The wife of a viscount holds the title of "Viscountess." This title is used in the British peerage system and is typically accompanied by the wife’s first name, such as "Viscountess Jane." If a viscountess has her own title in the peerage, she may also be referred to by that title.
The gender noun of "viscount" is "viscountess." While "viscount" refers to a male holder of the title, "viscountess" refers to a female holder of the title, typically the wife of a viscount or a woman who holds the title in her own right.
The son of a viscount is typically referred to as a "courtesy title," specifically "the Honourable" or simply "Hon." followed by their name. However, he does not inherit the title of viscount unless he becomes the viscount himself. The specific title can vary based on the customs of different countries and peerage systems.
The title level below an Earl is a Viscount. In the British peerage system, the hierarchy of titles typically follows this order: Duke, Marquess, Earl, Viscount, and Baron. Each title carries its own historical significance and privileges, with the Earl being a higher rank than a Viscount.
Viscount is a title held by certain British noblemen, and ranks below an earl and above a baron. The first person to be titled a viscount was John Beaumont, who received the honor in 1440. Today the title is usually given to men whome the ruler wishes to honor.
The male counterpart of a countess is a count. In the hierarchy of nobility, a count is a nobleman who typically ranks just below a marquess and above a viscount. The title of countess is the female equivalent, often denoting the wife of a count or a woman who holds the title in her own right.
There are no Counts in the peerage, this being a continental European title. The British equivalent is Earl, ranking below Marquess and above Viscount. The wife of an Earl is known as a Countess though, just to confuse matters!
Earl
The rank that falls between a Marquess and a Viscount is an Earl. In the British peerage system, an Earl is a noble title that has historically been equivalent to a count in other European countries. The hierarchy of titles in descending order is Marquess, Earl, Viscount, and then Baron.
A vicomtesse - note the spelling - is the wife or widow of a vicomte. That's the French versions. In English we talk of a viscount (the male) and viscountess, h is wife or widow.
The wife or widow of an earl or count; a member of the British peerage ranking below a marquess and above a viscount
The wife or widow of an earl or count; a member of the British peerage ranking below a marquess and above a viscount
Oddly enough, she is a Countess. The Anglo-Saxon word Jarl was used in England to replace the Latin Comes - Comte in French, Count in English. The Comes was the head of a Comitatis - modern County. Under the Norman Conquest, the Earl became a local ruler, but his wife was described in Norman French, hence Countess.