Thomas Howard, 1st Earl of Suffolk - Definition and Overview

Admiral Thomas Howard, 1st Earl of Suffolk (24 August 1561-28 May 1626) was a son of Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk by his second wife Hon. Margaret Audley, the daughter and heiress of the 1st Baron Audley of Walden. He was created Baron Howard de Walden in 1597 by writ of summons meaning that the title could descend through the female line and through a female, although if there was more than one heiress, the title would fall into abeyance.

The 1st Baron Howard de Walden was raised to the rank of an earl, as Earl of Suffolk in 1603 shortly after the accession of King James I of England. The earldom has passed through his heirs male since 1603, with two separate earldoms Suffolk and Berkshire now being held by the present Earl. The barony Howard de Walden passed out of the family with the death of James Howard, 3rd Earl of Suffolk in 1688 without surviving sons, and fell into abeyance until it was called out of abeyance in 1784.