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Earl of Halifax
Blazon Arms: Quarterly: 1st & 4th, Azure, three naked Savages ambulant in fess proper, in the dexter hand of each a Shield Argent, charged with a Cross Gules, and in the sinister a Club resting on the shoulder proper, on a Canton Ermine, three Lozenges conjoined in fess Sable (Wood); 2nd & 3rd, Paly bendy Or and Azure, a Canton Ermine (Buck). Crest: A naked Savage ambulant proper, in the dexter hand a Shield Sable, charged with a Griffin’s Head erased Argent and in the sinister a Club resting on the shoulder proper. Supporters: On either side a Griffin Sable, gorged with a Collar, pendant therefrom a Portcullis Or.
Creation date	11 July 1944
Creation	Fourth
Created by	King George VI
Peerage	Peerage of the United Kingdom
First holder	Edward Wood, 3rd Viscount Halifax
Present holder	Peter Wood, 3rd Earl of Halifax
Heir apparent	James Wood, Lord Irwin
Remainder to	the 1st Earl's heirs male of the body
Subsidiary titles	Viscount Halifax Baron Irwin
Status	Extant
Seat(s)	Garrowby Hall
Motto	I LIKE MY CHOICE

Earl of Halifax is a title that has been created four times in British history—once in the Peerage of England, twice in the Peerage of Great Britain, and once in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. The name of the peerage refers to Halifax, West Yorkshire.

The first and fourth creations were elevations for the holders of the first and second creations of the title Viscount Halifax. The holder of the first creation was later granted the title Marquess of Halifax. The second and third creations were for closely related male members of the Montagu family, landed gentry since the Norman Conquest, and spanned most of the years 1689–1771.

The fourth creation was in 1944 for Lord Halifax, the former viceroy of India (who was the 3rd Viscount Halifax before his elevation to the earldom). He was a prominent 1930s minister, who declined the possibility of becoming Prime Minister on the resignation of Chamberlain, in favour of Churchill.

History of the title

1679 creation

The first creation, in the Peerage of England in 1679, was for George Savile, 1st Viscount Halifax. He had already been made Baron Savile of Elland and Viscount Halifax in 1668, and was later made Marquess of Halifax (this creation of the earldom became extinct in 1700; see Marquess of Halifax for more information).

1714 and 1715 creations

The title was recreated in 1714 for Charles Montagu, 1st Baron Halifax, First Lord of the Treasury to George I, along with the courtesy title of Viscount Sunbury. Both titles were created with remainder to heirs male. A member of the prominent Montagu family, he was the son of George Montagu, younger son of Henry Montagu, 1st Earl of Manchester (see the Duke of Manchester article). Montagu had already been created Baron Halifax, of Halifax in the County of York, in 1700, with remainder, failing heirs male of his own, to his nephew George, son and heir of his brother Edward Montagu.

On Lord Halifax's death in 1715 the viscountcy and earldom became extinct. He was succeeded in the barony according to the special remainder by his nephew George Montagu. Less than a month after his uncle's death, both titles were revived in his favour, making him Earl of Halifax and Viscount Sunbury. He was succeeded by his son, the second Earl, who was a prominent statesman. However, on his death in 1771 all the titles became extinct.

1944 creation

The title was created for a fourth time in the Peerage of the United Kingdom in 1944 for Edward Wood, 3rd Viscount Halifax, the former Foreign Secretary and former Viceroy of India. The Wood family descends from Francis Wood, of Barnsley. His second son, Francis Wood, was created a baronet, of Barnsley in the County of York, in 1784, with remainder to his elder brother, the Reverend Henry Wood, and failing him to the sons of his younger brother, Charles Wood (who had died two years earlier). He was succeeded according to the special remainder by his nephew, the second Baronet (the son of Charles Wood).

His son, the third Baronet, was a prominent Liberal politician and served as Chancellor of the Exchequer from 1846 to 1852, during which he became notorious for the policies he followed during the Great Famine in Ireland. In 1866 he was created Viscount Halifax, of Monk Bretton in the West Riding of the County of York, in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. His aforementioned grandson, the third Viscount, was also a noted politician. In 1925, nine years before he succeeded his father, he was himself raised to the Peerage of the United Kingdom as Baron Irwin, of Kirby Underdale in the County of York. In 1944 he was further honoured when he was made Earl of Halifax. As of 2018 the titles are held by his grandson, the third Earl, who succeeded his father in 1980.

Another member of the Wood family was the Conservative politician Richard Wood, Baron Holderness. He was the second son of the first Earl of Halifax.

The dynastic motto is "I like my choice", originally "Perseverando" (Latin for "Persevering"), changed after the 1st Earl's decision to abandon his office in the household of the Prince of Wales.

The family seat is Garrowby Hall, near Garrowby in the East Riding of Yorkshire.

