Lord Macclesfield was the great-grandson of the distinguished judge Sir Gilbert Gerard, Master of the Rolls from 1581 to 1594.

He was involved in the Rye House Plot of 1683, was sentenced to death but later pardoned by the King.

On his death without legitimate issue in 1701 the titles passed to his younger brother, the third Earl.

William Dorington or Dorrington, Colonel of the King's Royal Irish Regiment of Foot Guards, was created Earl of Macclesfield in the Jacobite Peerage in or about 1716.

In contrast to the barony the viscountcy and earldom were created with remainder, in default of male issue, to his daughter Elizabeth, wife of Sir William Heathcote, 1st Baronet of Hursley Park, and her issue male.

He was succeeded by his son George, the second Earl, who was a distinguished astronomer and served as president of the Royal Society for many years.

As of 2010[update] the titles are held by his grandson, the ninth Earl, who succeeded his father in 1992.

Following a long-running and acrimonious court battle, the ninth Earl was evicted from the family seat at the end of 2004.