List of British Jewish nobility and gentry
The British nobility consists of the peerage and the gentry. The peerage is a legal system of largely hereditary titles, granted by the British sovereign. Under this system, only the senior family member bears a substantive title (duke, marquess, earl, viscount, baron). The gentry are generally untitled members of the upper classes, however, exceptions include baronets, knights, dames, Scottish feudal barons and lairds.
The history of the Jews in Britain goes back to the reign of William the Conqueror. The first written record of Jewish settlement in England dates from 1070, although Jews may have lived there since Roman times.[1] The Jewish presence continued until King Edward I's Edict of Expulsion in 1290. After the expulsion, there was no Jewish community (apart from individuals who practised Judaism secretly) until the rule of Oliver Cromwell. While Cromwell never officially readmitted Jews to Britain, a small colony of Sephardic Jews living in London was identified in 1656 and allowed to remain. The Jewish Naturalisation Act of 1753, an attempt to legalise the Jewish presence in Britain, remained in force for only a few months. In 1858, practising Jews were finally allowed to sit in Parliament after the passage of the Jews Relief Act, which was a significant step on the path to Jewish emancipation in the United Kingdom.
The first Jewish knight was Sir Solomon de Medina, knighted in 1700, with no further Jews being knighted until 1837, when Queen Victoria knighted Moses Montefiore. Four years later, Isaac Goldsmid was made a baronet, the first Jew to receive a hereditary title. In 1885, Nathan Rothschild, 1st Baron Rothschild, became the first Jew to receive a peerage title.
Peerage titles
[edit]
Marquessates
[edit]- Marquess of Reading[2]
- Marquess of Cholmondeley
- George Cholmondeley, 6th Marquess of Cholmondeley (Jewish mother)
Earldoms
[edit]- Earl of Beaconsfield (extinct)
- Benjamin Disraeli, 1st Earl of Beaconsfield (converted out)
- Earl of Rosebery and Midlothian
- Harry Primrose, 6th Earl of Rosebery, 2nd Earl of Midlothian (Jewish mother)
- Earl of Harewood
- David Lascelles, 8th Earl of Harewood (Jewish mother)
Viscountcies
[edit]- Viscount Burnham (extinct)
- Viscount Bearsted[4]
- Marcus Samuel, 1st Viscount Bearsted
- Walter Samuel, 2nd Viscount Bearsted
- Marcus Samuel, 3rd Viscount Bearsted
- Peter Samuel, 4th Viscount Bearsted
- Nicholas Alan Samuel, 5th Viscount Bearsted
- Viscount Samuel[5]
Hereditary baronies
[edit]Extant
[edit]- Baron Rothschild[6]
- Baron Burnham
- Edward Levy-Lawson, 1st Baron Burnham
- Harry Levy-Lawson, 2nd Baron Burnham, created Viscount Burnham
- William Arnold Webster Levy-Lawson, 3rd Baron Burnham
- Edward Lawson, 4th Baron Burnham
- William Edward Harry Lawson, 5th Baron Burnham
- Hugh Lawson, 6th Baron Burnham
- Harry Frederick Alan Lawson, 7th Baron Burnham
- Baron Swaythling[7]
- Samuel Montagu, 1st Baron Swaythling
- Louis Montagu, 2nd Baron Swaythling
- Stuart Albert Montagu, 3rd Baron Swaythling
- David Montagu, 4th Baron Swaythling
- Charles Montagu, 5th Baron Swaythling
- Baron Mancroft[8]
- Baron Nathan
- Harry Nathan, 1st Baron Nathan
- Roger Nathan, 2nd Baron Nathan
- Rupert Harry Bernard Nathan, 3rd Baron Nathan
- Baron Haden-Guest
- Baron Silkin[9]
- Baron Marks of Broughton
- Simon Marks, 1st Baron Marks of Broughton
