Scottish Feudal Baronies
Scottish Feudal Baronies are ancient titles which relate to land
tenure. These should not be confused with Scottish Lords of
Parliament which are peerage titles.
When taking a Scottish baronial title, the holder may decide to
continue using his existing surname (eg Livingstone) and simply add
the title, becoming Niall Livingstone, Baron of Bachuil. More often
he will take the territorial (or laird's) designation as part of
his surname, to become Niall Livingstone of Bachuil, Baron of
Bachuil.
In some cases the territorial title and barony may differ. The
name is usually recorded by the Lord Lyon as part of a grant of
arms or matriculation (an updating of arms), and it becomes the
holder's name for all official purposes.
The social form of address for a Scottish Feudal Baron and his
wife is The Baron and Baroness of Bachuil; or The Baron of Bachuil
and Madam Livingstone. The eldest son of a Scottish Feudal Baron
may be known by his father's territorial designation, with the
addition 'yr'; eg John Livingstone of Bachuil, yr.
It should however be remembered that many barons and lairds of the
oldest Scottish families prefer to use the territorial designation
alone (eg Cameron of Lochiel, Farquharson of Invercauld, Rattray of
Rattray, etc).
If in doubt, see the following websites for futher advice:
The Office of the Lord Lyon (www.lyon-court.com/lordlyon/)
The Baronage of Scotland (www.scotsbarons.org). This website also gives the more formal style of address for Scottish Feudal Barons.
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