Younger (Title)
Encyclopedia
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 Parliament of Scotland
or the Kingdom of England
. The abbreviation of Younger is Yr.
When a Younger takes on the position of Laird
(Lord), the next heir apparent
will take on the title Younger. This may be the eldest child of the new Laird or the next person in line. The wife of a Younger, who herself is a Younger through marriage and a Female Younger who takes on the Lairdship in her own right both become styled "Lady".
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 current Laird
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 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
Nobility
Nobility is a social class which possesses more acknowledged privileges or eminence than members of most other classes in a society, membership therein typically being hereditary. The privileges associated with nobility may constitute substantial advantages over or relative to non-nobles, or may be...
or a 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...
and does not carry voting rights either in the Parliament of Scotland
Parliament of Scotland
The Parliament of Scotland, officially the Estates of Parliament, was the legislature of the Kingdom of Scotland. The unicameral parliament of Scotland is first found on record during the early 13th century, with the first meeting for which a primary source survives at...
or the Kingdom of England
Kingdom of England
The Kingdom of England was, from 927 to 1707, a sovereign state to the northwest of continental Europe. At its height, the Kingdom of England spanned the southern two-thirds of the island of Great Britain and several smaller outlying islands; what today comprises the legal jurisdiction of England...
. The abbreviation of Younger is Yr.
When a Younger takes on the position of Laird
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:...
(Lord), the next 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....
will take on the title Younger. This may be the eldest child of the new Laird or the next person in line. The wife of a Younger, who herself is a Younger through marriage and a Female Younger who takes on the Lairdship in her own right both become styled "Lady".
Forms of address
- A Younger is entitled to place the title at the end of his or her name, for example "John Smith of Edinburgh, Younger." or if abbreviated "John Smith of Edinburgh, Yr."
- If a Female Younger holds the title in her own right she is styled in the same way as a male Younger but using her own name
- The wife of a Younger becomes a Younger herself through marriage and is therefore entitled to place the title at the end of her name becoming Mrs [Firstname] [Lastname] of [Lairdship], Younger.
- A Younger is referred to and addressed as "The Younger of [x]", for example "The Younger of Edinburgh"
- If a Laird has any younger sons they are styled as "Mr [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:...
- Maid (Title)Maid (Title)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....
- Prince of WalesPrince of WalesPrince of Wales is a title traditionally granted to the heir apparent to the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the 15 other independent Commonwealth realms...
- 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:...