Earl of Cottenham

Earl of Cottenham (pronounced "Cotnam"), of Cottenham in the County of Cambridge, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1850 for the prominent lawyer and Whig politician Charles Pepys, 1st Baron Cottenham. He served as Lord Chancellor from 1836 to 1841 and from 1846 to 1850. Pepys had already been created Baron Cottenham, of Cottenham in the County of Cambridge, in 1836, and was made Viscount Crowhurst, of Crowhurst in the County of Surrey, at the same time he was given the earldom. These titles are also in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. The viscountcy is used as a courtesy title for the Earl's eldest son and heir apparent.

In 1845 Lord Cottenham succeeded his elder brother as third Baronet, of London, and in 1849 he also succeeded his cousin as fourth Baronet, of Juniper Hill, according to a special remainder in the letters patent. The Baronetcy, of London, was created in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom in 1801 for Lord Cottenham's father William Pepys, a Master in Chancery. The Baronetcy, of Juniper Hill in the County of Surrey, was created in the Baronetage of Great Britain in 1784 for Lucas Pepys. As of 2010 the titles are held by the first Earl's great-great-great-grandson, the ninth Earl, who succeeded his father in 2000.

As of 30 June 2006, the present holder of the earldom has not successfully proven his succession to the baronetcies and is therefore not on the Official Roll of the Baronetage (for more information follow this link).

The title of the earldom is derived from the village of Cottenham (pronounced "Cot-nam") in Cambridgeshire, birthplace of John Pepys, ancestor of the first Earl, and great-uncle of Samuel Pepys the diarist. Another member of the Pepys family was Henry Pepys, third son of Sir William Pepys, 1st Baronet, and younger brother of the first Earl. He was Bishop of Worcester from 1841 to 1860.