Younger (title)

The chapeau (or cap of maintenance) represents Scot barons in historical heraldry instead of a coronet
The Ancient Nobility of the Baronage of Scotland
Baronial Rank of Nobility[1] Baron (1st degree) 90% are barons Lord (2nd degree) very rare Earl (3rd degree) very rare Marquis (4th degree) only 1 Duke (5th degree) only 1
Titled nobles in the Baronage List of – Barons / Baronesses or Ladies Lords Earls / Countesses Marquis & Duke
Topics Lords of Regality The Much Honoured Nobility Noblesse Clan chief and chieftain Laird Younger (title) Maid (title) List of family seats of Scottish nobility Scottish Barony Register Forms of address Territorial designation Lord Lyon Baronage Family seat Order of precedence in Scotland
Convention of the Three Estates
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Younger is a Scottish convention, style of address, or description traditionally used by the heir apparent to:

1. A current laird (owner of a substantial and landed estate in Scotland)
2. Someone whose name includes a territorial designation (i.e. a family who were previously lairds but who are no longer – this applies mainly to armigerous families who had a territorial designation which formed part of their name. Their arms being registered with the inclusion of the territorial designation, having become landless, still retain the full name – including the territorial designation – pertaining to the Grant of Arms)
3. A Scottish chieftainship (the head of a cadet branch of a clan which has a chief)
4. A clan chief.
5. A Scottish Baron.^[2]

The style of using the term "Younger" applies equally to a woman who is heir in her own right as to a man. The style of "Younger" is neither a title of nobility nor a peerage and does not carry voting rights either in the Parliament of Scotland or the Kingdom of England. The abbreviation of Younger is Yr. The wife of such an heir may adopt this style also.

When a person bearing this suffix becomes the laird or Baron in their own right or succeeds to the arms of a now landless family or inherits the chieftainship of a cadet branch or the chiefship of the clan, they then drop the suffix and the next heir apparent may add the style to their name.