- Michael Marks, 2nd Baron Marks of Broughton
- Simon Richard Marks, 3rd Baron Marks of Broughton
Extinct
[edit]- Baron Eardley
- Sampson Eardley, 1st Baron Eardley (Jewish father)
- Baron Herschell
- Farrer Herschell, 1st Baron Herschell (Jewish father who converted out)
- Richard Herschell, 2nd Baron Herschell
- Rognvald Herschell, 3rd Baron Herschell
- Baron Wandsworth[10]
- Baron Pirbright
- Baron Michelham
- Herbert Stern, 1st Baron Michelham
- Herman Alfred Stern, 2nd Baron Michelham
- Baron Jessel
- Baron Duveen[2]
- Baron Melchett
- Baron Hore-Belisha
- Baron Conesford
- Baron Cohen of Birkenhead[11]
- David Alliance, Baron Alliance
- Alexander Bernstein, Baron Bernstein of Craigweil
- Alma Birk, Baroness Birk[12]
- Leon Brittan, Baron Brittan of Spennithorne
- Lionel Cohen, Baron Cohen
- Bernard Delfont, Baron Delfont
- Terence Etherton, Baron Etherton
- Andrew Feldman, Baron Feldman of Elstree
- Stanley Fink, Baron Fink
- Daniel Finkelstein, Baron Finkelstein
- David Freud, Baron Freud
- Dora Gaitskell, Baroness Gaitskell
- Robert Gavron, Baron Gavron
- Dean Godson, Baron Godson
- Peter Goldsmith, Baron Goldsmith
- William Goodhart, Baron Goodhart
- Arnold Goodman, Baron Goodman
- Anthony Grabiner, Baron Grabiner
- Lew Grade, Baron Grade
- Michael Grade, Baron Grade of Yarmouth (Jewish father)[13]
- Susan Greenfield, Baroness Greenfield
- Richard Harrington, Baron Harrington of Watford
- Richard Hermer, Baron Hermer
- Michael Howard, Baron Howard of Lympne
- Sydney Jacobson, Baron Jacobson
- Immanuel Jakobovits, Baron Jakobovits[14]
- Greville Janner, Baron Janner of Braunstone
- Keith Joseph, Baron Joseph
- Lawrence Kadoorie, Baron Kadoorie[15]
- Nigel Lawson, Baron Lawson of Blaby
- Michael Levy, Baron Levy
- Peter Mandelson, Baron Mandelson (Jewish father)
- Yehudi Menuhin, Baron Menuhin
- Claus Moser, Baron Moser[16]
- David Neuberger, Baron Neuberger of Abbotsbury
- Julia Neuberger, Baroness Neuberger
- Monroe Palmer, Baron Palmer of Childs Hill
- David Pannick, Baron Pannick[17]
- Maurice Peston, Baron Peston of Mile End
- Beatrice Plummer, Baroness Plummer
- David Puttnam, Baron Puttnam (Jewish mother)[18]
- Maurice Saatchi, Baron Saatchi
- Jonathan Sacks, Baron Sacks
- Cyril Salmon, Baron Salmon[19]
- James Sassoon, Baron Sassoon
- Samuel Segal, Baron Segal
- Beatrice Serota, Baroness Serota
- Emanuel Shinwell, Baron Shinwell
- Israel Sieff, Baron Sieff
- Marcus Sieff, Baron Sieff of Brimpton
- Samuel Silkin, Baron Silkin of Dulwich
- Alan Sugar, Baron Sugar
- David Triesman, Baron Triesman
- Leslie Turnberg, Baron Turnberg
- Gordon Wasserman, Baron Wasserman
- Arnold Weinstock, Baron Weinstock
- Robert Winston, Baron Winston
- David Wolfson, Baron Wolfson of Sunningdale
- David Wolfson, Baron Wolfson of Tredegar
- Leonard Wolfson, Baron Wolfson[20]
- Simon Wolfson, Baron Wolfson of Apsley Guise
- Harry Woolf, Baron Woolf
- David Young, Baron Young of Graffham
- Solly Zuckerman, Baron Zuckerman
Other hereditary titles
[edit]Baronetcies
[edit]Extant
[edit]- Lopes baronets of Maristow
- Sir Manasseh Masseh Lopes, 1st Baronet (converted out)
- Rothschild baronets of Grosvenor Place[21]
- Jessel baronets of Ladham House
- Sir Charles James Jessel, 1st Baronet
- Sir George Jessel, 2nd Baronet
- Sir Charles John Jessel, 3rd Baronet
- Sir George Elphinstone Jessel, 4th Baronet
- Tuck baronets of Park Crescent[23]
- Sir Adolph Tuck, 1st Baronet
