Earls of Seafield

The 1st earl of Seafield, in the Scottish peerage, was James Ogilvy (1663—1730), son and heir of James Ogilvy, 3rd earl of Findlater. Although in the convention parliament of 1689 he had spoken for James II., he took the oath of allegiance to William and Mary, and after filling some minor official positions he was made secretary of state in 1696, and lord chancellor in 1702.

In 1707 he was made chief baron in the court of exchequer. In 1701 he was created earl of Seafield, and in. 1711 succeeded to his father’s earldom of Findlater. When his great grandson, James, 7th earl of Findlater and 4th earl of Seafield died in October 1811 the earldom of Findlater became dormant or extinct, while the earldom of Seafield passed to a cousin, Lewis Alexander Grant (1767—1840), who was descended from Margaret, a daughter of the 2nd earl. He took the name of Grant-Ogilvy and was succeeded as 6th earl by his brother, Francis William Ogilvy-Grant (1778—1853), whose descendant, James Ogilvie-Grant (b. 1876) became the 11th earl in 1888.

The earl of Seafield is a peer of the United Kingdom as Baron Stratbspey.