Earl of Elgin

Earl of Elgin (/ˈɛlɡɪn/ EL-ghin) is a title in the Peerage of Scotland, created in 1633 for Thomas Bruce, 3rd Lord Kinloss. He was later created Baron Bruce, of Whorlton in the County of York, in the Peerage of England on 30 July 1641. The Earl of Elgin is the hereditary Clan Chief of Clan Bruce.^[1]

Earldom of Elgin held with Earldom of Kincardine
Or, a saltire and chief gules on a canton argent a lion rampant azure armed and langued of the second[1]
Creation date	21 June 1633
Created by	Charles I
Peerage	Peerage of Scotland
First holder	Thomas Bruce, 3rd Lord Kinloss
Present holder	Andrew Bruce, 11th Earl of Elgin
Heir apparent	Charles Bruce, Lord Bruce
Remainder to	Heirs male forever, bearing the name Bruce[1]
Subsidiary titles	Baron Elgin Lord Bruce of Kinloss Lord Bruce of Torry
Seat(s)	Broomhall House
Motto	Fuimus ("We have been")[1]

History

The family descended from the Bruces of Clackmannan, whose ancestor was Thomas de Bruys. According to Sir James Balfour Paul, there is no evidence that this branch of the family was descended from Robert the Bruce (King Robert I), despite claims that Thomas was an illegitimate son of the king.^[2] However, King Robert's son David II made a grant of land in 1359 to Robert Bruce referring to him as dilecto consanguineo suo (our beloved cousin).^[3] It was generally accepted that Clackmannan branch descended from John de Brus who was a younger son of Robert de Brus, 5th Lord of Annandale.^[4][5]

The first earl was succeeded by his son, Robert, who also was created Earl of Ailesbury in the Peerage of England. The two Earldoms continued united until the death of the fourth Earl of Elgin, when the Ailesbury and Baron Bruce (of Whorlton) titles became extinct, and the Elgin title passed to the Earl of Kincardine; the Lordship of Kinloss became dormant. Thereafter, the Earldoms of Elgin and Kincardine have remained united.^[1]

In Dublin there are roads that come from the Earl's titles. These are Elgin Road and Ailesbury Road.

The most famous Earl was the 7th Earl, who removed and transported to Britain the so-called Elgin Marbles from the Parthenon.

As well as the titles Earl of Elgin and Earl of Kincardine, Lord Elgin also holds the titles Lord Bruce of Kinloss (created 1604), Lord Bruce of Torry (1647) and Baron Elgin, of Elgin in Scotland (1849). The first two are in the Peerage of Scotland; the third is in the Peerage of the United Kingdom.^[1]

The Lordship of Kinloss held by the first four Earls was inherited on the death of the 4th Earl by the 3rd Duke of Chandos. Through his daughter it passed to the Dukes of Buckingham and Chandos, and is now held by these Dukes' heir of line.^[1]

The family seat is Broomhall House, three miles south-west of Dunfermline, Scotland.^[6]

Feudal Barons of Clackmannan

• Thomas de Bruys, 1st Baron of Clackmannan (died before 1348)
• Robert de Bruys, 2nd Baron of Clackmannan (died before 1406)
• Sir Robert Bruce, 3rd Baron of Clackmannan (died 1428)
• Sir David Bruce, 4th Baron of Clackmannan
• John Bruce, 5th Baron of Clackmannan (died 1473)
• Sir David Bruce, 6th Baron of Clackmannan (died circa 1500)
• Sir David Bruce, 7th Baron of Clackmannan (died after 1556)
• Sir Edward Bruce, 8th Baron of Clackmannan (1505–1565)
  • second son, Edward, created Lord Bruce of Kinloss in 1604

Lords Bruce of Kinloss (1604)

• Edward Bruce, 1st Lord Bruce of Kinloss (1548–1611)
• Edward Bruce, 2nd Lord Bruce of Kinloss (1594–1613)
• Thomas Bruce, 3rd Lord Bruce of Kinloss, 1st Baron Bruce (1599–1663) (created Earl of Elgin 1633) (created Baron Bruce of Whorlton 1641)

Earls of Elgin (1633)

