Earl of Kintore

Earl of Kintore is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in 1677 for Sir John Keith, third son of William Keith, 6th Hereditary Earl Marischal of Scotland (see Earl Marischal for earlier history of the family) and Chief of Clan Keith. He was made Lord Keith of Inverurie and Keith Hall at the same time, also in the Peerage of Scotland. At the death of William, the 4th Earl, in 1761, the Earldom and Lordship became dormant, as no-one could prove a claim to them. In 1778, it was decided that the Earldom, Lordship and Chieftaincy of Clan should pass to Anthony Adrian Falconer, Lord Falconer of Halkerton, who changed his surname to Keith-Falconer. The Lordship Falconer of Halkerton and the Earldom of Kintore and Lordship Keith of Inverurie and Keith Hall remained united until 1966, when, at the death of the 10th Earl, the Lordship Falconer of Halkerton became dormant.

Earldom of Kintore
Blazon Arms: Quarterly 1st and 4th Gules within a orle of eight thistles slipped a sword and a mace tipped with a fleur-de-lys in saltire Or at honour point the crown of Scotland Proper 2nd and 3rd Argent on a chief Gules three pallets Or.
Creation date	1677
Monarch	Charles II of England
Peerage	Peerage of Scotland
First holder	John Keith, 1st Lord Keith of Inverurie and Keith Hall
Present holder	James William Falconer Keith, 14th Earl of Kintore
Heir apparent	Tristan Michael Keith, Lord Keith of Inverurie and Keith Hall
Subsidiary titles	Lord Keith of Inverurie and Keith Hall
Former seat(s)	Keith Hall
Motto	Dexter: Quae amissa salva (What has been lost is safe) Sinister: Veritas vincit (Truth conquers)

Photograph of Algernon Keith-Falconer, 9th Earl of Kintore

Portrait of Francis Keith-Falconer, 8th Earl of Kintore, by William Salter Herrick

Portrait of Louisa, Countess of Kintore, by Francis Grant

The 11th holder of the titles, Ethel Sydney Keith-Falconer, married John Baird, 1st Viscount Stonehaven. At the death of Lord Stonehaven, the titles Viscount Stonehaven (created 1938), and Baron Stonehaven (created 1925), both in the Peerage of the United Kingdom, as well as the Baird of Urie Baronetcy, in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom, passed to the couple's son, James Ian. The Countess of Kintore, who died the day after her one-hundredth birthday, was the longest-lived female holder of a British peerage;[1] upon inheriting his mother's titles, her son James Ian changed his surname from Baird to Keith.

The family seat was Keith Hall, near Inverurie, Aberdeenshire.

The heir apparent to the earldom uses the courtesy title Lord Keith of Inverurie and Keith Hall.