The title Earl of Cork was created in 1620. The associated title, Earl of Orrery was created in 1660, for a separate branch of the family. It was, however, inherited by John Boyle, the fifth Earl.

Lord Cork's subsidiary titles are: Viscount Dungarvan (created 1620), Viscount Boyle of Kinalmeaky (1628), Baron Boyle of Youghal (1616), Baron Boyle of Broghill (1628), Baron Boyle of Bandon Bridge (1628) and Baron Boyle of Marston, of Marston in the County of Somerset (1711). All titles are in the Peerage of Ireland, except the Barony of Boyle of Marston, which is in the Peerage of Great Britain. The courtesy title of Lord Cork's eldest son and heir is Viscount Dungarvan.

Richard Boyle, 1st Earl of Cork, (1566-1643) known as the "Great Earl", was born in Canterbury and educated at Cambridge. He married an Irish heiress and bought large estates in Ireland. One of his sons was Robert Boyle, a physicist and chemist. Another was Roger Boyle, 1st Earl of Orrery, a statesman and a writer. The 2nd earl was known as the "Rich Boyle". Married Elizabeth Clifford , daughter of the 5th Earl of Cumberland and descendant of Edward III. His son Richard Boyle, 2nd Earl of Cork died in 1665 in the Battle of Solebay, and another son, Charles Boyle, married Jane Seymour, a descendant of Henry VII.The 3rd Earl was the grandson of the 2nd Earl. He married Juliana Noel .

In 1664 the 2nd Earl was created Earl of Burlington in the Peerage of England; the subsidiary title of this earldom was Baron Clifford of Lanesborough (1644, Peerage of England).

The 4th Earl (also 3rd Earl of Burlington) was an architect who published Andrea Palladio's designs of Ancient Roman architecture. He was known as Lord Burlington. Chiswick House was designed by the 4th Earl and William Kent. His daughter Charlotte Boyle married William Cavendish, the 4th Duke of Devonshire. The 5th earl was a writer and a friend of Jonathan Swift, Alexander Pope and Samuel Johnson.

Earls of Cork (1620)

• Richard Boyle, 1st Earl of Cork (1566-1643)
• Richard Boyle, 1st Earl of Burlington and 2nd Earl of Cork (1612-1698)
• Charles Boyle, 2nd Earl of Burlington and 3rd Earl of Cork (bef. 1674-1703)
• Richard Boyle, 3rd Earl of Burlington and 4th Earl of Cork (1694-1753)
• John Boyle, 5th Earl of Cork and 5th Earl of Orrery (1707-1762)
• Hamilton Boyle, 6th Earl of Cork and 6th Earl of Orrery (1729-1764)
• Edmund Boyle, 7th Earl of Cork and 7th Earl of Orrery (1742-1798)
• Edmund Boyle, 8th Earl of Cork and 8th Earl of Orrery (1767-1856)
• Richard Edmund St Lawrence Boyle, 9th Earl of Cork and 9th Earl of Orrery (1829-1904)
• Charles Spencer Canning Boyle, 10th Earl of Cork and 10th Earl of Orrery (1861-1925)
• Robert John Lascelles Boyle, 11th Earl of Cork and 11th Earl of Orrery (1864-1934)
• William Henry Dudley Boyle, 12th Earl of Cork and 12th Earl of Orrery (1873-1967)
• Patrick Reginald Boyle, 13th Earl of Cork and 13th Earl of Orrery (1910-1995)
• John William Boyle, 14th Earl of Cork and 14th Earl of Orrery (1916-2003)
• John Richard Boyle, 15th Earl of Cork and 15th Earl of Orrery (b. 1945)

Heir Apparent: Rory Jonathan Courtenay Boyle, Viscount Dungarvan (b. 1978)