• Thomas Bruce, 1st Earl of Elgin, 1st Baron Bruce of Whorlton (1599–1663)
• Robert Bruce, 2nd Earl of Elgin, 1st Earl of Ailesbury, 2nd Baron Bruce of Whorlton (1627–1685)
  • Hon. Robert Bruce (died 1652)
  • Hon. Edward Bruce (died 1662)
• Thomas Bruce, 3rd Earl of Elgin, 2nd Earl of Ailesbury, 3rd Baron Bruce of Whorlton (1656–1741)
  • Robert Bruce, Lord Bruce (1679–before 1741)
• Charles Bruce, 4th Earl of Elgin, 3rd Earl of Ailesbury, 4th Baron Bruce of Whorlton, 1st Baron Bruce of Skelton (1682–1747) (created Baron Bruce of Skelton 1746)
  • Hon. Robert Bruce (died 1738)
• Charles Bruce, 5th Earl of Elgin and 9th Earl of Kincardine (1732–1771)
• William Robert Bruce, 6th Earl of Elgin and 10th Earl of Kincardine (1764–1771)
• Thomas Bruce, 7th Earl of Elgin, 11th Earl of Kincardine (1766–1841) – of the eponymous Elgin Marbles
  • George Charles Constantine Bruce, Lord Bruce (1800–1840)
• James Bruce, 8th Earl of Elgin, 12th Earl of Kincardine (1811–1863) – of the sacking of the Summer Palace
• Victor Alexander Bruce, 9th Earl of Elgin, 13th Earl of Kincardine (1849–1917)
• Edward James Bruce, 10th Earl of Elgin, 14th Earl of Kincardine (1881–1968)
• Andrew Douglas Alexander Thomas Bruce, 11th Earl of Elgin, 15th Earl of Kincardine (b. 1924)

The heir apparent is the present holder's son Charles Edward Bruce, Lord Bruce (b. 1961).^[1]
The heir apparent's heir apparent is his son James Andrew Charles Robert Bruce, Master of Bruce (b. 1991).^[1]

Family tree

v t e Earls and Marquesses of Ailesbury, Earls of Cardigan, Earls of Elgin, and Earls of Kincardine family tree

