Lord Sinclair 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, ...

. According to

James Balfour Paul Sir James Balfour Paul (16 November 1846 – 15 September 1931) was the Lord Lyon King of Arms, the officer responsible for heraldry in Scotland, from 1890 until the end of 1926. Life Paul was born in Edinburgh, the second son of the Rev J ...

's ''

The Scots Peerage ''The Scots Peerage'' is a nine-volume book series of the Scottish nobility compiled and edited by Sir James Balfour Paul, published in Edinburgh from 1904 to 1914. The full title is ''The Scots Peerage: Founded on Wood's Edition of Sir Robert ...

'', volume VII published in 1910, the first person to be styled Lord Sinclair was William Sinclair, 3rd Earl of Orkney and 1st Earl of Caithness (died 1480). However, according to Roland Saint-Clair writing in the late 19th century, William Sinclair's father,

Henry II Sinclair, Earl of Orkney Henry II Sinclair, Earl of Orkney (c. 1375 – 1420) was the Jarl (Earl) of Orkney, Baron of Roslin and Pantler of Scotland. According to Roland Saint-Clair writing in the late 19th century, Henry Sinclair was also the first of his family t ...

, who died in 1420, is the first person recorded as Lord Sinclair by public records. In 1470, William Sinclair, 3rd Earl of Orkney, 2nd Lord Sinclair and 11th Baron of Roslin surrendered the earldom of Orkney in return for the

earldom of Caithness Earl of Caithness is a title that has been created several times in the Peerage of Scotland, and it has a very complex history. Its first grant, in the modern sense as to have been counted in strict lists of peerages, is now generally held to ha ...

. He divided his estates: his eldest son from his first marriage,

William Sinclair, 3rd Lord Sinclair William Sinclair of Newburgh, Aberdeenshire (died 1487) was a Scottish nobleman and the 3rd Lord Sinclair. In ''The Scots Peerage'' by James Balfour Paul he is designated as the 2nd Lord Sinclair, but historian Roland Saint-Clair designates him ...

, inherited the title of Lord Sinclair, while he left the Barony of Roslin to his eldest son from his second marriage, Oliver, and the earldom of Caithness to his second son from his second marriage, another

William William is a male given name of Germanic origin.Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 276. It became very popular in the English language after the Norman conquest of Engl ...

, from whom descend the chiefs of the

Clan Sinclair Clan Sinclair ( gd, Clann na Ceàrda ) is a Highland Scottish clan which holds the lands of Caithness, the Orkney Islands, and the Lothians. The chiefs of the clan were the Barons of Roslin and later the Earls of Orkney and Earls of Caithness. Th ...

. William Sinclair, 3rd Lord Sinclair's son,

Henry Sinclair, 4th Lord Sinclair Henry Sinclair (died 1513) was a Scottish noble and the 4th Lord Sinclair. In ''The Scots Peerage'' by James Balfour Paul he is designated as the 3rd Lord Sinclair, but historian Roland Saint-Clair designates him the 4th Lord Sinclair and referen ...

(died 1513), was confirmed in the title in 1488 by an Act of Parliament. However, according to historian Roland Saint-Clair, this Act was only a recognition of the Barony of St. Clair existing in the person of his ancestor,

and did not constitute a new creation.

Bernard Burke Sir John Bernard Burke, (5 January 1814 – 12 December 1892) was a British genealogist and Ulster King of Arms, who helped publish ''Burke's Peerage''. Personal life Burke, of Irish descent, was born at London and was educated in London and ...

, in his a ''Genealogical and Heraldic Dictionary of the Peerage and Baronetage of the British Empire'', agrees with Roland Saint-Clair and says that Henry Sinclair (died 1513) and William Sinclair (died 1570) were "in reality" the fourth and fifth Lords Sinclair respectively. According to 18th century herald,

Alexander Nisbet Alexander Nisbet (bapt. 23 March 1657; died 7 Dec. 1725) was a Scottish lawyer and antiquarian. He is remembered for his works on the subject of heraldry, which are generally considered to be some of the most complete and authoritative ever pr ...

, the Lord Sinclair coat of arms is based on the feudal arms of the Earl of Orkney and being the lineal male heir of William Sinclair, 3rd Earl of Orkney. On the death of the tenth Lord, the male line failed. He was succeeded by his grandson, Henry, the eleventh Lord, the son of Catherine Sinclair, Mistress of Sinclair, daughter of the tenth Lord, and her husband

John Sinclair, 23rd Lord Herdmanston John Sinclair, Lord Herdmanston, (14 February 1632 – 13 July 1666) was a Scottish noble of the 17th century. Early life John was baptized 14 February 1632. He was the eldest son of John Sinclair, 22nd Lord Herdmanston, and Elizabeth Sincl ...

