The Winter Knights

The extension of the Sword of Winter's rights to their subordinates includes the right to accept the Winter Oath from others, allowing the Sword of Winter's forces to form a hierarchy almost exactly like an Order of Knights. As such, those who take the Winter Oath have come to be known as Winter Knights.

Hierarchy

Sword of Winter

The leader of the Winter Knights, and champion of the people. The Sword of Winter takes orders only from the ruling Monarch of the North, and has the authority to disregard those orders at his discretion. All Winter Knights must obey commands from the Sword of Winter, regardless of who they swore their oath to.

Winter Wolves

Originally the name taken by a band of northmen who supported the claim of Rhaenyra Targaryen at the beginning of the Dance of the Dragons. The first who could be considered Winter Knights, having been personally recruited by Jorah Mormont, first living Sword of Winter, were inspired partly by that legendary group and because of that they chose to adopt the name for themselves. In that first rallying of northerners behind the Sword of Winter, all of them had sworn their oath directly to Ser Jorah, and so the entirety of the Order (really more of a mercenary band at the time) was known by the name "The Winter Wolves" during its first campaign.
Afterwards the Winter Wolves would mostly disband, Jorah offering to release any from their oath who desired it. Some would sign on with one lord or another for the coin, some migrated to the isles of the Bite to start a new life as farmers or fishermen, and others would return to whatever home they still had. Though some of them, generally the most skilled warriors among them along with those who had nothing left to lose or gain among normal folk, chose to remain and uphold their oath for life. They would be the first to later take oaths from others themselves and truly establish the Order as what it really is. These Winter Knights held on to the name "Winter Wolves", a moniker that would be passed on to any in the future who swear the Winter Oath directly to the Sword of Winter.
The Winter Wolves take no orders except direct orders from the Sword of Winter, and so they generally serve as the commanders and admirals of individual field armies and fleets within the Winter Knights.

Frost Paladins

Those who swear their oath to a Winter Wolf are held in high regard, and the next generation of these knights will likely be trained for the position from an early age. Such knights are either elite swordsmen sent on specific assignments, or competent leaders who command their own Guards.

The Lower Ranks

Those sworn to a Frost Paladin, or those sworn to such Knights, and so on, are all collectively known as The Lower Ranks. This is because each individual rank only holds a number designation without any kind of name or informal title to go with it. The Lower Ranks are ranked in ascending order from one to nine. 1st Rank Winter Knights are sworn to Frost Paladins, whereas 9th Rank knights are sworn to 8th Ranks.

The Unranked

Winter Knights who swear their oath to a 9th Rank Knight, or to another Unranked. Nothing says a 9th Rank cannot have subordinates, but the ranking structure was cut off here to avoid complexity. To account for this, while anyone can still swear the Winter Oath to any Winter Knight regardless of rank, those who fall under the 9th Rank will not be given a rank themselves. Without a rank they cannot give orders, and they can be given orders by any Winter Knight that holds a rank.

The Winter Oath

I hereby hold no allegiance to any crown, nor to any throne; I pledge my life and death to Winter alone. To the North herself, and to no other, is my loyalty owed. From this day, until the end of days, I shall cry out the voice of the people and I shall carry the burden of their will; I will serve as a Sword of the North and a Shield of her Freedom. I will stand vigilant in the heat of the summer swamps or the freezing blizzards of the far north; No man, woman, or beast will cause me to falter in this dedication and I swear it upon the Old Gods and the New; Only death will keep me from this noble task, lest my honor be built upon lies. For I see that Winter is Coming, I see the people in need, and I will not turn away from them for as long as I draw breath.

Type

Military, Knightly Order