Aristocrats and hereditary titles... I'm curious

[Genvonklinkerhoffen]

I'm absolutely certain someone on here will know the answer and you will understand why I'm being vague!

I'm advertising externally for a fairly senior role in the public sector and have had an application from "Lady" Lasagne Snodgrass. Very excited me thought oh gosh, what an impressive CV and application form to make it through the first stage, within the information I'm privy to see at this stage, the individual is between 30 and 40 as an estimate (based on qualifications which changed recently).

How does one become a lady? Can you inherit the title? What "rank" or title would your parents need to be in order for you to inherit the title? Or could you become a lady in your own right by this age? How would you do this?

Rest assured, I completed the sift and have passed interviews on to a completely independent department so this can have zero bearing on the outcome. I'm just fascinated by it.

Daughter of a duke, earl or marquess.
Married to an earl, marquess, knight, baronet.
Appointed a peer in the House of Lords - unlikely for someone of that age but not impossible if they e been a political aide to a recent PM.
Probably other ranks of aristo that would qualify that I'v missed.

It depends.

Are they Lasagne Lady Snodgrass? This is through marriage.

If it's Lady Lasagne Snodgrass, it's because the person's father is a peer.

A political appointee would be Baroness something or other, I think, though they might use Lady in correspondence.

If she styles herself Lady Lasagne Snodgrass, she's inherited her title.

If she married into it, she'd just be Lady Snodgrass.

There was a girl at my daughter’s nursery who had lady as a first name. Are you sure it’s an actual title? I have close relatives with a title and they just use Mr/Ms!

Ah so interesting. Defo lady lasagne snodgrass. I had a squiz at Burke's peerage and nothing in there, also nothing on the holy grail that is Wikipedia.

From this then must be hereditary and also @Puffy123 that made me laugh. Not a name but now contemplating changing my name to Dame or Excellent.

Curious. I almost hope she will get the job so I can work out the truth behind it!

Would the detail be in Burke's peerage then if she was a daughter of a peer? @Florissant or can they stay incognito?

My great grandmother became Lady Surname when her husband was knighted.

Defo lady lasagne snodgrass. I had a squiz at Burke's peerage and nothing in there, also nothing on the holy grail that is Wikipedia

Can you look up the family name if she's not married? if she's styling herself like that then she's the daughter of a duke, marquess or earl and should def be in Burke's, I'd have thought. A lot of people get very tangled over titles and call themselves Lady Lasagne Snodgrass when they are really Lady Snodgrass. (And claiming to have a title is a well-known confidence trick).

If she is a hereditary married peer, the Burke's entry might be in her original family name. If she was born Lady Lasagne Twiddlebum then married Mr Joe Snodgrass, she becomes Lady Lasagne Snodgrass but the title sits with the Twiddlebum family.

I'm sorry but I don't know. My mother's side of the family has titles but they are French and Austrian so I don't know about British documentation.

Married to an earl, marquess, knight, baronet

Not quite, I think. Lady Lasagne Snodgrass married to bloke with no title becomes Lady Lasagne Husband's Surname
Ditto married to knight.
Wife of an earl or marquess becomes Lady Snodgrass, Countess/Marchioness of Snodgrasshire.

Sounds very romantic. And also fascinating.

If they got divorced, would the wife of an earl (etc) remain lady Earl's name?

Yes, if she chooses to.

Out of interest, if you were to hire her, what is your workplace policy on addressing people with titles? Would her colleagues be expected to call her 'Lady Lasagne' or just 'Lasagne'?

Good question. Usually with civil servants it's first name stuff but I guess I'd have to ask her?

If they got divorced, would the wife of an earl (etc) remain lady Earl's name?

I think so, unless she remarries or decides to revert to her unmarried name.

I personally wouldn't want to address a colleague as 'Lady' because I don't support the monarchy and peerage systems.

Lady Melissa Percy (pre-marriage) worked at the Queen's Club as a tennis coach. (I temped there for a while). IIRC she was just Melissa Percy.

If it's a peerage. I used to work with Duchess beauty lasagne and they were just her given names. You can also my ladyship's, my sister in law has one she is Lady Jane Emily lasagne £20.00 off the internet.

You make an incredible point. Thank you. I'm indoctrinated because military but many of our civil servants are not. Thank you. I think I should draft a policy for endorsement.

Again, thank you so much @PlaitBilledDuckyPuss A blind spot for me!

My eyes have been truly opened!

People who inherit titles often don't use them. So I'd say she's married into it.

Or bought it. It's a bit crass to mention it if it's not really relevant.

Quite unusual I think nowadays to put your title in a job application. It’s not the done thing. Most titled people just use their forenames and surname in a professional setting.

If she was born Lady Lasgane Veryposh (because e.g. she is the daughter of the Earl of Somethingshire whose family surname is Veryposh ) and married a Mr Snodgrass, she would become Lady Lasgane Snodgrass, but wouldn't be in Burke's peerage under Snodgrass, as this would be her married name and the title is because of her father's family.

Well BT bestowed a Ladyship on me, I think as the call handler miss heard my Initials