In 1796, he was created Baron Bridport, of Cricket St Thomas in the County of Somerset, in the Peerage of Great Britain, and in 1800, he was even further honoured when he was made Viscount Bridport, of Cricket St Thomas in the County of Somerset, also in the Peerage of Great Britain.

[citation needed] The 1st Viscount Bridport died without male issue in 1814, and the barony of 1796 and the viscountcy of 1800 became extinct.

In 1868, he was further created Viscount Bridport, of Cricket St Thomas in the County of Somerset and of Bronte, in the Peerage of the United Kingdom, a revival of the title given to his great-great-uncle sixty-eight years earlier.

This ducal title was conferred on his great-great-uncle, Horatio Nelson, in 1799 by King Ferdinand, as a reward for his support of the monarchy.

[3] This was possible because of a special and unusual clause in the letters patent granting the dukedom, which allowed the title's holder to choose whoever he wanted as successor.

The 3rd Viscount Bridport was a Lieutenant-Commander in the Royal Navy and also held minor political office from 1939 to 1940 under Neville Chamberlain.

The titles are currently held by his only surviving son, Alexander Hood, the 4th Viscount Bridport and 7th Duke of Bronte, who succeeded in 1969.