Clan Campbell of Cawdor in the context of Colin Campbell, 7th Earl Cawdor

Thane of Cawdor is a title in the Scottish nobility, allotted to the thane, or lord, of the village of Cawdor.The current 7th Earl Cawdor, of Clan Campbell of Cawdor, is the 25th Thane of Cawdor.

In William Shakespeare's play Macbeth, this title was given to Macbeth after the previous Thane of Cawdor was captured and executed for treason against King Duncan. Macbeth hears a prophecy of his new thaneship from the Three Witches shortly before receiving word of the matter from Duncan, such that while the rule of Cawdor may be inconsequential itself it nonetheless proves the inevitability of the Witches' secondary prediction of Macbeth's ascent to become King of Scotland. The historical King Macbeth fought a Thane of Cawdor who died in battle, but he did not thereby acquire the title himself.

Earl Cawdor, of Castlemartin in the County of Pembroke, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1827 for the politician John Campbell, 2nd Baron Cawdor.

This Welsh branch of Clan Campbell of Cawdor descends from Sir John Campbell (died 1546), third son of Archibald Campbell, 2nd Earl of Argyll (whose eldest son Colin was the ancestor of the Dukes of Argyll; see the latter title for earlier history of the family). His descendant Pryse Campbell (d. 1768) represented Nairnshire in the House of Commons. His son John Campbell was Member of Parliament for Nairnshire and Cardigan. In 1796, he was raised to the Peerage of Great Britain as Baron Cawdor, of Castlemartin in the County of Pembroke.