There are 33 traditional noble titles in the modern Kingdom of

Tonga Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga, is an island country in Polynesia, part of Oceania. The country has 171 islands, of which 45 are inhabited. Its total surface area is about , scattered over in the southern Pacific Ocean. accordin ...

. They are all estate holders. Twenty titles were established by Siaosi Tupou I with the Constitution of 1875. In 1880, he added 11 more. Tupou II created the titles Lasike in 1894 and Veikune in 1903.

Sālote Tupou III Sālote Tupou III (born Sālote Mafileo Pilolevu; 13 March 1900 – 16 December 1965) was Queen of Tonga from 1918 to her death in 1965. She reigned for nearly 48 years, the longest of any Tongan monarch. She was well known for her height, stan ...

created the title of Tupoutoʻa in 1921. In the beginning, it was forbidden for a noble to have more than one title. Later, this was made possible. Some of the great chiefs who missed out on a noble's title (in 1910) were among others: ʻAlipate Mafileʻo of Kolomotuʻa, SA Sipu of Kolomotuʻa, Iki Lolohea of

Haʻapai Haʻapai is a group of islands, islets, reefs, and shoals in the central part of Tonga. It has a combined land area of . The Tongatapu island group lies to its south, and the Vavaʻu group lies to its north. Seventeen of the Haʻapai islands are ...

(but later inherited the Fulivai), Tēvita Tapueluelu of

Vavaʻu Vavau is an island group, consisting of one large island (ʻUtu Vavaʻu) and 40 smaller ones, in Tonga. It is part of Administrative divisions of Tonga, Vavaʻu District, which includes several other individual islands. According to tradition, ...

, SF Tafolo, Tēvita Ula Afuhaʻamango of

Siosiua Niutupuʻivaha Kaho Siosiua is a given name. Notable people with the given name include: *Siosiua ʻUtoikamanu Siosiua Tuitalukua Tupou Utoikamanu is a Tongan politician and former Cabinet of Tonga, Cabinet Minister. He was Tonga's Minister of Finance (Tonga), Mini ...

(but later inherited the Tuʻivakanō). These unacknowledged chiefs were still lords in the traditional sense. However, their influence slowly decreased with each passing generation. Queen Sālote acknowledged this in some of her public speeches by paying respect to the chiefs then a separate respect to the Nobles of the Crown as: «Highly respectful for the Chiefs is also Highly respectful for the nobles in this land». In the 21st century, King

George Tupou V George Tupou V (Siaosi Tāufaʻāhau Manumataongo Tukuʻaho Tupou; 4 May 194818 March 2012) was King of Tonga from 2006 until his death in 2012. He was the eldest son of King Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV. After ascending the throne, George Tupou ann ...

created eight new noble titles but with no hereditary lands. This title is to remain with them for their whole life known and is considered equivalent to the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

's practice of appointing

Life Peers In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the peerage whose titles cannot be inherited, in contrast to hereditary peers. Life peers are appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister. With the exception of the Du ...

. *

Ramsay Robertson Dalgety Ramsay Robertson Dalgety, Lord Dalgety of Sikotilani Tonga is a Scottish and Tongan lawyer and judge. Scottish QC since 1986, and Tonga Law Lord since 2008. Advocate at the Scottish Bar since 1972. Appointed a Scottish QC in 1986. Temporary ...

(July 2008) *

Tevita Poasi Tupou Tevita Poasi Tupou (born 27 July 1941), styled Lord Tupou of Kolofo’ou, is a Tongan judge and former politician. During his political career, he served as Attorney General, Minister of Justice and Deputy Prime Minister. He also worked as a la ...

(July 2008) *

Taniela Tufui Taniela "Dan" Hoko’ila Tufui, styled Lord Tufui of Talaheu (died 19 April 2016) was a Tongan lawyer and civil servant. He was the first Tongan to serve as Solicitor-General of Tonga, and was later appointed to the Privy Council of Tonga. Tufui ...

(July 2008 – deceased) *

Matoto of Tuʻanekivale Matoto is an urban sub-prefecture in the Conakry Region of Guinea and one of five in the capital Conakry Conakry ( , ; ; ; ) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Guinea. A port city, it serves as the economic, financial and cultur ...

(30 December 2010) *

Tangi of Vaonukonuka Viliami Ta’u Tangi, styled Lord Tangi of Vaonukonuka, is a Tongan politician and former Cabinet Minister. He has previously served as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Health. Biography Tangi is from Vavaʻu. He trained as a medical docto ...

(30 December 2010) *

Feleti Sevele Feleti Vakaʻuta Sevele, Lord Sevele of Vailahi (born 7 July 1944) is a Tongan politician who served as the prime minister of Tonga from 30 March 2006 to 22 December 2010. Biography Early life Lord Sevele was born in Maʻufanga, Nukuʻalofa. H ...

ʻo Vailahi (30 December 2010) *

Madraiwiwi Tangatatonga ''Ratu'' Joni Madraiwiwi, Lord Madraiwiwi Tangatatonga (10 November 1957 – 29 September 2016) was a prominent Fijian lawyer, legal scholar, jurist, and politician. He served as vice-president, and also acting president, of Fiji, and Chief J ...

(4 January 2011 – deceased) *

Sonatane Tuʻa Taumoepeau-Tupou Sonatane Tu'akinamolahi Taumopeau Tupou, Lord Taumoepeau-Tupou of Toula and Kotu (born 14 March 1943, in Nukuʻalofa, died 13 August 2013) was a diplomat from the Kingdom of Tonga. Lord Taumoepeau-Tupou had been the foreign minister of Tonga s ...

(28 March 2011 – deceased)

References

*I.C. Campbell; Classical Tongan kingship; 1989 *Margaret Hixon; Salote Queen of Paradise; 2000 *Tonga Liuaki; Taufa'ahau, Tu'iha'apai; 2008 {{Nobility by nation