Lord Napier
Encyclopedia
Lord Napier, of Merchistoun, is a title in the Peerage of Scotland
. 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. 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 in the Peerage of the United Kingdom
in 1872.
Lord Napier is the hereditary Clan Chief
of Clan Napier
.
, son of John Napier
, the inventor of logarithm
s, served as a Gentleman of the Bedchamber
to King James VI of Scotland (I of England) and as a Lord of Session
. On 2 March, 1627 he was created a Baronet, of Merchistoun in the County of Midlothian, in the Baronetage of Nova Scotia. 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 the Hon. Jean, eldest daughter of the second Lord Napier by Sir Thomas Nicolson, 3rd Baronet, of Carnock. Lord Napier died unmarried at an early age and was succeeded in the Baronetcy by his cousin and heir male (see the Baron Carnock
for later history of this title) and in the Lordship by his aunt, the fifth Lady Napier. She was the wife of John Brisbane.
Lady Napier was succeeded by her grandson, the sixth Lord. He was the son of Elizabeth, Mistress of Napier, by Sir William Scott, 2nd Baronet, of Thirlestane. 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 have remained united ever since. His grandson, the eighth Lord, sat in the House of Lords
as a Scottish Representative Peer
from 1796 to 1806 and from 1807 to 1823 and also served as Lord Lieutenant of Selkirkshire
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
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
. 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 titles are held by his great-great-grandson, the fourteenth Lord, who succeeded his father in 1954. He is styled "Lord Napier and Ettrick".
The earliest recorded mention of the name Napier
occurred in 1290, in a charter of Maol Choluim I, Earl of Lennox
, 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).
The Heir Apparent
is the present holder's son the Hon. Francis David Charles Napier, Master of Napier (b. 1962). He is married with one son.
see above for further holders of the baronetcy
Peerage of Scotland
The Peerage of Scotland is the division of the British Peerage for those peers created in the Kingdom of Scotland before 1707. With that year's Act of Union, the Kingdom of Scotland and the Kingdom of England were combined into the Kingdom of Great Britain, and a new Peerage of Great Britain was...
. It was created in 1627 for Sir Archibald Napier, 1st Baronet
Archibald Napier, 1st Lord Napier
Archibald Napier, 1st Lord Napier was the 9th Laird Napier of Merchiston. In 1627 he was created Lord Napier of Merchiston and Baronet of Nova Scotia.-Biography:Archibald Napier was the son of John Napier and Elizabeth Stirling....
. Earlier that year, he already held the Napier Baronetcy
Napier Baronets
There have been five Baronetcies created for people with the surname Napier, three in the Baronetage of England, one in the Baronetage of Nova Scotia and one in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom...
, of Merchistoun in the County of Midlothian, created in the Baronetage of Nova Scotia. 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
Nicolson Baronets
There have been four Baronetcies created for persons with the surname Nicolson, all in the Baronetage of Nova Scotia. two of the creations are extant as of 2008....
, of Carnock in the County of Stirling, and since 1725 the Scott Baronetcy
Scott Baronets
There have been twelve Baronetcies created for people with the surname Scott, one in the Baronetage of England, two in the Baronetage of Nova Scotia and nine in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom....
, 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 in the Peerage of the United Kingdom
Peerage of the United Kingdom
The Peerage of the United Kingdom comprises most peerages created in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland after the Act of Union in 1801, when it replaced the Peerage of Great Britain...
in 1872.
Lord Napier is the hereditary Clan Chief
Scottish clan chief
The Scottish Gaelic word clann means children. In early times, and possibly even today, clan members believed themselves to descend from a common ancestor, the founder of the Scottish clan. From its perceived founder a clan takes its name. The clan chief is the representative of this founder, and...
of Clan Napier
Clan Napier
Clan Napier is a Scottish clan originally from lands around Loch Lomond, but with presence in Stirlingshire, Edinburgh, Aberdeenshire and Kincardineshire.-Origins of the Clan:There is some debate about the origin of the name Napier...
.
History
Archibald NapierArchibald Napier, 1st Lord Napier
Archibald Napier, 1st Lord Napier was the 9th Laird Napier of Merchiston. In 1627 he was created Lord Napier of Merchiston and Baronet of Nova Scotia.-Biography:Archibald Napier was the son of John Napier and Elizabeth Stirling....
