![Lord Napier arms](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8b/Lord_Napier_arms.svg)
Lord Napier, of Merchistoun, is a title in the
Peerage of Scotland
The Peerage of Scotland ( gd, Moraireachd na h-Alba, sco, Peerage o Scotland) is one of the five divisions of peerages in the United Kingdom and for those peers created by the King of Scots before 1707. Following that year's Treaty of Union, ...
. It was created in 1627 for
Sir Archibald Napier, 1st Baronet. Earlier that year, he already held the
Napier Baronetcy, of
Merchistoun in the County of Midlothian, created in the
Baronetage of Nova Scotia
Baronets are a rank in the British aristocracy. The current Baronetage of the United Kingdom has replaced the earlier but existing Baronetages of England, Nova Scotia, Ireland, and Great Britain.
Baronetage of England (1611–1705)
King James I ...
. The titles remained united until 1683, when the Baronetcy became dormant. It was revived in the early 19th century and is now held by another branch of the Napier family. Between 1683 and 1686, the Lords of Napier also held the
Nicolson Baronetcy, of Carnock in the County of Stirling, and since 1725 the
Scott Baronetcy, of Thirlestane in the County of Selkirk, both baronetcies created in the Baronetage of Nova Scotia. The latter one is held till today. Additionally, the tenth Lord was created Baron Ettrick, of
Ettrick in the
County of Selkirk
Selkirkshire or the County of Selkirk ( gd, Siorrachd Shalcraig) is a Counties of Scotland, historic county and registration county of Scotland. It borders Peeblesshire to the west, Midlothian to the north, Roxburghshire to the east, and Dumfrie ...
in the
Peerage of the United Kingdom
The Peerage of the United Kingdom is one of the five Peerages in the United Kingdom. It comprises most peerages created in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland after the Acts of Union 1800, Acts of Union in 1801, when it replaced the ...
on 16 July 1872.
Lord Napier is the hereditary
Clan Chief
The Scottish Gaelic word means children. In early times, and possibly even today, Scottish clan members believed themselves to descend from a common ancestor, the founder of the clan, after whom the clan is named. The clan chief (''ceannard c ...
of
Clan Napier
Clan Napier is a Lowland Scottish clan.Way, George and Squire, Romily. ''Collins Scottish Clan & Family Encyclopedia''. (Foreword by The Rt Hon. The Earl of Elgin KT, Convenor, The Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs). Published in 1994. pp. 288 ...
.
The family seat is Thirlestane Castle, near
Ettrick,
Selkirkshire
Selkirkshire or the County of Selkirk ( gd, Siorrachd Shalcraig) is a historic county and registration county of Scotland. It borders Peeblesshire to the west, Midlothian to the north, Roxburghshire to the east, and Dumfriesshire to the south. ...
.
History
Napier
![Lennox arms](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/62/Lennox_arms.svg)
The earliest recorded mention of the name
Napier in Scotland occurred in 1290, in a charter of
Maol Choluim I, Earl of Lennox
Mormaer Maol Choluim I of Lennox (English: Malcolm I) ruled the Mormaerdom of Lennox, between 1250 and 1303, succeeding his father Maol Domhnaich.
He was an early supporter of the Bruces, and appeared before Edward I of England in 1292 amongst t ...
, granting lands at Kilmahew to the Napiers. They are said to have taken their name from a saying by
King Alexander II of Scotland to one of the Earls of Lennox, after a battle, that Lennox had ''na peer'' (no equal).
Archibald Napier Archibald Napier may refer to:
* Sir Archibald Napier (landowner) (1534–1608), Scottish landowner and official, master of the Scottish mint and Laird of Merchiston
* Archibald Napier, 1st Lord Napier (c. 1576–1645)
* Archibald Napier, 2nd Lord ...
, son of
John Napier
John Napier of Merchiston (; 1 February 1550 – 4 April 1617), nicknamed Marvellous Merchiston, was a Scottish landowner known as a mathematician, physicist, and astronomer. He was the 8th Laird of Merchiston. His Latinized name was Ioann ...
, the inventor of
logarithm
In mathematics, the logarithm is the inverse function to exponentiation. That means the logarithm of a number to the base is the exponent to which must be raised, to produce . For example, since , the ''logarithm base'' 10 o ...
s, served as a
Gentleman of the Bedchamber
Gentleman of the Bedchamber was a title in the royal household of the Kingdom of England from the 11th century, later used also in the Kingdom of Great Britain. A Lord of the Bedchamber was a courtier in the Royal Household; the term being fir ...
to
King James VI of Scotland (I of England) and as a
Lord of Session
The senators of the College of Justice are judges of the College of Justice, a set of legal institutions involved in the administration of justice in Scotland. There are three types of senator: Lords of Session (judges of the Court of Session) ...
. On 2 March 1627 he was created a baronet, "of Merchistoun in the County of Midlothian", in the
Baronetage of Nova Scotia
Baronets are a rank in the British aristocracy. The current Baronetage of the United Kingdom has replaced the earlier but existing Baronetages of England, Nova Scotia, Ireland, and Great Britain.
