Earl of Abingdon is a title in the
Peerage of England. It was created on 30 November 1682 for
James Bertie, 5th Baron Norreys of Rycote. He was the eldest son of
Montagu Bertie, 2nd Earl of Lindsey by his second marriage to Bridget, 4th Baroness Norreys de Rycote, and the younger half-brother of
Robert Bertie, 3rd Earl of Lindsey (see the
Earl of Lindsey and the
Baron Willoughby de Eresby for earlier history of the Bertie family). His mother's family descended from Sir Henry Norris, who represented
Berkshire and
Oxfordshire in the
House of Commons and served as Ambassador to
France. In 1572 he was summoned by writ to Parliament as
Lord Norreys de Rycote. He was succeeded by his grandson, the second Baron. In 1621 he was created
Viscount Thame and
Earl of Berkshire in the Peerage of England. He had no sons and on his death in 1624 the viscountcy and earldom became extinct. He was succeeded in the barony by his daughter Elizabeth, the third holder of the title. On her death the title passed to her daughter, the aforementioned Bridget, the fourth Baroness, second wife of the second Earl of Lindsey.