The sixth earl was the son of Anne of Gloucester, Countess of Buckingham, daughter of Thomas of Woodstock, Earl of Buckingham (later Duke of Gloucester), youngest son of King Edward III of England.

Stafford was an important supporter of the House of Lancaster in the Wars of the Roses, and was killed at the Battle of Northampton in July 1460.

The 1st Duke of Buckingham was succeeded in his titles by his grandson Henry, who aided Richard III in his claiming the throne in 1483 (Edward IV of England's marriage to Elizabeth Woodville having been declared null and void and Edward's sons illegitimate by Act of Parliament Titulus Regius), but who then led a revolt against Richard.

Two months later, on 11 November, William Howard was created Viscount Stafford, with remainder to his issue male.

Henry was succeeded according to the special remainder by his nephew, the second Earl (the eldest son of John).

He petitioned the House of Lords for a reversal of the attainder and for a writ of summons of Parliament.

In 1824 the attainder of the first Baron was completely reversed, and on 6 July 1825, the House of Lords decided that Jerningham had been successful in his claim to the barony.

He was the son of Emily Charlotte (sister of both the tenth and eleventh Baron) and her husband, Basil Thomas Fitzherbert.

As of 2010[update], the barony is held by the latter's son, the fifteenth Baron, who succeeded his father in 1986.

The seat of the Jerningham family, who held the title from 1825 to 1913, was Costessey Hall in Norfolk (demolished in 1925).

Richard fought in the French wars of Edward III and was also appointed seneschal of Gascony.

Their son, also Richard, was summoned to Parliament by Edward III and regularly participated through to 1379.

The barony then passed through: The heir apparent is the present holder's elder son, the Hon.