Burke's Peerage
Encyclopedia
Burke's Peerage publishes authoritative, in-depth historical guides to the royal and titled
families of the United Kingdom
, such as Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage, and of many other countries. Founded in 1826 by British genealogist John Burke
Esq.
, and continued by his son, Sir John Bernard Burke
, Burke's Peerage is one of the most recognised names in genealogy
. Revised editions were frequently published by H. Colburn and R. Bentley between 1832 (fourth edition in two volumes) and 1917, and again between 1923 and 1940, with further editions thereafter. The 105th edition, published in 1970 under the editorship of Mr Peter Townend, is regarded by some as the last authoritative edition. However, under new ownership, a 106th edition came out in 1999, and a 107th in 2003, edited by Charles Mosley
. Digital editions of many of the classic Burke's works will be published online in 2010 and a printed Supplement to the 107th Edition is planned to appear under the editorship of William Bortrick in 2011.
(Richmond Herald); Dr Remington Norman and Peter Cook. The group published a large range of successful new publications from their premises in Walton Street, London, including Burke’s Irish Family Records, Burke's Guide to the Royal Family, Burke's Royal Families of the World, Burke's Guide to Country houses, Burke’s Family Index and Burke's Presidential Families of USA. Some of these were multi-volume works. In 1984, after ten years of rising costs in the 1970s, the Board decided to sell the imprint. The Peerage was sold to Frederik, Baron van Pallandt
(ex-husband of Nina, Baroness van Pallandt) and the remaining titles were sold separately elsewhere. Ownership then transferred to Harold Brooks-Baker and his associates.(See below). For details of the history from 1974-84 see No Make-Up by Jeremy Norman (London 2006).
The 1970 edition of the Peerage, Baronetage, & Knightage was reprinted in 1980 but without further revision by the Norman consortium. The hot metal type for the Peerage had to be destroyed – printers Waterlow and Sons
wanted a vast rental to continue to store it. Burke's Peerage Ltd sold all the printing blocks, depicting coats of arms, to Heirloom & Howard Ltd, who in turn sold them on to the general public. After David Sanctuary Howard
, who together with his wife owned Heirloom & Howard, died in 2005 the printing blocks were sold to the Baronage Press.
The company publishing the Peerage fell into receivership in the 1980s. Ownership of the publication rights to Burke's Peerage passed through several hands in the succeeding years. In 1989, the rights were acquired by Morris Genealogical Books, who brought out a thoroughly revised two volume 106th edition in 1999. In 2002, the rights to Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage were purchased by the company that owned the rights to Burke's Landed Gentry. The company was renamed Burke's Peerage and Gentry and a fully updated 107th edition was published in 2004 under the editorship of Charles Mosley
.
On 7 October 2009, all remaining Burke's rights were acquired from the Burke's Peerage Partnership by Burke's Peerage and Gentry. Thus, Burke's ownership has been reunited in one company for the first time in 25 years. In early 2010, Burke's announced a programme to digitise past content and make it available online in ebook format. The first nine eBooks, ranging from Burke’s Great War Peerage to Burke’s Family Index are now available.
and Rafal Heydel-Mankoo
. This monumental two-volume work updated Sir Bernard Burke's original work of 1858 but surpassed its original scope and detail. An electronic version of is available online for an annual fee.
. The partnership published a number of genealogical titles and conducted other genealogy-related business under the Burke's name. In the 1990s, Burke's Peerage Partnership licensed the name to Halbert's Family Heritage, an American publisher that sold "genealogical"
books under the name Burke's Peerage World Book of Surnames. The books claimed to be a comprehensive history of any given surname
, but in fact comprised mostly computer-generated lists of names and addresses drawn from telephone records, and were marketed through direct mail. Burke's Peerage Partnership offered services including genealogical research, custom designed heraldry
, and assisting clients to acquire Scottish and French noble titles. On 7 October 2009 all remaining Burke's rights were sold by the Partnership to Peerage and Gentry.
