In Scotland, the first creation came circa 1186, when Duncan of Galloway was created Earl of Carrick. His granddaughter Margaret, who later held the title in her own right, married Robert de Bruce. Their son, also named Robert, would later rule Scotland as King Robert I, causing the earldom to merge into the Crown. Thereafter, the Earldom was created several times, but it could not be inherited as it was provided that the earldom would revert to the Crown upon the death of the holder. Thus, several creations ended with a reversion to the crown or with the holder becoming King. In 1469, the Scottish Parliament passed an Act declaring that the eldest son of the King and heir to the throne would hold the Earldom, along with the Dukedom of Rothesay. After the Union of the Crowns of Scotland and England, the Dukedom and Earldom have been held by the eldest son and heir of the Kings of England and Scotland, later the Kings of Great Britain, and finally the Kings of the United Kingdom.

In 1628, the Earldom of "Carrick in Orkney" was created for John Stuart, but the title became extinct at his death.

The Irish Earldom was created in 1748 for Somerset Butler. The Earl also holds the Irish subsidiary title of Viscount Ikerrin (created 1629) and Baron Butler of Mount Juliet (1748).

Table of contents

1 Earls of Carrick, First Creation (c. 1186) 2 Earls of Carrick, Second Creation (c. 1314) 3 Earls of Carrick, Third Creation (1328) 4 Earls of Carrick, Fourth Creation (c. 1330) 5 Earls of Carrick, Fifth Creation (c. 1361) 6 Earls of Carrick, Sixth Creation (1368) 7 Earls of Carrick, Seventh Creation (1390) 8 Earls of Carrick, Eighth Creation (1406) 9 Earls of Carrick, Ninth Creation (1628) 10 Earls of Carrick, Tenth Creation (1748)

Earls of Carrick, First Creation (c. 1186)

• Duncan, 1st Earl of Carrick (d. 1250)
• Neil, 2nd Earl of Carrick (d. 1256)
• Margaret de Bruce, 3rd Countess of Carrick (d. 1292)
• Robert de Bruce, 4th Earl of Carrick (1274-1329 (became King in 1306)

• Edward de Bruce, Earl of Carrick (d. 1318)

• David de Bruce, Earl of Carrick (1324-1371) (became King in 1329)

• Alexander de Bruce, Earl of Carrick (d. 1333)

• William de Cunynghame, Earl of Carrick (d. 1364)

• John Stewart, Earl of Carrick (c. 1337-1406) (became King in 1390)

• David Stuart, Duke of Rothesay (1378-1402)

• James Stuart, Duke of Rothesay (1394-1437)

Earls of Carrick, Ninth Creation (1628)

• John Stewart, 1st Earl of Carrick (d. 1652)