Leveson-Gower family

Leveson-Gower (/ˈljuːsən ˈɡɔːr/ LEW-sən GOR), also Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, is the name of a powerful British noble family. Over time, several members of the Leveson-Gower family were made knights, baronets and peers. Hereditary titles held by the family include the dukedom of Sutherland, as well as the ancient earldom of Sutherland (created c. 1230) and the earldom of Granville (created 1833). Several other members of the family have also risen to prominence.

Arms of the Earl Granville: The arms of the Leveson-Gower family (Quarterly 1st & 4th barry of eight argent and gules a cross flory sable [Gower]; 2nd: azure, three laurel leaves or [Leveson]; 3rd: Gules, three clarions or [Granville])[1], differenced by a crescent or as mark of cadency

Name

Leveson-Gower is a well-known example of an English surname with counterintuitive pronunciation.

The name Leveson is a patronymic from Louis or Lewis. In early modern times it was often rendered Luson: for example, in 1588, Elizabeth I received a letter from the King of Denmark concerning the depredations of Walter Leveson of Lilleshall Abbey, in which he is consistently referred to as Sir Walter Luson.[2]

Gower is a locational name, possibly derived from a place so-named in Kent, or from the Gower Peninsula in southern Wales. It could also refer to one of the various towns named Gouy in northern France.[3]

The hyphen is used by only some members of the family.

Titles in the family
  • Gower baronetcy, of Sittenham (created 1620, now a subsidiary title of the dukedom of Sutherland)
  • Baron Gower (created 1703, now a subsidiary title of the dukedom of Sutherland)
  • Viscount Trentham (created 1746, now a subsidiary title of the dukedom of Sutherland)
  • Earl Gower (created 1746, now a subsidiary title of the dukedom of Sutherland)
  • Earl Granville (created 1833)
  • Earl of Sutherland (created c. 1230)
  • Marquess of Stafford (created 1786, now a subsidiary title of the dukedom of Sutherland)
  • Duke of Sutherland (created 1833, passed to the Egerton family in 1963 along with the dukedom's subsidiary titles)

Other notable members

(All British)

References
  1. Debrett's Peerage, 1968, p.505
  2. State Papers Foreign, August 1588.
  3. "Last name: Gower". The Internet Surname Database.
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