Edward Bruce of Blairhall c. 1505–1565 Lord Kinloss, 1602 Lord Bruce of Kinloss, 1604 Lord Bruce of Kinloss, 1608 Edward Bruce 1548–1611 1st Lord Kinloss, Lord Bruce of Kinloss (1604), and Lord Bruce of Kinloss (1608) George Bruce of Carnock c. 1550–1625 Margaret Primrose Earl of Elgin, Lord Bruce of Kinloss, and Baron Bruce of Whorlton in the County of York, 1633 Edward Bruce 1594–1613 2nd Lord Kinloss, Lord Bruce of Kinloss (1604), and Lord Bruce of Kinloss (1608) Thomas Bruce 1599–1663 1st Earl of Elgin, Lord Bruce of Kinloss (1633), and Baron Bruce of Whorlton, 3rd Lord Kinloss, Lord Bruce of Kinloss (1604), and Lord Bruce of Kinloss (1608) Mary Preston George Bruce (2nd) of Carnock d. 1643 Robert Bruce of Broomhall d. 1652 Earl of Ailesbury (1st creation), Viscount Bruce, and Baron Bruce of Skelton, 1664 Baron Brudenell of Stonton in the County of Leicester, 1628 Earl of Cardigan, 1661 Earl of Kincardine and Lord Bruce of Torry, 1647 See also: Dukes of Montrose family tree for the Earl of Kincardine 1644 creation Robert Bruce 1627–1685 2nd Earl of Elgin, Lord Bruce of Kinloss (1633), and Baron Bruce of Whorlton, 1st Earl of Ailesbury, Viscount Bruce, and Baron Bruce of Skelton, 4th Lord Kinloss, Lord Bruce of Kinloss (1604), and Lord Bruce of Kinloss (1608) Thomas Brudenell c. 1583–1663 1st Earl of Cardigan and Baron Brudenell of Stonton Edward Bruce d. 1662 1st Earl of Kincardine and Lord Bruce of Torry Alexander Bruce c. 1629–1680 2nd Earl of Kincardine and Lord Bruce of Torry Alexander Bruce d. 1706 4th Earl of Kincardine and Lord Bruce of Torry Thomas Bruce 1656–1741 3rd Earl of Elgin, Lord Bruce of Kinloss (1633), and Baron Bruce of Whorlton, 2nd Earl of Ailesbury, Viscount Bruce, and Baron Bruce of Skelton, 5th Lord Kinloss, Lord Bruce of Kinloss (1604), and Lord Bruce of Kinloss (1608) Robert Brudenell 1607–1703 2nd Earl of Cardigan and Baron Brudenell of Stonton Alexander Bruce c. 1666–1705 3rd Earl of Kincardine and Lord Bruce of Torry Robert Bruce d. 1718 5th Earl of Kincardine and Lord Bruce of Torry Alexander Bruce 1662–1721 6th Earl of Kincardine and Lord Bruce of Torry Thomas Bruce 1663–1739/1740 7th Earl of Kincardine and Lord Bruce of Torry Baron Bruce of Tottenham in the County of Wilts, 1746 Charles Bruce 1682–1747 4th Earl of Elgin, Lord Bruce of Kinloss (1633), and Baron Bruce of Whorlton, 3rd Earl of Ailesbury, Viscount Bruce, and Baron Bruce of Skelton, 6th Lord Kinloss, Lord Bruce of Kinloss (1604), and Lord Bruce of Kinloss (1608), 1st Baron Bruce of Tottenham George Brudenell 1685–1732 3rd Earl of Cardigan and Baron Brudenell of Stonton Elizabeth Brudenell 1689–1745 William Bruce 1710–1740 8th Earl of Kincardine and Lord Bruce of Torry Earldom of Ailesbury, Viscountcy of Bruce, Whorlton Barony Bruce, Barony of Bruce of Skelton, and Lordship of Kinloss extinct, 1747 Earl of Ailesbury Buckinghamshire, Great Britain (2nd creation), 1747 George Brudenell, later Montagu 1712–1790 Duke of Montagu, Marquess of Monthermer, 4th Earl of Cardigan and Baron Brudenell of Stonton James Brudenell 1725–1811 5th Earl of Cardigan and Baron Brudenell of Stonton Robert Brudenell 1726–1768 Thomas Brudenell-Bruce 1729–1815 1st Earl of Ailesbury, 2nd Baron Bruce of Tottenham Charles Bruce 1732–1771 5th Earl of Elgin, Lord Bruce of Kinloss (1633) and Lord Bruce of Kinloss, 9th Earl of Kincardine and Lord Bruce of Torry, Lord Bruce of Kinloss (1604), Lord Bruce of Kinloss (1608) Marquess of Ailesbury, Earl Bruce of Whorlton, County of York, and Viscount Savernake of Savernake Forest, Wiltshire, 1821 Robert Brudenell 1760–1837 6th Earl of Cardigan and Baron Brudenell of Stonton Charles Brudenell-Bruce 1773–1856 1st Marquess of Ailesbury, Earl Bruce, and Viscount Savernake, 2nd Earl of Ailesbury, 3rd Baron Bruce of Tottenham William Robert Bruce 1764–1771 6th Earl of Elgin and Lord Bruce of Kinloss (1633), 10th Earl of Kincardine and Lord Bruce of Torry Thomas Bruce 1766–1841 7th Earl of Elgin and Lord Bruce of Kinloss (1633), 11th Earl of Kincardine and Lord Bruce of Torry Baron Elgin of Elgin, 1849 James Brudenell🐴 1797–1868 7th Earl of Cardigan and Baron Brudenell of Stonton George Brudenell-Bruce 1804–1878 2nd Marquess of Ailesbury, Earl Bruce, Viscount Savernake, 8th Earl of Cardigan and Baron Brudenell of Stonton, 3rd Earl of Ailesbury, 4th Baron Bruce of Tottenham Ernest Brudenell-Bruce 1811–1886 3rd Marquess of Ailesbury, Earl Bruce, Viscount Savernake, 9th Earl of Cardigan and Baron Brudenell of Stonton, 4th Earl of Ailesbury, 5th Baron Bruce of Tottenham James Bruce 1811–1863 8th Earl of Elgin and Lord Bruce of Kinloss (1633), 12th Earl of Kincardine (1647) and Lord Bruce of Torry, 1st Baron Elgin George John Brudenell-Bruce 1839–1868 Henry Brudenell-Bruce 1842–1911 5th Marquess of Ailesbury, Earl Bruce of Whorlton, and Viscount Savernake, 11th Earl of Cardigan and Baron Brudenell of Stonton, 6th Earl of Ailesbury, 7th Baron Bruce of Tottenham Victor Alexander Bruce 1849–1917 9th Earl of Elgin and Lord Bruce of Kinloss (1633), 13th Earl of Kincardine (1647) and Lord Bruce of Torry, 2nd Baron Elgin George William Thomas Brudenell-Bruce 1863–1894 4th Marquess of Ailesbury, Earl Bruce of Whorlton, and Viscount Savernake, 10th Earl of Cardigan and Baron Brudenell of Stonton, 5th Earl of Ailesbury, 6th Baron Bruce of Tottenham George William James Chandos Brudenell-Bruce 1873–1961 6th Marquess of Ailesbury, Earl Bruce of Whorlton, and Viscount Savernake, 12th Earl of Cardigan and Baron Brudenell of Stonton, 7th Earl of Ailesbury, 8th Baron Bruce of Tottenham Edward James Bruce 1881–1968 10th Earl of Elgin and Lord Bruce of Kinloss (1633), 14th Earl of Kincardine (1647) and Lord Bruce of Torry, 3rd Baron Elgin Chandos Sydney Cedric Brudenell-Bruce 1904–1974 7th Marquess of Ailesbury, Earl Bruce of Whorlton, and Viscount Savernake, 13th Earl of Cardigan and Baron Brudenell of Stonton, 8th Earl of Ailesbury, 9th Baron Bruce of Tottenham Michael Sydney Cedric Brudenell-Bruce 1926–2024 8th Marquess of Ailesbury, Earl Bruce of Whorlton, and Viscount Savernake, 14th Earl of Cardigan and Baron Brudenell of Stonton, 9th Earl of Ailesbury, 10th Baron Bruce of Tottenham Andrew Douglas Alexander Thomas Bruce b. 1924 11th Earl of Elgin and Lord Bruce of Kinloss (1633), 15th Earl of Kincardine (1647) and Lord Bruce of Torry, 4th Baron Elgin David Michael James Brudenell-Bruce b. 1952 9th Marquess of Ailesbury, Earl Bruce of Whorlton, and Viscount Savernake, 15th Earl of Cardigan and Baron Brudenell of Stonton, 10th Earl of Ailesbury, 11th Baron Bruce of Tottenham Charles Edward Bruce b. 1961 styled Lord Bruce Heir apparent to the Earldom of Elgin and the Earldom of Kincardine Thomas James Brudenell-Bruce b. 1982 styled Earl of Cardigan Heir apparent to the Marquessate of Ailesbury and Earldom of Cardigan