. In 1677, he obtained a new charter of the peerage confirming him in the title and with remainders respectively to his brother Henry Sinclair and his father's brothers Robert St Clair, George St Clair and Matthew St Clair, and failing them to his own heirs male whatsoever. However, his eldest son and heir John Sinclair, Master of Sinclair, was involved in the

Jacobite rising of 1715 The Jacobite rising of 1715 ( gd, Bliadhna Sheumais ; or 'the Fifteen') was the attempt by James Edward Stuart (the Old Pretender) to regain the thrones of England, Ireland and Scotland for the exiled Stuarts The House of Stuart, ori ...

and attainted by Parliament. Consequently, he was not allowed to assume the title. He died childless in 1750 when the claim to the title passed to his younger brother General

James St Clair General The Hon. James St Clair (1688 – 30 November 1762) was a Scottish soldier and Whig politician. Background St Clair was the second son of Henry St Clair, 10th Lord Sinclair and his wife Grizel Cockburn, daughter of Sir James Cockbur ...

(d. 1762). However, he never assumed the title. On his death the lordship became dormant. It was to remain so until it was successfully claimed by

Charles Sinclair, 13th Lord Sinclair Lt.-Col. Charles St Clair, 13th Lord Sinclair (30 July 1768 – 30 September 1863) was a Scottish noble and representative peer. Early life Charles Sinclair was born on 30 July 1768. He was the eldest son of Elizabeth ( Rutherfurd) St Clair (–1 ...

, who was confirmed in the title by the House of Lords in 1782. He was the son of Andrew St Clair, ''de jure'' 12th Lord Sinclair, grandson of Charles Sinclair, ''de jure'' 11th Lord Sinclair (d. 1755) and great-grandson of the aforementioned Matthew St Clair, uncle of the tenth Lord. He thereby became the first holder of the title without descent from the original Lords. The thirteenth Lord, his son the fourteenth Lord, grandson the fifteenth Lord, great-grandson the sixteenth Lord, and great-great-grandson the seventeenth Lord, all 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 ...

Scottish Representative Peers 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 ...

. As of 2016, the title is held by the latter's only son, the eighteenth Lord, who succeeded on his father's death in 2004. The

University College London , mottoeng = Let all come who by merit deserve the most reward , established = , type = Public research university , endowment = £143 million (2020) , budget = ...

research project ''The Legacies of British Slave-ownership'' and the records of the ''Slave Compensation Commission'', highlights that Charles St Clair, 13th Lord Sinclair owned 666 slaves at the time of abolition in 1833. He gained £5,411 as compensation from the government of the United Kingdom and Great Britain, (approximately £458,000 in 2015). The family house is Knocknalling House, near

St John's Town of Dalry St John's Town of Dalry ( gd, Clachan Eòin), usually referred to simply as Dalry ( / 'dal-RYE'), is a village in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, in the historic county of Kirkcudbrightshire. Location St Johns Town is located close to the ...

, Kirkcudbrightshire.

Lords Sinclair (1449)

* Henry II Sinclair, Earl of Orkney, 10th Baron of Roslin and the 1st Lord Sinclair (d. 1420) * William Sinclair, 3rd Earl of Orkney, 1st Earl of Caithness, 11th Baron of Roslin and 2nd Lord Sinclair (d. 1480) *

(d. 1487) *

(d. 1513) *

William Sinclair, 5th Lord Sinclair William Sinclair (died 1570) was a Scottish nobleman and the 5th Lord Sinclair. In ''The Scots Peerage'' by James Balfour Paul he is designated as the 4th Lord Sinclair in descent starting from William Sinclair, 1st Earl of Caithness and 3rd Ear ...

(d. 1570) *

Henry Sinclair, 6th Lord Sinclair Henry Sinclair (died 1601) was a Scottish nobleman and the 6th Lord Sinclair. In ''The Scots Peerage'' by James Balfour Paul he is designated as the 5th Lord Sinclair in descent starting from William Sinclair, 1st Earl of Caithness and 3rd Earl ...

