The Townshend family descends from
Roger Townshend, who in 1617 was created a
baronet, of Raynham in the County of Norfolk, in the
Baronetage of England. He later represented
Orford and
Norfolk in the
House of Commons. His younger son, the third Baronet (who succeeded his elder brother), played an important role in the restoration of the monarchy after the
Civil War and was also
Member of Parliament for Norfolk. In 1661 he was created
Baron Townshend, of Lynn Regis in the County of Norfolk, and in 1682 he was further honoured when he was made
Viscount Townshend, of Raynham in the County of Norfolk. Both titles were in the
Peerage of England. He was succeeded by his son, the second Viscount. He was a prominent statesman and served as
Secretary of State for the Northern Department from 1714 to 1716 and from 1721 to 1730. Lord Townshend is also remembered for the agricultural reforms he undertook at his Norfolk estate and gained the nickname "Turnip Townshend". His eldest son, the third Viscount, briefly represented
Great Yarmouth in the House of Commons. However, in 1723, during his father's lifetime, he was summoned to the
House of Lords through a
writ of acceleration in his father's junior title of Baron Townshend (although he was styled "Lord Lynn", taken from the territorial designation of the barony, to distinguish him from his father). Lord Townshend later served as
Lord Lieutenant of Norfolk. He was succeeded by his eldest son, the fourth Viscount. He was a
Field Marshal in the Army and served as
Lord Lieutenant of Ireland and as
Master-General of the Ordnance. In 1787 he was created
Marquess Townshend in the
Peerage of Great Britain. Lord Townshend married as his first wife
Charlotte Compton, 16th Baroness Ferrers of Chartley and 7th Baroness Compton. He was succeeded by his eldest son, the second Marquess. He had already on his mother's death in 1770 succeeded in the baronies
Ferrers of Chartley and
Compton. In 1784, 23 years before he succeeded his father, he was created
Earl of Leicester in the Peerage of Great Britain. His choice of title derived from his descent from Lady Lucy Sydney, daughter of
Robert Sidney, 2nd Earl of Leicester (a title which had become extinct in 1743). Lord Townshend later held office as
Master of the Mint, as Joint
Postmaster General and as
Lord Steward of the Household. His son, the third Marquess, was childless. On his death in 1855 the earldom of Leicester became extinct while the baronies of Ferrers of Chartley and Compton fell into
abeyance. He was succeeded in the other titles by his first cousin, the fourth Marquess. He was the son of
Lord John Townshend, second son of the first Marquess. Lord Townshend was a
Rear-Admiral in the
Royal Navy and also sat as Member of Parliament for
Tamworth. His son, the fifth Marquess, also represented Tamworth in Parliament (as a
Liberal). Both the fifth Marquess and his only son, the sixth Marquess, became significantly indebted, necessitating the sale of portions of the family estates and financial interventions, which proved successful. On the death of the sixth Marquess in 1921, he was succeeded by his only son, the seventh Marquess, who was then only five years old. He served as chairman of
Anglia Television from 1958 to 1986. the titles are held by the latter's grandson, the ninth Marquess, who succeeded his father in November 2025. Several other members of the Townshend family have also gained distinction.
Charles Townshend, second son of the third Viscount, was a prominent statesman and orator and served as
Chancellor of the Exchequer from 1766 to 1767. The politician
Thomas Townshend, 1st Viscount Sydney, after whom the town of
Sydney,
Australia, was named, was the son of the Hon.
Thomas Townshend, second son of the second Viscount. Sydney's grandson was the Liberal politician
John Townshend, 1st Earl Sydney.
Charles Townshend, 1st Baron Bayning, was the son of the Hon.
William Townshend, third son of the second Viscount. See also
Roger Townshend,
Admiral George Townshend,
Lord Charles Townshend,
Lord John Townshend,
Lord Charles Townshend,
Lord James Townshend,
Charles Fox Townshend and
Major-General Sir Charles Vere Ferrers Townshend. As Lord Townshend holds no titles with names different from his main title, the territorial designation from his viscountcy is used for his heir, who is styled
Viscount Raynham. Between 1807 and 1855 the courtesy title was
Earl of Leicester (although the title was not used from 1811 to 1855 as there was no a real
heir apparent to the marquessate during this period, but earldom "usurped" by
John Dunn-Gardner in 1823–1843), while from 1782 to 1855 the courtesy title used by the heir apparent to the earldom of Leicester was
Lord Ferrers of Chartley (and consequently was not used from 1811 to 1855 as there was no a real heir apparent either to the earldom or marquessate). The current Marquess holds several subsidiary titles:
Viscount Townshend, of
Raynham in the
County of Norfolk (created 1682);
Baron Townshend, of
Lynn Regis in the County of Norfolk (created 1661); Townshend
Baronet, 'of Raynham in the County of Norfolk' (created 1617), all of which are in the Peerage of England. As noted above, due to being of the same name as the primary title, the Viscountcy has been called "Viscount Raynham" and the Barony "Baron Lynn". The family seat is
Raynham Hall,
Fakenham,
Norfolk. ==Townshend baronets, of Raynham (1617)==