, son of John Napier
John Napier
John Napier of Merchiston – also signed as Neper, Nepair – named Marvellous Merchiston, was a Scottish mathematician, physicist, astronomer & astrologer, and also the 8th Laird of Merchistoun. He was the son of Sir Archibald Napier of Merchiston. John Napier is most renowned as the discoverer...
, the inventor of logarithm
Logarithm
The logarithm of a number is the exponent by which another fixed value, the base, has to be raised to produce that number. For example, the logarithm of 1000 to base 10 is 3, because 1000 is 10 to the power 3: More generally, if x = by, then y is the logarithm of x to base b, and is written...
s, served as a Gentleman of the Bedchamber
Gentleman of the Bedchamber
A Gentleman of the Bedchamber was the holder of an important office in the royal household of the Kingdom of England from the 11th century, later used also in the Kingdom of Great Britain.-Description and functions:...
to King James VI of Scotland (I of England) and as a Lord of Session
Court of Session
The Court of Session is the supreme civil court of Scotland, and constitutes part of the College of Justice. It sits in Parliament House in Edinburgh and is both a court of first instance and a court of appeal....
. On 2 March, 1627 he was created a Baronet, of Merchistoun in the County of Midlothian, in the Baronetage of Nova Scotia. 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
Napier Baronets
There have been five Baronetcies created for people with the surname Napier, three in the Baronetage of England, one in the Baronetage of Nova Scotia and one in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom...
) 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 the Hon. Jean, eldest daughter of the second Lord Napier by Sir Thomas Nicolson, 3rd Baronet, of Carnock. 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
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....
for later history of this title) and in the Lordship by his aunt, the fifth Lady Napier. She was the wife of John Brisbane.
Lady Napier was succeeded by her grandson, the sixth Lord. He was the son of Elizabeth, Mistress of Napier, by Sir William Scott, 2nd Baronet, of Thirlestane. 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 have remained united ever since. His grandson, the eighth Lord, sat in the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
as a Scottish Representative Peer
Representative peer
In the United Kingdom, representative peers were those peers elected by the members of the Peerage of Scotland and the Peerage of Ireland to sit in the British House of Lords...
from 1796 to 1806 and from 1807 to 1823 and also served as Lord Lieutenant of Selkirkshire
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...
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
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
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
Peerage of the United Kingdom
The Peerage of the United Kingdom comprises most peerages created in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland after the Act of Union in 1801, when it replaced the Peerage of Great Britain...
. 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
House of Lords Act 1999
The House of Lords Act 1999 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that was given Royal Assent on 11 November 1999. The Act reformed the House of Lords, one of the chambers of Parliament. For centuries, the House of Lords had included several hundred members who inherited their seats;...
. the titles are held by his great-great-grandson, the fourteenth Lord, who succeeded his father in 1954. He is styled "Lord Napier and Ettrick".
The earliest recorded mention of the name Napier
Clan Napier
Clan Napier is a Scottish clan originally from lands around Loch Lomond, but with presence in Stirlingshire, Edinburgh, Aberdeenshire and Kincardineshire.-Origins of the Clan:There is some debate about the origin of the name Napier...
occurred in 1290, in a charter of Maol Choluim I, Earl of Lennox
Maol Choluim I, Earl of Lennox
Mormaer Maol Choluim I of Lennox ruled the Mormaerdom of Lennox, between 1250 and 1303.He was an early supporter of the Bruces, and appeared before Edward I of England in 1292 amongst the supporters of Robert Bruce, 5th Lord of Annandale...
, granting lands at Kilmahew to the Napiers. They are said to have taken their name from a saying by King Alexander II of Scotland
Alexander II of Scotland
Alexander II was King of Scots from1214 to his death.-Early life:...
to one of the Earls of Lennox, after a battle, that Lennox had “na peer” (no equal).
Lords Napier (1627); Barons Ettrick (1872)
- Archibald Napier, 1st Lord NapierArchibald Napier, 1st Lord NapierArchibald Napier, 1st Lord Napier was the 9th Laird Napier of Merchiston. In 1627 he was created Lord Napier of Merchiston and Baronet of Nova Scotia.-Biography:Archibald Napier was the son of John Napier and Elizabeth Stirling....
(c. 1575–1645) (already received the Napier Baronetcy in 1627) - Archibald Napier, 2nd Lord NapierArchibald Napier, 2nd Lord NapierArchibald Napier, 2nd Lord Napier 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 endeavors. When Montrose left Scotland for Norway in 1646, Archibald Napier...
