Baron Brabourne, of Brabourne in the County of Kent, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1880 for the Liberal politician Edward Knatchbull-Hugessen, the second son of Sir Edward Knatchbull, 9th Baronet, of Mersham Hatch. He had previously represented Sandwich in the House of Commons and served as Under-Secretary of State for Home Affairs and Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies. Lord Brabourne had assumed by Royal licence the additional surname of Hugessen (which was that of his maternal grandmother) in 1849. His son, the second Baron, represented Rochester in Parliament as a Liberal.
In 1917 his younger brother, the fourth Baron, who had succeeded his nephew the third Baron in 1915, inherited the Baronetcy of Mersham Hatch. Since then the titles have remained merged. The fourth Baron was succeeded by his son, the fifth Baron. He was Conservative Member of Parliament for Ashford, Governor of Bombay and Governor of Bengal. In 1919 Lord Brabourne assumed by deed poll the surname of Knatchbull only.
His eldest son, the sixth Baron, was killed in the Second World War, when the title passed to the latter's younger brother, the seventh Baron. He was a film and television producer. In 1946 he married The Honourable Patricia Mountbatten, daughter of the naval commander Viscount Mountbatten (later the 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma). Their son, the eighth baron, who succeeded in 2005, is also heir apparent to the earldom of Mountbatten of Burma held by his mother. This means that the barony of Brabourne will eventually merge with the earldom, and no longer be a separate peerage title.
The Baronetcy, of Mersham Hatch in the County of Kent, was created in the Baronetage of England in 1641 for Norton Knatchbull, who represented Kent and New Romney in the House of Commons. His son, the second Baronet, also represented these constituencies in Parliament. His nephew, the fourth Baronet (who had succeeded his father, a younger brother of the second Baronet), sat as Member of Parliament for Rochester, Kent and Lostwithiel. He was succeeded by his son, the fifth Baronet who served as High Sheriff of Kent in 1733.. In 1746 he assumed by Act of Parliament the additional surname of Wyndham, which was that of his maternal grandfather. His son, the sixth Baronet, represented Kent in Parliament. On his death the title passed to his uncle, the seventh Baronet. He sat in the Irish House of Commons as representative for Armagh. His son, the eighth Baronet, was High Sheriff of Kent in 1785 and later represented Kent in the House of Commons.
He was succeeded by his son, the ninth Baronet. He represented both Kent and East Kent in Parliament and notably served as Paymaster-General in the Tory administrations of Sir Robert Peel. His grandson, the twelfth Baronet, briefly represented East Kent in the House of Commons. On his death in 1917 he was succeeded by his first cousin the fourth Baron Brabourne, who became the thirteenth Baronet of Mersham Hatch as well.
The title of the barony is pronounced "Bray-burn".
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for further succession see below