Dukes of Devonshire

The Dukes of Devonshire are an aristocratic[?] family in the United Kingdom. They are related to the Dukes of Newcastle with whom they share the family name of Cavendish. The Duke's second title, Marquess of Hartington, is used as a courtesy title by his eldest son; the Marquess of Hartington's eldest son uses the title Earl of Burlington.

This name came from the village of Cavendish, Suffolk, England and from Sir John Cavendish, who held the estate there in the 14th century and who died in the Peasants' Revolt.

His two great-grandsons were William Cavendish (pictured at right), the second husband of Bess of Hardwick, and George Cavendish, William's older brother and Thomas Cardinal Wolsey's biographer.

William Cavendish's descendants were Earls of Devonshire at first. The dukedom[?] started when William Cavendish, the 4th Earl of Devonshire, was created the 1st Duke of Devonshire in 1694 (see below).

Many of the Dukes of Devonshire have been prominent politicians, including one prime minister, one leader of the Liberal Party, and one Governor-General of Canada.

The Duke of Devonshire holds the subsidiary titles of Marquess of Hartington, Earl of Devonshire, Earl of Burlington, Baron Cavendish of Hardwick, and Baron Cavendish of Keighley.

Dukes of Devonshire:

1. William Cavendish, 1st Duke of Devonshire (1640-1707)
2. William Cavendish, 2nd Duke of Devonshire (1673-1729)
3. William Cavendish, 3rd Duke of Devonshire (1698-1755)
4. William Cavendish, 4th Duke of Devonshire (1720-1764)
5. William Cavendish, 5th Duke of Devonshire (1748-1811)
6. William George Spencer Cavendish, 6th Duke of Devonshire (1790-1858)
7. William Cavendish, 7th Duke of Devonshire (1808-1891)
8. Spencer Compton Cavendish, 8th Duke of Devonshire (1833-1908)
9. Victor Christian William Cavendish, 9th Duke of Devonshire (1868-1938)
10. Edward William Spencer Cavendish, 10th Duke of Devonshire (1895-1950)
11. Andrew Robert Buxton Cavendish, 11th Duke of Devonshire (born 1920)