Viscount Portman


Viscount Portman, of Bryanston in the County of Dorset, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created on 28 March 1873 for the former Lord Lieutenant of Somerset and Liberal Member of Parliament Edward Portman, 1st Baron Portman. He had already been created Baron Portman, of Orchard Portman in the County of Somerset, on 27 January 1837, also in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. His son, the second Viscount, represented Shaftesbury and Dorset in the House of Commons as a Liberal. the titles are held by one of the latter's great-great-grandsons, the tenth Viscount, since 1999.
The family post-1728 are descended in the male line from a junior line of Berkeley of Stoke Gifford one of whom married the daughter of Joan Portman, the great-granddaughter of Sir William Portman, Lord Chief Justice of England between 1555 and 1557. He acquired land in Marylebone, London, which developed under Henry William Portman into the Portman Estate – a cornerstone of the family's wealth. The judge's grandson was created a baronet in 1612. In its third generation Sir William Portman, 6th Baronet died in 1690 without progeny, the bulk of estates passed to a husband of the family: Henry Seymour, MP, 5th son of Sir Edward Seymour, 3rd Baronet of Berry Pomeroy, Devon. Seymour took the surname Portman in lieu of his patronymic, but left no issue. The property then devolved to another cousin, William Berkeley of Pylle, Somerset, who likewise took the surname Portman. His great-grandson was Edward Berkeley Portman, MP for Dorset and father of Edward Portman, 1st Viscount Portman.
The family seat was Bryanston House, near Bryanston, Dorset, since 1928 a large private school.

Viscounts Portman (1873)

The heir apparent is the present holder's son Hon. Luke Henry Oliver Richard Berkeley Portman.

Line of succession

The title follows the most common primogeniture of British peerages, it passes to the next male heir bypassing daughters/other female family members.
  1. Hon. Luke Oliver Berkeley Portman
  2. Hon. Matthew Bernardo Berkeley Portman
  3. Hon. Daniel Edward Berkeley Portman
  4. Hon. Alexander Michael Berkeley Portman
  5. Maximilian Edward Berkeley Portman
  6. Jago Alexander Berkeley Portman
  7. Hon. Justin Trevor Berkeley Portman
  8. Lucas Alexander Berkeley Portman
  9. Viktor Portman
  10. Hon. Piers Richard Berkeley Portman
  11. Inigo Portman
  12. Michael Henry Berkeley Portman
  13. Guy Ralph Berkeley Portman
  14. Henry Edmund Berkeley Portman
  15. Jonathan Guy Berkeley Portman
  16. Jack Christopher Berkeley Portman
  17. Lt.-Col. Michael Berkeley Portman
  18. Edward Berkeley Portman

    Wealth