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A Laird is a hereditary title for the owner of a landed estate in Scotland. The title of Laird may carry certain local or feudal rights, though unlike a Lordship, a Lairdship has never carried voting rights, either in the historic Parliament of Scotland or in the House of Lords.

Though traditionally translated as "Lord", Laird is not a title of nobility. Unlike Lord of the Manor titles the title of laird is a 'corporeal heriditament' (an inheritable property that has an explicit tie to the physical land) i.e. the title can not be held "in gross", and can not be bought and sold without selling the physical land. In more recent times some female Lairds have opted to use the title Lady instead.

Addressing a Laird

1. Laird of or
2. Lady of

A definite article is not used and the "of" must be retained to distinguish from titles of the nobility. As the title Laird is not gender specific women can use Laird also although Lady has become used more in recent times. In some cases Laird is translated as Lord but this can cause confusion.

More recently Laird titles have been involved in title "sales" by companies selling Lairdships claiming them to be titles of the nobility.

See also

• Forms of address in the United Kingdom

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