SEAFIELD, earl of, a title in the Scottish peerage conferred in 1701 on the Hon. James Ogilvie, created viscount of Seafield in 1698, chancellor of Scotland. He was the second son of the third earl of Findlater, and in 1711, his elder brother being dead, he succeeded his father in that title, (see FINDLATER, earl of). On the death, without issue, of James, seventh earl of Findlater and fourth earl of Seafield, at Dresden, 5th October 1811, the former earldom became dormant, and the titles of earl of Seafield, viscount of Seafield and Reidhaven, and Lord Ogilvie of Desford and Cullen devolved on his cousin, Sir Lewis Alexander Grant of Grant, baronet, the grandmother of the latter being Lady Mary Ogilvie, eldest daughter of the fifth earl of Findlater and second earl of Seafield.

The fifth earl of Seafield, on succeeding to the title, assumed the surname of Ogilvie, in addition to his own. He died, unmarried, in 1840, when his brother, the Hon. Colonel Francis William Ogilvie Grant, became sixth earl. The latter had entered the army in 1793, and in 1809 he became a colonel. In 1807 he was elected M.P. for Elginshire and Nairnshire, and represented these counties in eight parliaments. In August 1841 he was elected one of the sixteen Scots representative peers. He was also lord-lieutenant of Inverness-shire and a deputy-lieutenant of Banffshire, and colonel of the Inverness-shire militia. He died July 30, 1853. He was twice married, 1st, to Mary Anne, only daughter of John Charles Dunn, Esq. of Higham House, issue, 6 sons and 1 daughter; and, 2dly, to Louisa Emma, 2d daughter of Robert George Maunsell, Esq. of Limerick, without issue.

His 2d son, John Charles Ogilvie Grant, born Sept. 4, 1815, succeeded as 7th earl, his eldest son having predeceased him. In Nov. 1853, the 7th earl was elected one of the 16 representative peers of Scotland, and was created a baron of the United Kingdom, Aug. 14, 1858, by the title of Baron Strathspey of Strathspey. He married in 1850, Hon. Caroline Stuart, youngest daughter of the 11th Lord Blantyre, issue, a son, John Charles, viscount of Reidhaven, born in 1851.