. To enable this Burke's has been updating, and will continue to update, existing family records online. Burke's will also be publishing in Spring 2011 an updated edition of the Royal Families of Europe.
The ebooks are accessible on computers, iPhones, the iPod touch and iPad in partnership with Exact Editions
using the Exactly application.
Peerage
The Peerage is a legal system of largely hereditary titles in the United Kingdom, which constitute the ranks of British nobility and is part of the British honours system...
families of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, such as Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage, and of many other countries. Founded in 1826 by British genealogist John Burke
John Burke (genealogist)
John Burke was an Irish genealogist, and the original publisher of Burke's Peerage. He was the father of Sir Bernard Burke, a British officer of arms and genealogist....
Esq.
Esquire
Esquire is a term of West European origin . Depending on the country, the term has different meanings...
, and continued by his son, Sir John Bernard Burke
Bernard Burke
Sir John Bernard Burke, CB was a British officer of arms and genealogist.-Personal life:He was born in London, and was educated in London and in France. His father, John Burke , was also a genealogist, and in 1826 issued a Genealogical and Heraldic Dictionary of the Peerage and Baronetage of the...
, Burke's Peerage is one of the most recognised names in genealogy
Genealogy
Genealogy is the study of families and the tracing of their lineages and history. Genealogists use oral traditions, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kinship and pedigrees of its members...
. Revised editions were frequently published by H. Colburn and R. Bentley between 1832 (fourth edition in two volumes) and 1917, and again between 1923 and 1940, with further editions thereafter. The 105th edition, published in 1970 under the editorship of Mr Peter Townend, is regarded by some as the last authoritative edition. However, under new ownership, a 106th edition came out in 1999, and a 107th in 2003, edited by Charles Mosley
Charles Mosley (genealogist)
Charles Gordon Mosley, born 14 September 1948, is an author, broadcaster, editor, and publisher, best known for having been Editor-in-Chief of Burke's Peerage & Baronetage and of the re-titled 107th edition, Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage.-Biography:Mosley was born in London, England...
. Digital editions of many of the classic Burke's works will be published online in 2010 and a printed Supplement to the 107th Edition is planned to appear under the editorship of William Bortrick in 2011.
Burke's Peerage, and Landed Gentry
The ownership of Burke's Peerage Ltd, the original publisher of Burke's Peerage & Baronetage, was bought in 1974 by Jeremy Norman and a group of investors. The board included Hugh Montgomery-Massingberd (Editorial Director); Jeremy Norman (Managing Director and Chairman); Patrick Lichfield; John Brooke-LittleJohn Brooke-Little
John Philip Rudolph Dominic Derek Aloysius Mary Brooke-Little, CVO, KStJ, FSA, FSG, FHS, FHG , FRHSC , FHSNZ, KM, GCGCO was an influential and popular British writer on heraldic subjects and a long-serving officer of arms at the College of Arms in London...
(Richmond Herald); Dr Remington Norman and Peter Cook. The group published a large range of successful new publications from their premises in Walton Street, London, including Burke’s Irish Family Records, Burke's Guide to the Royal Family, Burke's Royal Families of the World, Burke's Guide to Country houses, Burke’s Family Index and Burke's Presidential Families of USA. Some of these were multi-volume works. In 1984, after ten years of rising costs in the 1970s, the Board decided to sell the imprint. The Peerage was sold to Frederik, Baron van Pallandt
Frederik, Baron van Pallandt
Frederik Jan Gustav Floris, Baron van Pallandt was a Dutch singer best known as the male, guitar-playing half of the singing duo Nina & Frederik, which was together from the late 1950s to the early 1960s....
(ex-husband of Nina, Baroness van Pallandt) and the remaining titles were sold separately elsewhere. Ownership then transferred to Harold Brooks-Baker and his associates.(See below). For details of the history from 1974-84 see No Make-Up by Jeremy Norman (London 2006).
