A patent is the general name for a document, open to public inspection (hence "patent"), that confers a right or title on an individual or organization, or confirms the possession of such a right or title. Patents identifying someone as the author of an invention are familiar enough. Patents of nobility have been used by some governments to confer a noble title; in other words, to make someone an aristocrat.
Establish that you have a valid claim to the title for which you are seeking a patent of nobility. In practice, this means proving that you are the heir to a title left vacant by the previous holder's death. Such claims are known as "peerage claims" in the United Kingdom. Make sure you have a firm basis for such a claim.
Gather genealogical evidence demonstrating that you are the heir to a noble title. Such evidence includes your birth certificate, as well as a detailed family tree from an official source. In the U.K., the source would be the Public Records Office. Go over your family history with great care to see if there are any peers among your forebears.
Apply for your patent. Each title-granting country has somewhat different procedures for establishing a claim. In principle, however, your objective is to have the claim accepted and registered by the appropriate authority. In the U.K., a claimant must apply to be registered on the Roll of Peerage. Send your assembled documentary evidence to the Crown Office of the House of Lords.
File a petition if necessary. Where a title is "abeyant" (in other words, the true holder is unknown) or in dispute, you should make a Petition to the Crown, submitting your documentary evidence through the Lord Chancellor to the Attorney General. The Attorney General may recommend granting the title through royal discretion, or where there is any doubt or dispute refer it to the Committee on Privileges of the House of Lords.
In the U.K., registration by the Crown Office on the Roll of Peerage constitutes a patent of nobility, but other countries may issue different types of document for different titles. The principles and methods of establishing your right to a title, however, are likely to remain broadly the same.
Earn the title where nonhereditary titles may be awarded to individuals of outstanding merit. In the U.K., where the title is an honorary award, the only route to obtaining a patent of nobility for you to demonstrate extraordinary merit, usually in politics or some other field of public service.
