Earl of Strafford

Earldom of Strafford (Third creation)
Quarterly sable and argent, in the first quarter a lion rampant of the second, over all in bend sinister; a representation of the colours of the 31st Regiment
Creation date	18 September 1847
Monarch	William IV
Peerage	Peerage of the United Kingdom
First holder	John Byng, 1st Earl of Strafford
Present holder	William Byng, 9th Earl of Strafford
Heir apparent	Samuel Byng, Viscount Enfield
Remainder to	Heirs male of the first earl's body lawfully begotten
Subsidiary titles	Viscount Enfield Baron Strafford
Seat(s)	Wrotham Park
Armorial motto	Tuebor ("I will defend")

Earl of Strafford is a title that has been created three times in English and British history.

The first creation was in the Peerage of England in 1640 for Thomas Wentworth, the close advisor of King Charles I. He had already succeeded his father as second Baronet of Wentworth Woodhouse in 1614. The Wentworth Baronetcy, of Wentworth Woodhouse in the County of York, had been created in the Baronetage of England on 20 June 1611 for Thomas's father, William Wentworth. Thomas was created Baron Wentworth, of Wentworth-Woodhouse, Baron of Newmarch and Oversley, in 1628, and Viscount Wentworth in 1629. He was made Baron Raby in 1640, at the same time he was given the earldom.

In 1641, he was attainted. His son, William, successfully had the attainder reversed in 1662, becoming the second earl, but died without heirs in 1695 when the barony of Wentworth, viscountcy and earldom became extinct. He was succeeded in the barony of Raby according to a special remainder by his first cousin once removed, Thomas Wentworth, who became the third Baron. He was the grandson of Sir William Wentworth, younger brother of the first Earl of the 1640 creation. While gaining the barony, he did not receive the Woodhouse estate, which was inherited by Thomas Watson, thereafter a source of rivalry between the two men.

In 1711, the earldom was recreated when the 3rd Baron Raby was created Viscount Wentworth and Earl of Strafford in the Peerage of Great Britain. He was created Duke of Strafford in the Jacobite Peerage on 5 January 1722. He was succeeded in 1739 by his son, William, the second earl. William had no issue and on his death in 1791 the Jacobite peerages, such as they were, became extinct. He was succeeded in the remaining peerages by his cousin Frederick. As he also had no successors, all titles became extinct on his death in 1799.

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