- Sir William Reginald Tuck, 2nd Baronet
- Sir Bruce Adolph Reginald Tuck, 3rd Baronet
- Leon baronets of Bletchley Park
- Sir Herbert Samuel Leon, 1st Baronet
- Sir George Edward Leon, 2nd Baronet
- Sir Ronald George Leon, 3rd Baronet
- Sir John Ronald Leon, 4th Baronet
- Yarrow baronets of Homestead
- Sir Alfred Fernandez Yarrow, 1st Baronet (Jewish mother, but raised as a Christian)
- Magnus baronets of Tangley Hill[24]
- Cassel baronets of Lincoln's Inn
- Sir Felix Maximilian Schoenbrunn Cassel, 1st Baronet
- Sir Francis Edward Cassel, 2nd Baronet
- Sir Harold Felix Cassel, 3rd Baronet
- Sir Timothy Felix Harold Cassel, 4th Baronet
- Joseph baronets of Portsoken
- Sir Samuel Joseph, 1st Baronet
- Sir Keith Joseph, 2nd Baronet, created a life peer in 1987
Extinct
[edit]
- Goldsmid baronets of St John's Lodge
- Montefiore baronets of East Cliff Lodge[25]
- Goldsmid-Stern-Salomons baronets of Broom Hill
- Montefiore baronets of Worth Park[26]
- Sir Francis Abraham Montefiore, 1st Baronet
- Sassoon baronets of Kensington-gore and of Eastern-terrace[27]
- Faudel-Phillips baronets of Grosvenor Gardens and of Queen's Gardens
- Sir George Faudel Faudel-Phillips, 1st Baronet
- Sir Benjamin Samuel Faudel-Phillips, 2nd Baronet
- Sir Lionel Lawson Faudel Faudel-Phillips, 3rd Baronet
- Speyer baronets of Grosvenor Street
- Sassoon baronets of Bombay[28]
- David baronets of Bombay
- Oppenheimer baronets of Stoke Poges
- Sir Bernard Oppenheimer, 1st Baronet
- Sir Michael Oppenheimer, 2nd Baronet
- Sir Michael Bernard Grenville Oppenheimer, 3rd Baronet
- Beit baronets of Tewin Water
- D'Avigdor-Goldsmid baronets of Somerhill[29]
- Wolfson baronets of St. Marylebone[20]
- Sir Isaac Wolfson, 1st Baronet
- Sir Leonard Wolfson, 2nd Baronet, created a life peer in 1985
Scottish feudal baronies
[edit]- Barony of Craigie
- Rabbi Robert Owen Thomas
Other non-hereditary titles
[edit]Knighthoods
[edit]- Sir Adolphe Abrahams
- Sir Sidney Abrahams
- Sir Ken Adam
- Sir John Balcombe
- Sir Victor Blank
- Sir Leonard Blavatnik
- Sir Samuel Brittan
- Sir Israel Brodie
- Sir Bill Browder[31][32]
- Sir Montague Burton
- Sir Ernest Cassel (converted out)
- Sir Charles Clore
- Sir Jack Cohen
- Sir Jonathan Cohen
- Sir Solomon de Medina (knighted in 1700)[25]
- Sir Geoffrey Elton
- Sir Jacob Epstein
- Sir Anthony Finkelstein
- Sir Clement Freud (converted out)
- Sir Samuel Gluckstein
- Sir James Goldsmith (Jewish father)
- Sir Israel Gollancz
- Sir Philip Green
- Sir Basil Henriques
- Sir George Henschel
- Sir George Jessel
- Sir Peter Jonas (Jewish father)
- Sir Ellis Kadoorie
- Sir Elly Kadoorie[15]
- Sir Horace Kadoorie[15]
- Sir Michael Kadoorie
- Sir Nasser Khalili
- Sir Ralph Kohn
- Sir Ivan Lawrence
- Sir Oliver Letwin
- Sir Brian Leveson
- Sir Joseph Lyons
- Sir Charles Mendl
- Sir Sigismund Mendl
- Sir Ephraim Mirvis
- Sir Alan Mocatta
- Sir Robert Mond
- Sir Michael Moritz[33]
- Sir Stirling Moss (paternal grandfather was Jewish)[34]
- Sir Ernest Oppenheimer (converted out)
- Sir Francis Palgrave
- Sir Nikolaus Pevsner (converted out)
- Sir Karl Popper (Jewish grandparents)
- Sir Leslie Porter
- Sir Malcolm Rifkind
- Sir Tony Robinson
- Sir William Rothenstein
- Sir Isidore Salmon
- Sir Samuel Isidore Salmon
- Sir Harry Samuel
- Sir András Schiff
- Sir Joseph Sebag-Montefiore
- Sir Nicholas Serota
- Sir Peter Shaffer
- Sir Sebag Shaw
- Sir Henry Slesser (converted out)
- Sir Michael Sobell
