Burke's Landed Gentry
Encyclopedia
Burke's Landed Gentry is the result of nearly two centuries of intense work by the Burke family, and others since, in building a collection of books of genealogical and heraldic interest,
which has evolved with Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage
.
The Burke's Landed Gentry, as a detailed listing of key families or other influential figures in the United Kingdom
, was first published in 1826, as developed by Sir John Bernard Burke
.
Burke's Landed Gentry is widely used by historians and genealogical researchers.
However, the historical record tends to be a blend of fact and mythology interwoven, both wittingly or unwittingly, over centuries by word of mouth. Of "Burke's Peerage", Oscar Wilde
once said, "it is the best thing the English have done in fiction." Nevertheless, Burke's Landed Gentry has been valuable for research among notable families.
Part of "Burke's" early success lay in the literary writing style adopted by John Burke
, the title's founder, who made the material, based on work by many earlier authorities, more readable than ever before.
John's son, Bernard Burke
, creator of the "Landed Gentry" (book series), was also a talented writer. Bernard had a flair for flowery phraseology which appealed to some on the "Gothick phantasy" side of the Victorian character. Bernard Burke was a prodigiously hard worker whose volume of output allowed little time for the meticulous checking of modern genealogy. Bernard's typical account of the antiquity of any family was that an ancestor "came in with the Conqueror".
In English history, landed gentry
were the smaller landowners, and generally had no titles apart from Knighthoods and Baronetcies. Baronet
s are something of an exception, since they had hereditary titles but, not being members of the Peerage
, were also considered of the gentry or lesser nobility. The landed gentry played an important role in the English Civil War
of the seventeenth century. The term is still occasionally employed by the publishers of Burke's Landed Gentry,
though they explain that their continued use of that term is elastic and stems, in part, from the adoption of that short title for a series first entitled "Burke's Commoners" (as opposed to Burke's Peerage and Baronetage).
which has evolved with Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage
Burke's Peerage
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...
.
The Burke's Landed Gentry, as a detailed listing of key families or other influential figures in 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...
, was first published in 1826, as developed by 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 Landed Gentry is widely used by historians and genealogical researchers.
However, the historical record tends to be a blend of fact and mythology interwoven, both wittingly or unwittingly, over centuries by word of mouth. Of "Burke's Peerage", Oscar Wilde
Oscar Wilde
Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde was an Irish writer and poet. After writing in different forms throughout the 1880s, he became one of London's most popular playwrights in the early 1890s...
once said, "it is the best thing the English have done in fiction." Nevertheless, Burke's Landed Gentry has been valuable for research among notable families.
Part of "Burke's" early success lay in the literary writing style adopted by 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....
, the title's founder, who made the material, based on work by many earlier authorities, more readable than ever before.
John's son, 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...
, creator of the "Landed Gentry" (book series), was also a talented writer. Bernard had a flair for flowery phraseology which appealed to some on the "Gothick phantasy" side of the Victorian character. Bernard Burke was a prodigiously hard worker whose volume of output allowed little time for the meticulous checking of modern genealogy. Bernard's typical account of the antiquity of any family was that an ancestor "came in with the Conqueror".
In English history, landed gentry
Landed gentry
Landed gentry is a traditional British social class, consisting of land owners who could live entirely off rental income. Often they worked only in an administrative capacity looking after the management of their own lands....
were the smaller landowners, and generally had no titles apart from Knighthoods and Baronetcies. Baronet
Baronet
A baronet or the rare female equivalent, a baronetess , is the holder of a hereditary baronetcy awarded by the British Crown...
s are something of an exception, since they had hereditary titles but, not being members of the Peerage
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...
, were also considered of the gentry or lesser nobility. The landed gentry played an important role in the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
of the seventeenth century. The term is still occasionally employed by the publishers of Burke's Landed Gentry,
though they explain that their continued use of that term is elastic and stems, in part, from the adoption of that short title for a series first entitled "Burke's Commoners" (as opposed to Burke's Peerage and Baronetage).