Earl of Halifax, first creation

Viscount Halifax, first creation (1668)

• George Savile, 1st Viscount Halifax (1633–1695) (created Earl of Halifax in 1679)

Earl of Halifax (1679)

• George Savile, 1st Earl of Halifax (1633–1695) (created Marquess of Halifax in 1682)

Marquess of Halifax (1682)

• George Savile, 1st Marquess of Halifax (1633–1695)
• William Savile, 2nd Marquess of Halifax (1665–1700)

Earl of Halifax, second and third creations

Baron Halifax (1700)

• Charles Montagu, 1st Baron Halifax (1661–1715) (created Earl of Halifax in 1714)

Earl of Halifax (1714)

• Charles Montagu, 1st Earl of Halifax (1661–1715)

Baron Halifax (1700; reverted)

• George Montagu, 2nd Baron Halifax (1685–1739) (created Earl of Halifax in 1715)

Earl of Halifax (1715)

• George Montagu, 1st Earl of Halifax (1685–1739)
• George Montagu-Dunk, 2nd Earl of Halifax (1716–1771)

Title succession chart

Earl of Halifax, fourth creation

Wood baronets, of Barnsley (1784)

• Sir Francis Wood, 1st Baronet (1729–1795)
• Sir Francis Lindley Wood, 2nd Baronet (1771–1846)
• Sir Charles Wood, 3rd Baronet (1800–1885) (created Viscount Halifax in 1866)

Viscount Halifax, second creation (1866)

• Charles Wood, 1st Viscount Halifax (1800–1885)
• Charles Lindley Wood, 2nd Viscount Halifax (1839–1934)
• Edward Frederick Lindley Wood, 3rd Viscount Halifax (1881–1959) (created Baron Irwin in 1925 and Earl of Halifax in 1944)

Earl of Halifax (1944)

• Edward Frederick Lindley Wood, 1st Earl of Halifax (1881–1959)
• Charles Ingram Courtenay Wood, 2nd Earl of Halifax (1912–1980)
• (Charles Edward) Peter Neil Wood, 3rd Earl of Halifax (born 1944)

The heir apparent is the present holder's only son, James Charles Wood, Lord Irwin (born 1977).
The heir apparent's heir apparent is his only son, Hon. Rex Patrick Wood (born 2010).

Title succession chart

Line of succession

References

1. Hesilrige 1921, p. 433.
2. Smith Earl of Birkenhead, Frederick Winston Furneaux (1966). Halifax: The Life of Lord Halifax. Houghton Mifflin. p. 17.

Sources

• Hesilrige, Arthur G. M. (1921). Debrett's Peerage and Titles of courtesy. 160A, Fleet Street, London, UK: Dean & Son. p. 433.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
• Leigh Rayment's Peerage Pages
• Leigh Rayment's list of baronets – Baronetcies beginning with "W" (part 3)

v t e Extant earldoms in the peerages of Britain and Ireland
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Scotland	Sutherland Crawford Mar Erroll Caithness Morton Rothes Buchan Eglinton Moray Mar Home Perth Strathmore and Kinghorne Kellie Haddington Galloway Lauderdale Lindsay Loudoun Kinnoull Elgin Wemyss Dalhousie Airlie Leven Dysart Selkirk Northesk Kincardine Balcarres Newburgh Dundee Annandale and Hartfell Dundonald Kintore Dunmore Melville Orkney March Seafield Stair Rosebery Glasgow
Great Britain	Ferrers Dartmouth Tankerville Aylesford Macclesfield Waldegrave Harrington Portsmouth Brooke Buckinghamshire Guilford Hardwicke Ilchester Warwick De La Warr Radnor Spencer Bathurst Clarendon Mansfield Talbot Mount Edgcumbe Fortescue Mansfield Carnarvon Cadogan Malmesbury
Ireland	Waterford Cork Westmeath Meath Desmond Cavan Orrery Drogheda Granard Darnley Bessborough Carrick Shannon Arran Courtown Mexborough Winterton Kingston Roden Lisburne Clanwilliam Antrim Longford Portarlington Mayo Annesley Enniskillen Erne Lucan Belmore Castle Stewart Caledon Donoughmore Limerick Clancarty Rosse Gosford Normanton Kilmorey Listowel Norbury Ranfurly
United Kingdom	Rosslyn Craven Onslow Romney Chichester Wilton Powis Nelson Grey Lonsdale Harrowby Harewood Minto Cathcart Verulam St Germans Morley Bradford Eldon Howe Stradbroke Temple of Stowe Cawdor Lichfield Durham Granville Effingham Ducie Yarborough Leicester Gainsborough Strafford Cottenham Cowley Winton Dudley Russell Cromartie Kimberley Wharncliffe Cairns Lytton Selborne Iddesleigh Cranbrook Cromer Plymouth Liverpool Midlothian St Aldwyn Beatty Haig Iveagh Balfour Oxford and Asquith Jellicoe Inchcape Peel Strathmore and Kinghorne Baldwin of Bewdley Halifax Gowrie Lloyd-George of Dwyfor Mountbatten of Burma Alexander of Tunis Swinton Attlee Woolton Snowdon Stockton
Italics: This title is held by a peer who holds another earldom of higher precedence.

• Extinct earldoms in the Peerage of England
• Extinct earldoms in the Peerage of Great Britain
• Earldoms in the Peerage of the United Kingdom
• Montagu family
• Wood family
• 1679 establishments in England
• Noble titles created in 1679
• Noble titles created in 1714
• Noble titles created in 1715
• Noble titles created in 1944
• Peerages created for UK MPs
• Earls of Halifax