Baronet - Definition - Law Dictionary Home Dictionary Definition baronet

Definition :

Baronet [fr. Baron, Fr., and et, diminutive termination], the holder of a dignity of inheritance created by letters-patent, and descendible to the issue male. The order was instituted in 1611 by James I., who conferred the dignity in consideration of the payment of 1,000l. to the Crown, the money so raised being applied to pay the troops sent to quell an insurrection in the province of Ulster in Ireland. The number was at first 200, but has since much increased.

By a Royal Warrant (see The Times, Feb. 12, 1910) an official Roll of Baronets is kept, and no one who is not on that roll is received as a baronet or entitled to be addressed as such.

As an incorporeal hereditament a baronetcy is 'land' within the meaning of 'land,' see (English) L.P. Act, 1925, ss. 201(1) and 130(2), with the necessary qualifications arising by reason of the inherent nature of a title of honour, and see S.L. Act, 1928, s. 67 [Re Rivett-Carnac, (1885) 30 Ch D 136].