 1910. Under the terms of a further royal warrant dated 10 March 1922, anyone claiming a baronetcy may apply to be entered on the Roll.

A baronetcy is a hereditary dignity, the holder of which is accorded the prefix of ‘Sir’ and the suffix of ‘Baronet’ to his name. The suffix is abbreviated in correspondence, usually to ‘Bt’, but the more old-fashioned ‘Bart’ is still sometimes used.

Many Scottish baronets use their territorial titles in conjunction with their surnames. In this case ‘Bt’ should appear at the end, eg ‘Sir Archibald Grant of Monymusk Bt’.

Ecclesiastical, armed forces and ambassadorial ranks should precede Sir: for example, ‘The Rev Sir John Stratton’.

A baronet who is also a privy counsellor is styled, for example, ‘The Rt Hon Sir John Stratton’; the letters PC are unnecessary since ‘The Rt Hon’ is sufficient indication. All other letters after the name follow ‘Bt’:
- Lt-Gen Sir John Stratton, Bt, KCB, CBE, DSO
- The Rev Sir John Stratton, Bt, DCL

In social usage it is not uncommon to combine styles emanating from other sources with titles conferred by the Sovereign (eg Alderman Sir John Smith and Professor Sir William Stratton), although this practice is deprecated by purists.

Very few baronetcies still extant may be inherited in the female line, and all of them are Scottish. Succession to a baronetcy follows the remainders specified in the letters patent of creation.

When a lady inherits a baronetcy she is known as a baronetess, with the official style of, for example ‘Dame Alice Gilbert, Btss’.

Wife of a Baronet

The wife of a baronet has the style ‘Lady’ before her surname. The old-fashioned style of ‘Dame’, followed by her forenames and surname (eg Dame Edith Stratton), is no longer in use, but is retained for legal documents. It is useful for legal purposes because it allows for the identification of a particular Lady Stratton (for example) by the use of her forenames.

If a baronet’s wife has a courtesy title in her own right, this should be included as follows:

Lady Mary Stratton (if the daughter of a duke, marquess or earl), or The Hon Lady Stratton (if the daughter of a viscount or baron). The wife of a Scottish baronet who uses his territorial designation should be so addressed, eg Lady Grant of Monymusk.

In circumstances where there could be uncertainty as to the identification of a Lady Stratton (for example), ‘Lady’ may be followed by the forename in brackets, eg ‘Lady (Mary) Stratton’.

This form is often used in publications and in newspaper announcements.

Widow of a Baronet

Officially the widow of a baronet immediately becomes, for example ‘The Dowager Lady Stratton’ on the death of her husband, unless the widow of a senior baronet of the same creation is still alive, when she becomes ‘Mary, Lady Stratton’.

Many dowager ladies prefer to use their forename rather than the word ‘Dowager’; if in doubt, this is recommended. Should the widowed lady remarry, she takes her style from her present husband.

By custom, when the present baronet is unmarried, the widow of the late baronet continues to call herself ‘Lady ......’, the same style as when her husband was living.

Should the present baronet marry, it is usual for the widow of the previous baronet to announce the style by which she wishes to be known, ie ‘Dowager Lady Stratton’ or ‘Marjorie, Lady Stratton’. The widow of a Scottish baronet who uses his territorial designation should be so described, eg ‘Dowager Lady Grant of Monymusk’, or ‘Mary, Lady Grant of Monymusk’.

Former Wife of a Baronet

The former wife of a baronet should use her forename before her title, for example ‘Evelyn, Lady Stratton’. If she remarries, she would take the style of her subsequent husband (‘Mrs Richard Adams’ or 'Mrs Evelyn Adams').

Children of a Baronet

Children of a baronet do not have any special style, but follow the rules for addressing untitled men and women. Children who have been adopted into a baronet’s family are not in line of succession to a baronetcy by reason of such adoption. Children who are adopted out of a baronet’s family do not lose their rights of succession to the title.