The title Earl of Balcarres was created in 1651 for Alexander Lindsay. The title has descended since in the Lindsay family. In January 1808, the ancient Earldom of Crawford, held by members of another branch of the Lindsay family, became dormant because no-one could prove a claim to the title. Then, in 1843, James Lindsay, 7th Earl of Balcarres put forward his claim; in 1848, the House of Lords allowed it. It was held that the seventh Earl's father, the sixth Earl, was the lawful successor to the earldom of Crawford (though he did not claim it); therefore, the sixth Earl of Balcarres was posthumously declared the twenty-third Earl of Crawford, and his son, the seventh Earl of Balcarres, became the twenty-fourth Earl of Crawford. Thereafter, the two earldoms have remained united.

Earls of Balcarres

• Alexander Lindsay, 1st Earl of Balcarres (1618-1659)
• Charles Lindsay, 2nd Earl of Balcarres (d. 1662)
• Cohn Lindsay, 3rd Earl of Balcarres (c. 1654-1722)
• Alexander Lindsay, 4th Earl of Balcarres (d. 1736)
• James Lindsay, 5th Earl of Balcarres (1691-1768)
• Alexander Lindsay, 6th Earl of Balcarres (1752-1825)
• James Lindsay, 7th Earl of Balcarres (1783-1869)

See Earl of Crawford for the remaining Earls of Balcarres