[2] The title was first held as a barony by tenure (the Nevilles being feudal barons of Raby), and was afterwards created twice (in 1295 and 1459) by writ of summons to parliament.
The Neville barony of Raby came to existence in the 13th century, by the marriage of Robert fitz Meldred, lord of Raby, to Isabel de Neville, the heiress of a family of Norman origin.
Their son, Geoffrey fitz Robert, adopted his mother's surname 'Neville' and inherited from his father the feudal barony of Raby, becoming the first "Baron Neville of Raby".
[3] The barony by writ was created when Geoffrey de Neville's great-grandson, Ranulph, the third baron, was summoned to parliament on 24 June 1295, whereby he is held to have become 'Lord Neville' (of Raby).
His son Ralph later inherited the earldom of Westmorland together with the two previous creations of the barony.