The 1970 edition of the Peerage, Baronetage, & Knightage was reprinted in 1980 but without further revision by the Norman consortium. The hot metal type for the Peerage had to be destroyed – printers Waterlow and Sons
Waterlow and Sons
The Waterlow and Sons Limited was a major worldwide engraver of currency, postage stamps, stocks and bond certificates established in 1897, in England.-Portuguese Bank Note Crisis:...
wanted a vast rental to continue to store it. Burke's Peerage Ltd sold all the printing blocks, depicting coats of arms, to Heirloom & Howard Ltd, who in turn sold them on to the general public. After David Sanctuary Howard
David Sanctuary Howard
David Sanctuary Howard was a noted expert on Chinese armorial porcelain.Born in Manchester 22 January 1928, he died 25 March 2005. He was educated at Stowe School. He served in the Coldstream Guards. He set up and ran Heirloom & Howard, a business specialising in restoring armorial artefacts to the...
, who together with his wife owned Heirloom & Howard, died in 2005 the printing blocks were sold to the Baronage Press.
The company publishing the Peerage fell into receivership in the 1980s. Ownership of the publication rights to Burke's Peerage passed through several hands in the succeeding years. In 1989, the rights were acquired by Morris Genealogical Books, who brought out a thoroughly revised two volume 106th edition in 1999. In 2002, the rights to Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage were purchased by the company that owned the rights to Burke's Landed Gentry. The company was renamed Burke's Peerage and Gentry and a fully updated 107th edition was published in 2004 under the editorship of Charles Mosley
Charles Mosley (genealogist)
Charles Gordon Mosley, born 14 September 1948, is an author, broadcaster, editor, and publisher, best known for having been Editor-in-Chief of Burke's Peerage & Baronetage and of the re-titled 107th edition, Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage.-Biography:Mosley was born in London, England...
.
On 7 October 2009, all remaining Burke's rights were acquired from the Burke's Peerage Partnership by Burke's Peerage and Gentry. Thus, Burke's ownership has been reunited in one company for the first time in 25 years. In early 2010, Burke's announced a programme to digitise past content and make it available online in ebook format. The first nine eBooks, ranging from Burke’s Great War Peerage to Burke’s Family Index are now available.
Burke's World Orders of Knighthood and Merit
In 2006, Burke's Peerage & Gentry: World Orders of Knighthood and Merit was published under the editorship of Guy Stair SaintyGuy Stair Sainty
Guy Stair Sainty, KC*SG is an art dealer and author on royal genealogy and heraldry.-Life and education:Guy Stair Sainty was born on 7 December 1950, the eldest son of Christopher Lawrence Sainty and his second wife Virginia Cade Stair. His father was Chief Engineer and Director of Carrier...
and Rafal Heydel-Mankoo
Rafal Heydel-Mankoo
Rafal Heydel-Mankoo Rafal Heydel-Mankoo Rafal Heydel-Mankoo (born 1 June 1976, London, England is a London-based free-lance media correspondent on royal affairs, and a writer, commentator and pundit on heraldry, aristocracy, and various honours systems. He was born in the United Kingdom, and...
. This monumental two-volume work updated Sir Bernard Burke's original work of 1858 but surpassed its original scope and detail. An electronic version of is available online for an annual fee.
Burke's Peerage Partnership
Burke's Peerage Partnership was formed in 1984 by a group of investors who were interested in the commercial potential of the Burke's name. The partnership owned the Burke's name and the lesser titles but never owned the publishing rights to Burke's Peerage, Baronetage, & Knightage. From 1984 until his death in 2005, the publishing director of Burke's Peerage Partnership was Harold Brooks-BakerHarold Brooks-Baker
Harold Brooks-Baker , was an American-British financier, journalist and publisher, and self-proclaimed expert on genealogy....
. The partnership published a number of genealogical titles and conducted other genealogy-related business under the Burke's name. In the 1990s, Burke's Peerage Partnership licensed the name to Halbert's Family Heritage, an American publisher that sold "genealogical"
Scam genealogical book
The popularity of genealogy, encouraged by the increasing use of the Internet is encouraging a number of people to mass-market what authorities regard as scam "genealogical books" which are sometimes promoted by affiliated websites...
books under the name Burke's Peerage World Book of Surnames. The books claimed to be a comprehensive history of any given surname
Surname
A surname is a name added to a given name and is part of a personal name. In many cases, a surname is a family name. Many dictionaries define "surname" as a synonym of "family name"...