(1528–1601) *

Henry Sinclair, 7th Lord Sinclair Henry Sinclair (died 1602) was a Scottish nobleman and 7th Lord Sinclair. In ''The Scots Peerage'' by James Balfour Paul he is designated as the 6th Lord Sinclair in descent starting from William Sinclair, 1st Earl of Caithness and 3rd Earl of O ...

(1581–1602) *

James Sinclair, 8th Lord Sinclair James Sinclair (died 1607) was a Scottish nobleman and the 8th Lord Sinclair. In ''The Scots Peerage'' by James Balfour Paul he is designated as the 7th Lord Sinclair in descent starting from William Sinclair, 1st Earl of Caithness and 3rd Earl ...

(d. 1607) *

Patrick Sinclair, 9th Lord Sinclair Patrick Sinclair (died 1617) was a Scottish nobleman and the 9th Lord Sinclair. In ''The Scots Peerage'' by James Balfour Paul he is designated as the 8th Lord Sinclair in descent starting from William Sinclair, 1st Earl of Caithness, William Sinc ...

(d. 1617) *

John Sinclair, 10th Lord Sinclair John Sinclair (died 1676) was a Scottish nobleman and the 10th Lord Sinclair. In ''The Scots Peerage'' by James Balfour Paul he is designated as the 9th Lord Sinclair in descent starting from William Sinclair, 1st Earl of Caithness and 3rd Earl ...

(1610–1676) **Catherine Sinclair, Mistress of Sinclair.

Herdmanston line

*Henry St Clair, 11th Lord Sinclair (1660–1723). Eldest son of Catherine Sinclair, daughter of

, and her husband

(eldest son of John Sinclair, 22nd

Lord Herdmanston Lord Herdmanston was a title in the Peerage of Scotland that was held by the Sinclair or St Clair family. History Herdmanston in East Lothian had been held from the 12th century, when Henry St Clair received a grant of the lands of Herd ...

).Saint-Clair, Roland (1898). pp. 306-307. It is not known if the Sinclair Lords Herdmanston share a paternal ancestor with the Lords Sinclair who are descended from the Sinclair Barons of Roslin.Saint-Clair, Roland (1898). p. 311. **''

John St Clair, Master of Sinclair John St Clair, Master of Sinclair (5 December 1683 – 2 November 1750) was a Scottish Army officer and Tory politician who sat briefly in the British House of Commons in 1708 before he was excluded as ineligible as eldest son of a Scottish peer. ...

'' (1683–1750) (eldest son of eleventh Lord; attainted in 1715 and never allowed to assume title) **''

'' (d. 1762) (younger son of eleventh Lord; never assumed title) ''dormant 1762–1782'' *Charles St Clair, ''de jure'' 11th Lord Sinclair (d. 1775) *Andrew St Clair, ''de jure'' 12th Lord Sinclair (1733–1775) * Charles St Clair, 13th Lord Sinclair (1768–1863) (confirmed in title 1782) *

James St Clair, 14th Lord Sinclair Maj. James St Clair, 14th Lord Sinclair (3 July 1803 – 24 October 1880) was a Scottish noble and representative peer. Early life St Clair was born on 3 July 1803. He was the eldest son of Charles St Clair, 13th Lord Sinclair, and his first wif ...

(1803–1880) *Charles William St Clair, 15th Lord Sinclair (1831–1922) *Archibald James Murray St Clair, 16th Lord Sinclair (1875–1957) *

Charles Murray Kennedy St Clair, 17th Lord Sinclair Major Charles Murray Kennedy St Clair, 17th Lord Sinclair, CVO, DL (21 June 1914 – 1 April 2004) was a Scottish peer who spent his entire life in the service of the Crown; as a soldier, an officer of arms, an equerry in the Queen Mother's ...

(1914–2004) *Matthew Murray Kennedy St Clair, 18th Lord Sinclair (b. 1968) Lord Sinclair was appointed

Lord Lieutenant of Kirkcudbright Lord is an appellation for a person or deity who has authority, control, or power over others, acting as a master, chief, or ruler. The appellation can also denote certain persons who hold a title of the peerage in the United Kingdom, or a ...

on the 29th July 2021. The

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 the present holder's son Harry Murray Kennedy St. Clair, Master of Sinclair (b. 2007).

References

* * {{Extant Lords of Parliament of Scotland

Sinclair Sinclair may refer to: Places * Lake Sinclair, near Milledgeville, Georgia * Sinclair, Iowa * Sinclair, West Virginia * Sinclair, Wyoming * Sinclair Mills, British Columbia * Sinclair Township, Minnesota * Sinclair, Manitoba People * ...