Earl of Effingham

Earl of Effingham, in the County of Surrey, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1837 for Kenneth Howard, 11th Baron Howard of Effingham. This branch of the Howard family descends from the noted naval commander and politician Lord William Howard, eldest son of Thomas Howard, 2nd Duke of Norfolk, from his second marriage to Agnes Tylney. He served as Lord High Admiral, as Lord Chamberlain of the Household and as Lord Privy Seal. In 1554 he was created Baron Howard of Effingham in the Peerage of England as a reward for leading the defence of London against Wyatt's rebellion. He was succeeded by his eldest son, the second Baron, better known to history as Charles Howard, 1st Earl of Nottingham, after being granted the latter title in 1596. He was Lord High Admiral from 1585 to 1618 and served as commander-in-chief of the English fleet against the Spanish Armada in 1588. In 1603 his eldest son and heir apparent William Howard, Lord Howard of Effingham (1577–1615), was summoned to the House of Lords through a writ of acceleration in his father's junior title of Baron Howard of Effingham. He predeceased his father but is not considered to have succeeded as third Baron Howard of Effingham.

The Earl of Nottingham was succeeded by his younger son, the second Earl. He represented Bletchingley, Surrey and Sussex in the House of Commons and served as Lord-Lieutenant of Surrey. He was childless and was succeeded by his half-brother, the third Earl. On his death in 1681 the earldom became extinct. The late Earl was succeeded in the barony by his first cousin twice removed, the fifth Baron. He was the great-grandson of Sir William Howard (d. 1600), younger son of the first Baron. Lord Howard of Effingham notably served as Governor of Virginia from 1683 to 1692.

His eldest son, the sixth Baron, died childless and was succeeded by his younger brother, the seventh Baron. He was a prominent military commander. In 1731 he was made Earl of Effingham in the Peerage of Great Britain. His grandson, the third Earl, served under William Pitt the Younger as Master of the Mint from 1784 to 1789 and was Governor of Jamaica from 1789 to 1791. He died childless and was succeeded by his younger brother, the fourth Earl. On his death in 1816 the earldom became extinct. He was succeeded in the barony by his third cousin, the eleventh Baron. He was the grandson of Lieutenant-General Thomas Howard (d. 1758), son of George Howard, younger brother of the fifth Baron. Lord Howard of Effingham was a General in the Army. In 1837 the earldom of Effingham was revived when he was made Earl of Effingham, in the County of Surrey, in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. He was succeeded by his eldest son, the second Earl. He represented Shaftesbury in Parliament as a Whig from 1841 to 1845. The titles descended from father to son until the death of his grandson, the fourth Earl, in 1927. He never married and was succeeded by his first cousin, the fifth Earl. He was the son of Captain the Hon. Frederick Charles Howard (1840–1893), second son of the second Earl. His eldest son, the sixth Earl, died childless in 1996. He was succeeded by his nephew, the seventh Earl and (as of 2009) present holder of the titles. He is the son of the Hon. John Algernon Frederick Charles Howard (1901–1971), second son of the fifth Earl.

Another member of this branch of the Howard family was Field Marshal Sir George Howard. He was the son of the aforementioned Lieutenant-General Thomas Howard (d. 1758) and the brother of Henry Howard, father of Kenneth Alexander Howard, 1st Earl of Effingham.