Counties of the United Kingdom

The United Kingdom has 92 counties or shires. The British counties are the oldest extant national divisions in the world.

Where a distinction has to be made with statutory "counties" so called for administrative purposes, the counties are variously known as historic counties, traditional counties or ancient or geographical counties.

The counties have no administrative function, existing as geographical and cultural areas. Most of the counties have an existence stretching back to the Middle Ages and almost all of the English counties have been established for over a thousand years. Even the relatively young Highland shires, only 450 years old as such, have a much older existence as geographical and cultural areas.

In this time many activities many activities and much social understanding and local identity has grown up intertwined with the counties, and so they have become a vital part of British and Irish culture.

Until the late twentieth century, administrative functions have been carried on using the counties' boundaries or approximations to them, and so centuries of public records have been organised county by county, for which reason an understanding of the counties is vital for genealogical and historic research.

List of the counties

Name	County of	Area (sq m)	Population	Principal towns in the county
Aberdeenshire	Aberdeen	1,950	Template:Hcspop	Aberdeen, Ellon, Fraserburgh, Huntly, Inverurie, Peterhead, Turriff
Anglesey	Anglesey	276	Template:Hcspop	Beaumaris, Amlwch, Holyhead, Llangefni, Menai Bridge
Angus	Forfar	889	Template:Hcspop	Forfar, Dundee, Arbroath, Brechin, Carnoustie, Kirriemuir, Montrose
Antrim	Antrim	1,175	Template:Hcspop	Belfast, Antrim, Ballymena, Ballymoney, Carnlough, Larne, Portrush
Argyllshire	Argyll	3,110	Template:Hcspop	Lochgilphead, Campbeltown, Dunoon, Inverary, Oban, Tobermory
Armagh	Armagh	512	Template:Hcspop	Armagh, Newry
Ayrshire	Ayr	1,129	Template:Hcspop	Ayr, Cumnock, Irvine, Kilmarnock, Kilwinning, Largs, Saltcoats, Troon
Banffshire	Banff	641	Template:Hcspop	Banff, Buckie, Dufftown, Keith, Macduff, Portsoy
Bedfordshire	Bedford	465	Template:Hcspop	Bedford, Biggleswade, Dunstable, Leighton Buzzard, Luton, Sandy
Berkshire	Berks	722	Template:Hcspop	Reading, Abingdon, Bracknell, Maidenhead, Newbury, Windsor, Wokingham
Berwickshire	Berwick	457	Template:Hcspop	Greenlaw, Coldstream, Duns, Eyemouth, Lauder
Brecknockshire	Brecon	743	Template:Hcspop	Brecon, Builth Wells, Hay-on-Wye, Llanwrtyd Wells, Talgarth
Buckinghamshire	Buckingham	745	Template:Hcspop	Aylesbury, Buckingham, High Wycombe, Milton Keynes, Slough
Buteshire	Bute	225	Template:Hcspop	Rothesay, Brodick, Lochranza, Millport
Caernarfonshire	Caernarfon	480	Template:Hcspop	Caernarfon, Bangor, Conwy, Llandudno, Porthmadog, Pwllheli
Caithness	Caithness	618	Template:Hcspop	Wick, Castletown, Halkirk, Thurso
Cambridgeshire	Cambridge	820	Template:Hcspop	Cambridge, Ely, Chatteris, March, Whittlesey, Wisbech
Cardiganshire	Cardigan	815	Template:Hcspop	Cardigan, Aberystwyth, Lampeter, New Quay, Tregaron
Carmarthenshire	Carmarthen	1,095	Template:Hcspop	Carmarthen, Ammanford, Kidwelly, Llandovery, Llanelli, St Clears
Cheshire	Chester	1,027	Template:Hcspop	Chester, Birkenhead, Crewe, Macclesfield, Runcorn, Stockport, Wallasey
Clackmannanshire	Clackmannan	48	Template:Hcspop	Clackmannan, Alloa, Dollar, Tillicoultry, Tullibody
Cornwall	Cornwall	1,349	Template:Hcspop	Bodmin, Truro, Camborne, Falmouth, Newquay, Penzance, Redruth, St Austell
Cromartyshire	Cromarty	370	Template:Hcspop	Cromarty, Ullapool
Cumberland	Cumberland	1,516	Template:Hcspop	Carlisle, Brampton, Keswick, Penrith, Whitehaven, Workington
Denbighshire	Denbigh	640	Template:Hcspop	Ruthin, Abergele, Denbigh, Llangollen, Wrexham
Derbyshire	Derby	1,029	Template:Hcspop	Derby, Ashbourne, Buxton, Chesterfield, Ilkeston, Matlock, Swadlincote
Devon	Devon	2,405	Template:Hcspop	Exeter, Plymouth, Barnstaple, Newton Abbot, Paignton, Tavistock, Tiverton, Torquay
Dorset	Dorset	980	Template:Hcspop	Dorchester, Poole, Shaftesbury, Sherborne, Weymouth, Wimborne Minster
Down	Down	950	Template:Hcspop	Downpatrick, Bangor, Holywood, Newcastle, Strangford
Dumfriesshire	Dumfries	1,063	Template:Hcspop	Dumfries, Annan, Gretna, Langholm, Lockerbie, Moffat, Sanquhar
