Earl of Dumfries


Earl of Dumfries is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was originally created for William Crichton, 9th Lord Crichton of Sanquhar, in 1633, and stayed in the Crichton family until the death of the fourth countess in 1742, at which point the title passed to first the Dalrymple and then the McDouall families before finally being inherited by the Marquesses of Bute, where it remains today.
The subsidiary titles of the Earl of Dumfries are: Viscount of Ayr and Lord Sanquhar, Lord Crichton of Sanquhar, and Lord Crichton of Cumnock, all in the Peerage of Scotland.

Lords Crichton of Sanquhar (1488)

The heir apparent to both titles is the present holder's son John Bryson Crichton-Stuart, Earl of Dumfries.
The heir presumptive to the heir apparent for the Marquessate of Bute is Lord Anthony Crichton-Stuart, second son of the 6th Marquess and uncle of the heir apparent.
The heir presumptive to the heir apparent for the Earldom of Dumfries is Lady Caroline Crichton-Stuart, eldest daughter of the 12th Earl and elder sister of the heir apparent.

Family Tree