Baronetage of England (1611–1705)
King James I ...
. A few months later he was raised to the Peerage of Scotland as Lord Napier, of Merchistoun. His grandson, the third Lord, obtained an extension of the patent with limitation to (1) his heirs female and their heirs male and female, and (2) failing which to his sisters and their heirs whatsoever, the female heir being obliged to assume the name and arms of Napier. On his death in 1683 the baronetcy became dormant (it was later revived, see the
Napier Baronetcy of Merchistoun) while he was succeeded in the Lordship (according to the new patent) by his nephew Sir Thomas Nicolson, 4th Baronet, of Carnock, who became the 4th Lord Napier. He was the son of Sir Thomas Nicolson, 3rd Baronet, of Carnock by his wife the Hon. Jean Napier, eldest daughter of the second Lord Napier. The 4th Lord Napier died unmarried at an early age and was succeeded in the Baronetcy by his cousin and heir male (see the
Baron Carnock
Baron Carnock, of Carnock in the County of Stirling, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1916 for the former Permanent Under-Secretary in the Foreign Office, Sir Arthur Nicolson, 11th Baronet.
The Nicolson famil ...
for later history of this title) and in the Lordship by his aunt, the fifth Lady Napier, the wife of John Brisbane.
Scott
![Arms of the house of Scott of Buccleuch](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/92/Arms_of_the_house_of_Scott_of_Buccleuch.svg)
Lady Napier was succeeded by her grandson, the sixth Lord. He was the son of Sir William Scott, 2nd Baronet, of Thirlestane by his wife
Elizabeth, Mistress of Napier. In 1725 he also succeeded his father as third Baronet of Thirlestane. (The Scott Baronetcy, of Thirlestane in the County of Selkirk, had been created in the Baronetage of Nova Scotia on 22 August 1666 for Francis Scott). The titles remain united. His grandson, the eighth Lord, sat in the
House of Lords
The House of Lords, also known as the House of Peers, is the Bicameralism, upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Membership is by Life peer, appointment, Hereditary peer, heredity or Lords Spiritual, official function. Like the ...
as a
Scottish Representative Peer
This is a list of representative peers elected from the Peerage of Scotland to sit in the House of Lords after the Acts of Union 1707 abolished the Parliament of Scotland, where, as a unicameral legislature, all Scottish P ...
from 1796 to 1806 and from 1807 to 1823 and also served as
Lord Lieutenant of Selkirkshire
This is a list of people, who have served as Lord Lieutenant of Selkirkshire. The office was replaced by the Lord Lieutenant of Roxburgh, Ettrick and Lauderdale in 1975.
* Charles Montagu-Scott, Earl of Dalkeith 17 March 1794 – 1797
* Franc ...
from 1819 to 1823. He was succeeded by his son, the ninth Lord. He was a Scottish Representative Peer from 1824 to 1832 and served as Ambassador to
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
in 1833. His son, the tenth Lord, was a prominent diplomat. In 1872 he was created Baron Ettrick, of Ettrick in the County of Selkirk, in the
Peerage of the United Kingdom
The Peerage of the United Kingdom is one of the five Peerages in the United Kingdom. It comprises most peerages created in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland after the Acts of Union 1800, Acts of Union in 1801, when it replaced the ...
. This peerage gave him and his descendants an automatic seat in the House of Lords until the passing of the
House of Lords Act 1999
The House of Lords Act 1999 (c. 34) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that reformed the House of Lords, one of the chambers of Parliament. The Act was given Royal Assent on 11 November 1999. For centuries, the House of Lords ...
. the titles are held by his great-great-great-grandson, the fifteenth Lord, who succeeded his father in 2012. He is styled "Lord Napier and Ettrick".
Lords Napier (1627); Barons Ettrick (1872)
Napier family
*
Archibald Napier, 1st Lord Napier
Archibald Napier, 1st Lord Napier, the 9th Laird Napier of Merchiston (c. 1576 – November 1645), was a Scottish politician and judge. In 1627 he was created Lord Napier of Merchiston and Baronet of Nova Scotia.
Biography
Archibald Napier was th ...
(c. 1575–1645) (already received the Napier Baronetcy in 1627)
*
Archibald Napier, 2nd Lord Napier
Archibald Napier, 2nd Lord Napier (c. 1625–1660) was a Scottish peer and the grandson of John Napier of Merchiston.
Biography
Archibald Napier was a nephew of James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose and supported him in his Royalist endeavours. ...
(c. 1625–1660)
*
Archibald Napier, 3rd Lord Napier
Archibald Napier, 3rd Lord Napier (died 1683) was a Scottish peer.
Family
Archibald Napier was a member of the Napier family of Merchiston, Scotland, and was the great-grandson of John Napier, the inventor of logarithms.
He was the son of A ...