- Sir Georg Solti
- Sir Isidore Spielmann
- Sir Tom Stoppard
- Sir Geoffrey Vos
- Sir Nicholas Winton (converted out)
- Sir Henry Drummond Wolff
Honorary knighthoods
[edit]- Daniel Barenboim, KBE
- Michael Bloomberg, KBE
- Naum Gabo, KBE
- Lou Gerstner, KBE
- Alan Greenspan, KBE
- Sol Kerzner, KCMG[35]
- Henry Kissinger, KCMG
- Ralph Lauren, KBE[36]
- André Previn, KBE
- Arthur Rubinstein, KBE
- Mortimer Sackler, KBE[37]
- Raymond Sackler, KBE
- Stephen A. Schwarzman, KBE
- Steven Spielberg, KBE
- Simon Wiesenthal, KBE
- James Wolfensohn, KBE
See also
[edit]References
[edit]Citations
[edit]- ^ Kessler & Wenborn, p. 443.
- ^ a b Rubinstein, p. 457.
- ^ https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/lord-reading-takes-israeli-citizenship/
- ^ Rubinstein, p. 854.
- ^ Rubinstein, p. 293.
- ^ a b Rubinstein, pp. 825–826.
- ^ Rubinstein, p. 688.
- ^ Rubinstein, p. 639.
- ^ Rubinstein, p. 913.
- ^ Rubenstein, p. 959.
- ^ Rubinstein, p. 163.
- ^ Labour mourns the death of stalwart Baroness Birk, Herald Scotland.
- ^ "Interview: Michael Grade". The Jewish Chronicle. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
- ^ Rubinstein, p. 470.
- ^ a b c Rubinstein, p. 498.
- ^ [1] Archived 17 July 2012 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Jewish Chronicle
- ^ "David Puttnam reveals the secrets of the trade". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
- ^ Rubinstein, p. 845.
- ^ a b Rubinstein, p. 428.
- ^ "No. 20684". The London Gazette. 18 December 1864. p. 5885.
- ^ "Rothschild baronets". Debrett's illustrated baronetage and knightage. 1880. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
- ^ Jackson, p. 208.
- ^ Rubinstein, p. 634.
- ^ a b Green, Chapter 5.
- ^ Rubinstein, p. 690.
- ^ "No. 26019". The London Gazette. 31 January 1890. p. 545.
- ^ "No. 28220". The London Gazette. 2 February 1909. p. 826.
- ^ Rubinstein, p. 342.
- ^ Bowcott, Owen (21 August 2019). "Former top judge lambasts Grayling and Truss in memoir". The Guardian. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
- ^ "Jewish Kremlin critic faces 'absurd' new charges by Russian prosecutors". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
- ^ "Bill Browder: 'With Navalny murdered, I'm now Putin's enemy number one'". The Jewish Chronicle. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
- ^ "No. 60534". The London Gazette (Supplement). 15 June 2013. p. 25.
- ^ Williams, Richard (12 April 2020). "Sir Stirling Moss obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
- ^ Sol Kerzner, bahamaspress.com.
- ^ "2017 Honorary Awards" (PDF). Government Digital Service (U.K.).
- ^ Dr Mortimer Sackler receives honorary KBE, telegraph.co.uk; accessed 17 September 2015.
Sources
[edit]- Kessler, Edward; Wenborn, Neil, eds. (2005). A Dictionary of Jewish-Christian Relations. University of Cambridge Press. ISBN 9780521826921.
- Green, Abigal (2012). "5: Rise, Sir Moses". Moses Montefiore. USA: Harvard University Press. ISBN 978-0674048805.
- Jackson, B. S., ed. (1979). "Notes". Jewish Law Annual. 2. Leiden, Netherlands.
- "Labour mourns the death of stalwart Baroness Birk". Herald Scotland. 31 December 1996. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
- Rubinstein, William D.; Jolles, Michael; Rubinstein, Hilary L. (2011). The Palgrave Dictionary of Anglo-Jewish History. Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 9780230304666.