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Revision as of 14:37, 26 August 2008 by 90.195.215.70 (talk)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff) For other uses, see Laird (disambiguation).
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, after unification with the Kingdom of England, in the British House of Lords.
History and Definition
A Laird or Lord when translated into the English form is a person who is the owner of a landed estate in Scotland. A Laird is said to hold a Lairdship.
The title Laird is in cognate and is traditionally translated to the English word Lord and so many Lairds today choose to take on the title as Lord rather than Laird but the title is not a title of nobility or peerage. 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.
A woman who holds in her own right the title of a Lairdship, or is the wife of a Laird (Lord) is usually styled as Lady.
Addressing a Laird
- Laird of or
- Lady of
A definite article is not used and the "of" must be retained to distinguish from titles of the nobility. In some cases Laird is translated as Lord but this can cause confusion.
See also
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