Baronetages

Baronetages refer to the system governing baronets, a hereditary title in the British honor system. A baronet is a commoner who holds a title ranking below the peerage but above most knights. The holder is styled Sir or, for a wife, Lady in courtesy, and uses the post-nominal Bt or Bart. The baronetage is hereditary, but it does not constitute a peerage and does not by itself grant a seat in Parliament.

The institution was created in 1611 by King James I as a means to raise funds, originally for frontier defense and colonization. Baronetcies were issued across several divisions—the Baronetage of England, the Baronetage of Nova Scotia, the Baronetage of Ireland, the Baronetage of Great Britain, and the Baronetage of the United Kingdom—reflecting subsequent political and territorial changes. The term baronetage can denote either the collective body of living baronets or a specific creation within one division.

Succession is generally by male primogeniture, with most patents specifying heirs male of the body. A title may become extinct if there are no eligible heirs, or dormant if a rightful successor cannot prove succession. The Crown and the Standing Council of the Baronetage oversee matters of succession and the official Roll of the Baronetage records extant titles.

In contemporary times, the baronetage remains an active but largely ceremonial rank. Baronets retain distinctive social precedence and ceremonial duties, without automatic privileges in Parliament. The system continues to be observed for genealogical and historical interest, preserving the lineage and heraldic traditions associated with individual baronets and their families.