An EARL is a British Aristocrat, ranking above a viscount and below a marquess in the peerage of the British Isles. Earls are usually members of the nobility and hold a title that is hereditary. They are addressed as 'My Lord' or 'My Lady' and their wives are known as Countesses. Earls have been around since the Norman Conquest of 1066 and have been an important part of British society ever since.