(d. 1683) (Napier Baronetcy became dormant upon his death)
Nicolson family
*
Thomas Nicolson, 4th Lord Napier
Thomas Nicholson of Carnock, 4th Lord Napier (14 January 1669 – 9 June 1688) was a Scottish peer.
Family
Thomas Nicholson of Carnock was the son of Jean Napier (sister to Archibald Napier, 3rd Lord Napier) and her husband Sir Thomas Nicolson, 3 ...
(1669–1688) (the only Lord Napier who held the Nicolson Baronetcy, from 1670 to 1688)
*
Margaret Brisbane, 5th Lady Napier
Margaret Brisbane, 5th Lady Napier (died 1706) was a Scottish peer.
Family
Margaret Brisbane ( née Napier) was a member of the Napier family of Merchiston, Scotland, and was the great-granddaughter of John Napier, the inventor of logarithms.
...
(d. 1706) (aunt, wife of John Brisbane)
Scott family (adopted surname Napier)
*
Francis Napier, 6th Lord Napier
Francis Napier, 6th Lord Napier ( Scott) ( – 1773) was a Peerage of Scotland, Scottish peer.
Early life
Born Francis Scott , he was the son of Sir William Scott, 2nd Baronet of Thirlestane, and Elizabeth Napier, Mistress of Napier.
Career
Upon ...
(c. 1702–1773) (3rd Baronet, held the Scott Baronetcy from 1725 to 1773)
*
William Napier, 7th Lord Napier
William Napier, 7th Lord Napier (1730–1775) was a Scottish peer.
Family
William Napier was the son of Francis Napier, 6th Lord Napier and Henrietta Hope (daughter of Charles Hope, 1st Earl of Hopetoun and Henrietta Hope, Countess of Hopetoun) ...
(1730–1775)
*
Francis Napier, 8th Lord Napier
Francis Scott Napier, 8th Lord Napier (23 February 1758 – 1 August 1823) was a British peer and army officer.
Biography
Napier was born in Ipswich in 1758, the son of William Napier (later 7th Lord Napier) and his wife, Mary, a daughte ...
(1758–1823)
*
William John Napier, 9th Lord Napier (1786–1834)
*
Francis Napier, 10th Lord Napier, 1st Baron Ettrick
Francis Napier, 10th Lord Napier and 1st Baron Ettrick, (15 September 1819 – 19 December 1898) was a Scottish polyglot, diplomat and colonial administrator. He served as the British Minister to the United States from 1857 to 1859, Netherl ...
(1819–1898)
*
William John George Napier, 11th Lord Napier, 2nd Baron Ettrick (1846–1913)
*
Francis Edward Basil Napier, 12th Lord Napier, 3rd Baron Ettrick (1876–1941)
*
William Francis Cyril James Hamilton Napier, 13th Lord Napier, 4th Baron Ettrick (1900–1954)
*
Francis Nigel Napier, 14th Lord Napier, 5th Baron Ettrick (1930–2012)
*
Francis David Charles Napier, 15th Lord Napier, 6th Baron Ettrick (b. 1962)
The
heir presumptive
An heir presumptive is the person entitled to inherit a throne, peerage, or other hereditary honour, but whose position can be displaced by the birth of an heir apparent or a new heir presumptive with a better claim to the position in question.
...
of the Lordship of Napier is the present holder's daughter, Hon. Sophie Eleanor Rose Napier, Mistress of Napier (b. 1999)
The heir presumptive of the Barony of Ettrick and the Scott baronetcy is the present holder's brother, Hon. Nicholas Alexander John Napier (b. 1971)
The heir presumptive’s
heir apparent
An heir apparent, often shortened to heir, is a person who is first in an order of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting by the birth of another person; a person who is first in the order of succession but can be displaced by the b ...
is his son, Charles Ludovic Percy Napier (b. 2005)
Scott baronets, of Thirlestane (1666)
*Sir Francis Scott, 1st Baronet (1645–1712)
*
Sir William Scott, 2nd Baronet
Sir William Scott, 2nd Baronet of Thirlestane (c.1670 – 8 October 1725) was a Scottish lawyer, known as a neo-Latin poet.
Life
He was the eldest son of Francis Scott, 1st Baronet of Thirlestane, Selkirkshire, and Lady Henrietta, daughter of ...
(c. 1680–1725)
*
Sir Francis Scott, 3rd Baronet
Sir Francis Edward Scott, 3rd Baronet (25 February 1824 – 21 November 1863) was an English landowner.
On birth he succeeded his maternal grandfather Sir Hugh Bateman to the Baronetcy (but not the estates) of Bateman of Hartington, Derbyshire to ...
(c. 1702–1773) (had already succeeded as 6th Lord Napier in 1706)
See also
*
Baron Carnock
Baron Carnock, of Carnock in the County of Stirling, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1916 for the former Permanent Under-Secretary in the Foreign Office, Sir Arthur Nicolson, 11th Baronet.
The Nicolson famil ...
*
Napier baronets of Merchistoun
Notes
References
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Napier
Lordships of Parliament
Clan Napier
Noble titles created in 1627