Viscount
From Wikinfo
A viscount is a member of the British peerage ranking above a baron and below an earl. A viscount is said to hold a "viscounty" or "viscountcy". The female equivalent of a viscount is a viscountess.
The title of a viscount may be either a placename, or a surname, or, as is more often the case, a combinations thereof. In any event, the style of a viscount is "The Viscount X," or "The Viscount X of Y." Examples include: The Viscount Falmouth (placename); The Viscount Hardinge (surname); The Viscount Gage of Castle Island (surname of placename); and The Viscount Combermere of Bhurtpore (placename of placename). An exception exists for Viscounts in the peerage of Scotland, who are styled "The Viscount of X," as in: The Viscount of Arbuthnott (surname).
Normally, a Viscount is known as Lord X, while his wife is Lady X. The children of a viscount are known as The Honourable [Forename] [Surname].
The word derives from the Latin vice comes which was the rank of a deputy to a count.
The same or a similar rank exists in other monarchies.
References
- Adapted from the Wikipedia article, "Viscount" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viscount, used under the GNU Free Documentation License