, but in fact comprised mostly computer-generated lists of names and addresses drawn from telephone records, and were marketed through direct mail. Burke's Peerage Partnership offered services including genealogical research, custom designed heraldry
Heraldry
Heraldry is the profession, study, or art of creating, granting, and blazoning arms and ruling on questions of rank or protocol, as exercised by an officer of arms. Heraldry comes from Anglo-Norman herald, from the Germanic compound harja-waldaz, "army commander"...
, and assisting clients to acquire Scottish and French noble titles. On 7 October 2009 all remaining Burke's rights were sold by the Partnership to Peerage and Gentry.
Print editions
It has been announced that the last three-volume 107th edition (2004) will be followed by a Supplement edition, to be published in 2011, comprising those families who have supplied updates to their entries and all subsequent peerage creationsLife peer
In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the Peerage whose titles cannot be inherited. Nowadays life peerages, always of baronial rank, are created under the Life Peerages Act 1958 and entitle the holders to seats in the House of Lords, presuming they meet qualifications such as...
. To enable this Burke's has been updating, and will continue to update, existing family records online. Burke's will also be publishing in Spring 2011 an updated edition of the Royal Families of Europe.
Digital editions (Burke's eBooks)
In early 2010, Burke's made nine digital eBooks available. These are:- Burke’s Irish Family Records
- Burke’s Landed Gentry (The Kingdom of Scotland, The Principality of Wales and The North West and The Ridings of York)
- Burke’s Peerage, Baronetage and Knightage (107th edition)]
- Burke’s Great War Peerage (76th edition)]
- Burke’s Second World War Peerage (97th edition)]
- Burke’s Family Index and
- World Orders of Knighthood and Merit
The ebooks are accessible on computers, iPhones, the iPod touch and iPad in partnership with Exact Editions
Exact Editions
Exact Editions has been working with magazine, book, catalogue and newspaper publishers to render publications usable on the Web and Web-enabled devices since 2005...
using the Exactly application.
- Burke's Colonial Gentry (1895)
- Burke's General Armory (1884)
Online databases
Burke's Peerage maintains the following online databases for libraries and organizations:- Burke’s Peerage & Baronetage 107th Edition, including Knights, Scottish Chiefs and Scottish Feudal Barons
- Burke's Landed Gentry 19th Edition, The Kingdom in Scotland
- Burke's Landed Gentry 19th Edition, The Ridings of York
- Burke's Landed Gentry 19th Edition, The North West
- Burke's Landed Gentry 18th Edition
- Burke's Landed Gentry Irish Families (Irish supplement to the 15th Edition of Burke's Landed Gentry)
- American Families with British Ancestry
- American Presidential Families
- British Prime Ministers
- ATAVUS Subscriber Library
See also
- Debrett'sDebrett'sDebrett’s is a specialist publisher, founded in 1769 with the publication of the first edition of The New Peerage. The name "Debrett's" honours John Debrett...
- Cracroft's Peerage
- Genealogisches Handbuch des Adels
- Scam genealogical bookScam genealogical bookThe popularity of genealogy, encouraged by the increasing use of the Internet is encouraging a number of people to mass-market what authorities regard as scam "genealogical books" which are sometimes promoted by affiliated websites...
External links
- Burke's Peerage Homepage
- Burke's eBooks Homepage
- Burke’s Irish Family Records
- Burke’s Landed Gentry - The Kingdom of Scotland,
- Burke’s Landed Gentry - The Principality of Wales and The North West
- Burke’s Landed Gentry - The Ridings of York
- Burke’s Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage - 107th Edition
- Burke’s Great War Peerage - 76th Edition
- Burke’s Second World War Peerage - 97th Edition
- Burke’s Family Index
- World Orders of Knighthood and Merit
- Burke's Peerage & Gentry International Register of Arms