• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
Zippy Facts Logo

Zippy Facts

Interesting Random Facts

  • Animals
  • Culture
  • Firsts
  • Food
  • Geography
  • Health
  • History
  • Inventions
  • Language
  • Mythology
  • Odds
  • People
  • Religion
  • Science
  • Space
  • Universe
  • World
You are here: Home / History / What are the differences between a duke, lord, sir, earl, baron, baronet, and prince?

What are the differences between a duke, lord, sir, earl, baron, baronet, and prince?

June 2, 2020 by Karen Hill

The various distinctions and differences between a duke, lord, sir, earl, baron, baronet, and prince were drawn long ago, but still hold true today.

Here they are in order from top to bottom:

Prince
Duke
Marquess
Earl
Viscount

Baron is the lowest rank of the upper classes, having earned this title by faithful duty to the king or feudal lord, usually in the form of military service.

A baronet is the highest-ranking class that can be bestowed upon a mere commoner like you or me. This title is also usually earned through faithful service to rulers.

A lord, generally, is any of the above who get a title and property by hereditary right or by being born into the right family. “Sir” is simply the title used when addressing a knight or a baronet.

Often, some hereditary titleholders will hold other titles as well.

For instance, the eldest son of the king or queen of England, aside from being a prince, is also automatically the Duke of Cornwall, no questions asked.

Related Facts

  • Was the Red Baron from World War I really a Baron and how did he get his name?
  • Who was Duke Ellington and Why was Duke Ellington one of the most significant jazz musicians and composers?
  • How Did Duke Ellington Get His Nickname and What Was Duke Ellington's Real Name?
  • How did the Prince Albert Coat get its name and Where did the "Prince Albert" come from?
  • Where does the word "lord" come from and What does lord mean?
  • Who Was Sir Isaac Newton and What Were Sir Isaac Newton's Most Important Contributions To Science?

Filed Under: History

About Karen Hill

Karen Hill is a freelance writer, editor, and columnist. Born in New York, her work has appeared in the Examiner, Yahoo News, Buzzfeed, among others.

Previous Post: « When Did Catherine the Great Have Sex With a Horse?
Next Post: What does “czar” mean in Russian and how did the word originate? »

Footer

Follow

  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • GitHub
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Medium
  • Pinterest
  • StumbleUpon
  • Tumblr
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Categories

Accomplishments Animals Culture Firsts Food Geography Health History Inventions Language Mythology Odds People Religion Science Space Universe World Your Body

About

Zippy Facts empowers the world by serving educational content that is accessible to everyone.

A tribute to growing up, zippyfacts.com showcases interesting and unusual facts about the world.

Our mission is to use technology to facilitate knowledge transfer and sharing.

Copyright © 2021 Zippy Facts

  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy