The title Earl of Northesk was created in 1662 for John Carnegie in the Peerage of Scotland. Carnegie had in 1647 been created Earl of Ethie and Lord Lour, but he relinquished that title in exchange for the earldom of Norfolk in 1662. For the purposes of precedence and seniority, the earldom of Northesk is treated as having been created in 1647, the date of the creation of the earldom of Ethie.
The Earl of Northesk also holds the titles of Lord Rosehill and Lord Eglismauldie, both in the Peerage of Scotland.
Earls of Northesk (1660)
- John Carnegie, 1st Earl of Northesk (c. 1580-1667)
- David Carnegie, 2nd Earl of Northesk (d. 1679)
- David Carnegie, 3rd Earl of Northesk (1643-1688)
- David Carnegie, 4th Earl of Northesk (d. 1729)
- David Carnegie, 5th Earl of Northesk (1701-1741)
- George Carnegie, 6th Earl of Northesk (1716-1792)
- William Carnegie, 7th Earl of Northesk (1758-1831
- William Hopetoun Carnegie, 8th Earl of Northesk (1794-1878)
- George John Carnegie, 9th Earl of Northesk (1843-1891)
- David John Carnegie, 10th Earl of Northesk (1865-1921)
- David Ludovic George Hopetoun Carnegie, 11th Earl of Northesk (1901-1963)
- John Douglas Carnegie, 12th Earl of Northesk (1895-1975)
- Robert Andrew Carnegie, 13th Earl of Northesk (1926-1994)
- David John MacRae Carnegie, 14th Earl of Northesk (b. 1954)