See also

• Clan Bruce
• Elgin Marbles
• Palermo Fragment

References

1. Mosley, Charles, ed. (2003). Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knighthood (107 ed.). Burke's Peerage & Gentry. pp. 1293–1299. ISBN 0-9711966-2-1.
2. Balfour Paul, James, ed. (1906). The Scot's Peerage, Vol. III. Edinburgh: David Doulas. pp. 466–467. ISBN 0-9711966-2-1.
3. "The peerage of Scotland: containing an historical and genealogical account of the nobility of that Kingdom by George Crawfurd, Esq". Eighteenth Century Collections Online. Retrieved 28 January 2019.
4. "The peerage of Scotland: containing an historical and genealogical account of the nobility of that kingdom, ... collected from the public records, and ancient chartularies of this nation, ... Illustrated with copper-plates. By Robert Douglas, Esq". Eighteenth Century Collections Online. Retrieved 28 January 2019.
5. "The Scots peerage; founded on Wood's edition of Sir Robert Douglas's peerage of Scotland; containing an historical and genealogical account of the nobility of that kingdom by Paul, James Balfour". Internet Archive. Retrieved 28 January 2019.
6. Cameron, Courtney (16 May 2014). "Robert the Bruce heir says No to independence". The Scotsman. Retrieved 1 January 2017.

Attribution

• Hesilrige, Arthur G. M. (1921). Debrett's Peerage and Titles of courtesy. London: Dean & Son. p. 337.