Viscount Hampden

Viscount Hampden is a title that has been created twice, once in the Peerage of Great Britain and once in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. The first creation came in the Peerage of Great Britain in 1776 for the diplomat and politician Robert Hampden, 4th Baron Trevor. The title of Baron Trevor, of Bromham, had been created in the Peerage of Great Britain in 1712 for his father, the lawyer Sir Thomas Trevor. Both titles became extinct in 1824 on the death of the first Viscount's second son, the third Viscount.

The viscountcy was revived in the Peerage of the United Kingdom in 1884 when the Liberal politician and former Speaker of the House of Commons, Sir Henry Brand, was created Viscount Hampden, of Glynde in the County of Sussex. Brand was the second son of Henry Trevor, 21st Baron Dacre and in 1890 he succeeded his elder brother as the twenty-third Baron Dacre. His son, the second Viscount, represented Hertfordshire and Stroud in Parliament and served as Governor of New South Wales. On the death in 1965 of his grandson, the fourth Viscount, the barony of Dacre fell into abeyance between the late Viscount's daughters Hon. Rachel Leila Brand and the Hon. Tessa Mary Brand (the abeyance was terminated in 1970 in favour of Hon Rachel Leila Brand; see the Baron Dacre for more information). The viscountcy passed to the Viscount's younger brother, the fifth Viscount. As of 2010 the title is held by the latter's son, the sixth Viscount.

Several other members of the Brand family have also gained distinction. The Hon. Thomas Seymour Brand (1847–1916), second son of the first Viscount, was a Rear-Admiral in the Royal Navy. The Hon. Arthur Brand, third son of the first Viscount, was a Liberal politician. The Hon. Sir Hubert George Brand (1870–1955), second son of the second Viscount, was an Admiral in the Royal Navy. The Hon. Robert Brand, fourth son of the second Viscount, was a civil servant and was created Baron Brand in 1946. The Hon. Roger Brand (1880–1945), fifth son of the second Viscount, was a Brigadier-General in the Army.

The family seat of the Brand family is Glynde Place, near Lewes, Sussex.

Both Robert Hampden, 1st Viscount Hampden and Henry Brand, 1st Viscount Hampden were descendants in the female line of John Hampden, the patriot, hence their choice of title.