Usage
An English barony is a peerage (yet the abolition act of 1660 allows for some remaining non-peer baronies not converted to writ to remain as feudal baronies of free socage "incorporeal hereditament" similar to a lordship of the manor), but whether Scottish barons rightfully rank as peers is disputable. They are known as minor barons currently treated as noble titles of less than peerage rank. The Scottish equivalent of an English baron is "Lord of Parliament".
The feudal baronial title tends to be used when a landed family is not in possession of any United Kingdom peerage title of higher rank, subsequently granted, or has been created a knight of the realm. The name recorded by the Lord Lyon as part of any grant of arms or matriculation becomes the holder’s name for all official purposes.
The holder of a Scottish barony (e.g., "Inverglen") may add the title to his existing name (e.g., "John Smith, Baron of Inverglen") or add the territorial designation to his surname ("John Smith of Inverglen, Baron of Inverglen"); some of the oldest Scottish families prefer to be styled by the territorial designation alone ("Smith of Inverglen"). A baron may be addressed socially as "Inverglen" or "Baron," and introduced in the third person as "John Smith of Inverglen, Baron of Inverglen" or "The Baron of Inverglen". When referred to informally in the third person it is incorrect to refer to him as "Baron Inverglen" or "Lord Inverglen", as these would imply a peerage title (i.e. Lord of Parliament) A married couple may be styled "The Baron and Baroness of Inverglen", "Inverglen and Madam Smith of Inverglen", "Inverglen and Lady Inverglen", or "The Baron of Inverglen and Lady Inverglen." The oldest son of a feudal baron may be known by his father's territorial designation with the addition of "yr" (abbreviation for "younger"), as in "John Smith of Inverglen, yr" and the eldest daughter if heir apparent is entitled to use the courtesy title "Maid of " at the end of her name.
Read more about this topic: Scottish Feudal Barony
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