(c. 1625–1660) - Archibald Napier, 3rd Lord NapierArchibald Napier, 3rd Lord Napier-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....
(d. 1683) (Napier Baronetcy became dormant upon his death) - Thomas Nicolson, 4th Lord NapierThomas Nicolson, 4th Lord NapierThomas Nicholson of Carnock, 4th Lord Napier was a Scottish peer.-Family:Thomas Nicholson of Carnock was the son of Jean 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 Thomas...
(1669–1688) (the only Lord Napier who held the Nicolson Baronetcy, from 1670 to 1688) - Margaret Brisbane, 5th Lady NapierMargaret Brisbane, 5th Lady Napier-Family:Margaret Brisbane was a member of the Napier family of Merchiston, Scotland, and was the great-granddaughter of John Napier, the inventor of logarithms....
(d. 1706) - Francis Napier, 6th Lord NapierFrancis Napier, 6th Lord Napier-Family:Born Francis Scott, he was the son of Sir William Scott, 2nd Baronet of Thirlestane, and Elizabeth Napier, Mistress of Napier. Upon the death of his maternal grandmother Margaret Brisbane, 5th Lady Napier, he achieved the title Lord Napier and changed his last name to Napier; upon the death...
(c. 1702–1773) (held the Scott Baronetcy, from 1725 to 1773) - William Napier, 7th Lord NapierWilliam Napier, 7th Lord Napier-Family:William Napier was the son of Francis Napier, 6th Lord Napier and Henrietta Hope ....
(1730–1775) - Francis Napier, 8th Lord NapierFrancis Napier, 8th Lord NapierFrancis Scott Napier, 8th Lord Napier was a British peer and army officer.Napier was born in Ipswich in 1758, the son of Hon. William Napier and his wife, the Hon...
(1758–1823) - William John Napier, 9th Lord NapierWilliam Napier, 9th Lord NapierWilliam John Napier, 9th Lord Napier was a Royal Navy officer, politician and diplomat.- Early life :He was the son of Francis Napier, 8th Lord Napier and the father of Francis Napier, 10th Lord Napier and 1st Baron Ettrick . He served during the battle of Trafalgar as a midshipman...
(1786–1834) - Francis Napier, 10th Lord Napier, 1st Baron EttrickFrancis Napier, 10th Lord NapierFrancis Napier, 10th Lord Napier and 1st Baron Ettrick, KT, PC , was a Scottish polyglot, diplomat and colonial administrator. He served as the British Minister to the United States from 1857 to 1859, Netherlands from 1859 to 1860, Russia from 1861 to 1864, Prussia from 1864 to 1866 and as the...
(1819–1898) - William John George Napier, 11th Lord Napier, 2nd Baron EttrickWilliam Napier, 11th Lord NapierWilliam John George Napier, 11th Lord Napier, 2nd Baron Ettrick was the British Peer.-Family:William John George Napier was the son of Francis Napier, 10th Lord Napier and Anne Jane Charlotte....
(1846–1913) - Francis Edward Basil Napier, 12th Lord Napier, 3rd Baron EttrickFrancis Napier, 12th Lord NapierFrancis Edward Basil Napier, 12th Lord Napier, 3rd Baron Ettrick was a British Peer.-World War I:During World War I, Napier served as a Captain in the 7th Battalion of the King's Royal Rifle Corps. -Family:...
(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 (b. 1930)
The Heir Apparent
Heir apparent
An heir apparent or heiress apparent is a person who is first in line of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting, except by a change in the rules of succession....
is the present holder's son the Hon. Francis David Charles Napier, Master of Napier (b. 1962). He is married with one son.
Scott Baronets, of Thirlestane (1666)
- Sir Francis Scott, 1st Baronet (1645–1712)
- Sir William Scott, 2nd Baronet (c. 1680–1725)
- Sir Francis Scott, 3rd BaronetFrancis Napier, 6th Lord Napier-Family:Born Francis Scott, he was the son of Sir William Scott, 2nd Baronet of Thirlestane, and Elizabeth Napier, Mistress of Napier. Upon the death of his maternal grandmother Margaret Brisbane, 5th Lady Napier, he achieved the title Lord Napier and changed his last name to Napier; upon the death...
(c. 1702–1773) (had already succeeded as 6th Lord Napier in 1706)
see above for further holders of the baronetcy