Maid (Title)
Encyclopedia
Maid is a title granted to the eldest daughter of a Laird
. The title is not often used today but can still be used. The title is customary and not automatically given.
The eldest daughter of a Laird is entitled to place the title at the end of her name along with the Lairdship therefore becoming "Miss [Firstname] [Lastname], Maid of [Lairdship]." Only placing the word "Maid" at the end of the name is incorrect as the Lairdship must be included.
As the title is customary and not automatic, it means that the eldest daughter can choose if they wish to take on this title, if they choose not to they are simply addressed as "Miss [Firstname] [Lastname] of [Lairdship]"
If the eldest daughter is the heir apparent
to a Lairdship, she has the choice to either take on the title "Younger" (see. Younger (Title)
) or to remain titled as "Maid of [x]". Once they take on the Lairdship in their own right they will then become styled as "Lady" and the title of "Maid of [x]" will pass onto their eldest daughter if any.
The title "maid of [x]" is held for life unless the eldest daughter becomes a "Lady" in her own right and so no one else can be given this title during the lifetime of another Maid. If a Laird has a son who is the heir apparent
but still has an elder daughter she is still entitled to become styled as Maid
If a Laird has any younger daughters they are styled as "Miss [Forename] [Surname] of [Lairdship]"
Laird
A Laird is a member of the gentry and is a heritable title in Scotland. In the non-peerage table of precedence, a Laird ranks below a Baron and above an Esquire.-Etymology:...
. The title is not often used today but can still be used. The title is customary and not automatically given.
The eldest daughter of a Laird is entitled to place the title at the end of her name along with the Lairdship therefore becoming "Miss [Firstname] [Lastname], Maid of [Lairdship]." Only placing the word "Maid" at the end of the name is incorrect as the Lairdship must be included.
As the title is customary and not automatic, it means that the eldest daughter can choose if they wish to take on this title, if they choose not to they are simply addressed as "Miss [Firstname] [Lastname] of [Lairdship]"
If the eldest daughter is 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....
to a Lairdship, she has the choice to either take on the title "Younger" (see. Younger (Title)
Younger (Title)
Younger is a title traditionally granted to the Heir Apparent to a current Laird. The wife of a Younger is also known as a younger, as is a woman who is entitled to a Lairdship in her own right. A Younger is neither a title of nobility or a peerage and does not carry voting rights either in the...
) or to remain titled as "Maid of [x]". Once they take on the Lairdship in their own right they will then become styled as "Lady" and the title of "Maid of [x]" will pass onto their eldest daughter if any.
The title "maid of [x]" is held for life unless the eldest daughter becomes a "Lady" in her own right and so no one else can be given this title during the lifetime of another Maid. If a Laird has a son who is 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....
but still has an elder daughter she is still entitled to become styled as Maid
Forms of Address
If the eldest daughter of a Laird chooses to accept the title it would be styled as "Miss [Forename] [Surname], Maid of [Lairdship]" (e.g. Miss Jane Smith, Maid of Edinburgh). If the eldest daughter should marry she will still hold the title.If a Laird has any younger daughters they are styled as "Miss [Forename] [Surname] of [Lairdship]"
See also
- LairdLairdA Laird is a member of the gentry and is a heritable title in Scotland. In the non-peerage table of precedence, a Laird ranks below a Baron and above an Esquire.-Etymology:...
- Younger (Title)Younger (Title)Younger is a title traditionally granted to the Heir Apparent to a current Laird. The wife of a Younger is also known as a younger, as is a woman who is entitled to a Lairdship in her own right. A Younger is neither a title of nobility or a peerage and does not carry voting rights either in the...
- Princess RoyalPrincess RoyalPrincess Royal is a style customarily awarded by a British monarch to his or her eldest daughter. The style is held for life, so a princess cannot be given the style during the lifetime of another Princess Royal...
- Forms of address in the United KingdomForms of Address in the United KingdomForms of address used in the United Kingdom are given below.Several terms have been abbreviated in the table below. The forms used in the table are given first, followed by alternative acceptable abbreviations in parentheses.-Abbreviations:*His/Her Majesty: HM...
- Courtesy titles in the United Kingdom
- LordLordLord is a title with various meanings. It can denote a prince or a feudal superior . The title today is mostly used in connection with the peerage of the United Kingdom or its predecessor countries, although some users of the title do not themselves hold peerages, and use it 'by courtesy'...
- LadyLadyThe word lady is a polite term for a woman, specifically the female equivalent to, or spouse of, a lord or gentleman, and in many contexts a term for any adult woman...
- The HonourableThe HonourableThe prefix The Honourable or The Honorable is a style used before the names of certain classes of persons. It is considered an honorific styling.-International diplomacy:...