Duke of Devonshire

Earl of Devonshire redirects here. See also Charles Blount, 1st Earl of Devonshire.

The Dukes of Devonshire are members of the aristocratic Cavendish family in the United Kingdom. They were related to the 17th century Dukes of Newcastle, with whom they shared the family name of Cavendish. Although in modern usage the county of Devon is now rarely called 'Devonshire', the title remained 'Duke of Devonshire'. This branch of the Cavendish family has been one of the richest and most influential aristocratic families in England since the 16th century.

Arms of the Dukes of Devonshire.

The Duke's subsidiary titles are:

• Marquess of Hartington (created 1694),
• Earl of Devonshire (1618),
• Earl of Burlington (1831),
• Baron Cavendish of Hardwick (1605) and
• Baron Cavendish of Keighley (1831).

The Duke of Devonshire's eldest son may use the courtesy title Marquess of Hartington, whilst the eldest son of the eldest son may use the title Earl of Burlington; any sons he may have would use the title Lord Cavendish. The Marquessate of Hartington, the Earldom of Devonshire and the Barony of Cavendish of Hardwick are in the peerage of England, while the Earldom of Burlington and the Barony of Cavendish of Keighley are in the peerage of the United Kingdom.

The family name derives from the village of Cavendish, Suffolk, England and from Sir John Cavendish, who held the estate there in the 14th century and who died in the Peasants' Revolt.

His two great-grandsons were William Cavendish, the second husband of Bess of Hardwick, and George Cavendish, William's older brother and Thomas Cardinal Wolsey's biographer.

Victor Cavendish, 9th Duke of Devonshire in his role as Governor General of Canada
Credit: Dupras & Colas / Library and Archives Canada / C-001013

William Cavendish's descendants were Earls of Devonshire at first. The dukedom started when William Cavendish, the 4th Earl of Devonshire, was created the 1st Duke of Devonshire in 1694 (see below).

Many of the Dukes of Devonshire have been prominent politicians, including one prime minister, one leader of the Liberal Party, and one Governor-General of Canada. The family also produced the famous early physicist, Henry Cavendish.

Despite the title, the family estates centre in Derbyshire. It is sometimes speculated that Derbyshire rather than Devonshire was intended on the original letters patent for the earldom, but no hard evidence supports this. The family seats are Chatsworth House and Bolton Abbey. The family also own Lismore Castle in Co Waterford, in the Republic of Ireland.

Earls of Devonshire, first creation (1603)

• Charles Blount, Earl of Devonshire, 8th Baron Mountjoy (1563-1606) (extinct on death)

Earls of Devonshire, second creation (1618)

• William Cavendish, 1st Earl of Devonshire (1552–1626)
• William Cavendish, 2nd Earl of Devonshire (1591–1628)
• William Cavendish, 3rd Earl of Devonshire (1617–1684)
• William Cavendish, 4th Earl of Devonshire (became Duke of Devonshire in 1694) (1640–1707)

Dukes of Devonshire (1694)

• William Cavendish, 1st Duke of Devonshire (1640–1707)
• William Cavendish, 2nd Duke of Devonshire (1673–1729)
• William Cavendish, 3rd Duke of Devonshire (1698–1755)
• William Cavendish, 4th Duke of Devonshire (1720–1764)
• William Cavendish, 5th Duke of Devonshire (1748–1811)
• William George Spencer Cavendish, 6th Duke of Devonshire (1790–1858)
• William Cavendish, 7th Duke of Devonshire (1808–1891)
• Spencer Compton Cavendish, 8th Duke of Devonshire (1833–1908)
• Victor Christian William Cavendish, 9th Duke of Devonshire (1868–1938)
• Edward William Spencer Cavendish, 10th Duke of Devonshire (1895–1950)
• Andrew Robert Buxton Cavendish, 11th Duke of Devonshire (1920–2004)
• Peregrine Andrew Mornay Cavendish, 12th Duke of Devonshire (b. 1944)

Heir Apparent: William Cavendish, Earl of Burlington (b. 1969)

Earls of Devon

The Earldom of Devonshire was originally granted as a recreation of the title of Earl of Devon, then held to be extinct; but which was found to have been in existence de jure in 1831. These are held by different families, and are now held to be distinct titles.

Further reading

• Pearson, John. The Serpent and the Stag. Holt, Rinehart, & Winston, 1984.