Dunbartonshire	Dunbarton	241	Template:Hcspop	Dumbarton, Alexandria, Clydebank, Cumbernauld, Helensburgh, Kirkintilloch
Durham	Durham	1,015	Template:Hcspop	Durham, Gateshead, Darlington, Hartlepool, Stockton-on-Tees, Sunderland, Washington
East Lothian	Haddington	267	Template:Hcspop	Haddington, Dunbar, East Linton, North Berwick, Tranent
Essex	Essex	1,542	Template:Hcspop	Chelmsford, Basildon, Brentwood, Colchester, Harlow, Romford, Southend-on-Sea, Stratford
Fermanagh	Fermanagh	715	Template:Hcspop	Enniskillen, Belleek, Irvinestown
Fife	Fife	504	Template:Hcspop	Cupar, Dunfermline, Burntisland, Cowdenbeath, Glenrothes, Kirkcaldy, St Andrews
Flintshire	Flint	640	Template:Hcspop	Mold, Connah's Quay, Buckley, Flint, Holywell, Prestatyn, Rhyl, St Asaph
Glamorgan	Glamorgan	845	Template:Hcspop	Cardiff, Swansea, Barry, Bridgend, Caerphilly, Merthyr Tydfil, Neath, Pontypridd
Gloucestershire	Gloucester	1,225	Template:Hcspop	Gloucester, Bristol, Cheltenham, Cirencester, Stroud, Tewkesbury
Hampshire	Southampton	1,622	Template:Hcspop	Winchester, Portsmouth, Southampton, Basingstoke, Bournemouth, Newport
Herefordshire	Hereford	833	Template:Hcspop	Hereford, Bromyard, Kington, Ledbury, Leominster, Ross-on-Wye
Hertfordshire	Hertford	727	Template:Hcspop	Hertford, St Albans, Hatfield, Hemel Hempstead, Stevenage, Watford
Huntingdonshire	Huntingdon	359	Template:Hcspop	Huntingdon, Ramsey, St Ives, St Neots, Yaxley
Inverness-shire	Inverness	4,211	Template:Hcspop	Inverness, Fort William, Kingussie, Newtonmore, Portree
Kent	Kent	1,555	Template:Hcspop	Maidstone, Canterbury, Bromley, Dover, Folkestone, Greenwich, Rochester
Kincardineshire	Kincardine	380	Template:Hcspop	Stonehaven, Banchory, Inverbervie, Laurencekirk
Kinross-shire	Kinross	73	Template:Hcspop	Kinross, Milnathort
Kirkcudbrightshire	Kirkcudbright	899	Template:Hcspop	Kirkcudbright, Castle Douglas, Dalbeattie, New Galloway
Lanarkshire	Lanark	879	Template:Hcspop	Lanark, Glasgow, Coatbridge, Carluke, East Kilbride, Hamilton, Motherwell
Lancashire	Lancaster	1,880	Template:Hcspop	Lancaster, Liverpool, Manchester, Preston, Barrow-in-Furness, Bolton, Warrington
Leicestershire	Leicester	800	Template:Hcspop	Leicester, Coalville, Hinckley, Loughborough, Lutterworth, Melton Mowbray
Lincolnshire	Lincoln	2,646	Template:Hcspop	Lincoln, Boston, Grantham, Grimsby, Louth, Scunthorpe, Skegness, Stamford
Londonderry	Londonderry	816	Template:Hcspop	Londonderry, Coleraine, Limavady
Merionethshire	Merioneth	780	Template:Hcspop	Bala, Barmouth, Blaenau Ffestiniog, Dolgellau, Harlech, Tywyn
Middlesex	Middlesex	285	Template:Hcspop	London, Brentford, Westminster, Ealing, Enfield, Harrow, Potters Bar, Staines, Twickenham
Midlothian	Edinburgh	362	Template:Hcspop	Edinburgh, Bonnyrigg, Dalkeith, Musselburgh, Penicuik
Monmouthshire	Monmouth	530	Template:Hcspop	Monmouth, Newport, Abergavenny, Blackwood, Chepstow, Cwmbran, Tredegar
Montgomeryshire	Montgomery	780	Template:Hcspop	Montgomery, Llanidloes, Machynlleth, Newtown, Welshpool
Morayshire	Elgin/Moray	476	Template:Hcspop	Elgin, Fochabers, Lossiemouth, Forres, Rothes
Nairnshire	Nairn	200	Template:Hcspop	Nairn, Auldearn, Cawdor
Norfolk	Norfolk	2,044	Template:Hcspop	Norwich, Cromer, East Dereham, Great Yarmouth, Hunstanton, King's Lynn
Northamptonshire	Northampton	984	Template:Hcspop	Northampton, Peterborough, Corby, Kettering, Wellingborough
Northumberland	Northumberland	2,018	Template:Hcspop	Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Alnwick, (Berwick-upon-Tweed), Hexham, Morpeth
Nottinghamshire	Nottingham	825	Template:Hcspop	Nottingham, Mansfield, Newark-on-Trent, Retford, Southwell, Worksop
Orkney	Orkney	376	Template:Hcspop	Kirkwall, Balfour, Stromness
Oxfordshire	Oxford	756	Template:Hcspop	Oxford, Banbury, Bicester, Carterton, Henley-on-Thames, Thame, Witney
Peeblesshire	Peebles	548	Template:Hcspop	Peebles, Innerleithen, West Linton
Pembrokeshire	Pembroke	655	Template:Hcspop	Pembroke, Fishguard, Haverfordwest, Milford Haven, Tenby, St David's
Perthshire	Perth	2,493	Template:Hcspop	Perth, Blairgowrie, Callander, Coupar Angus, Crieff, Kincardine, Pitlochry, Rattray
Radnorshire	Radnor	485	Template:Hcspop	Presteigne, Knighton, Llandrindod Wells, New Radnor, Rhayader
Renfrewshire	Renfrew	245	Template:Hcspop	Renfrew, Barrhead, Greenock, Johnstone, Kilmacolm, Paisley, Port Glasgow
Ross-shire	Ross	3,089	Template:Hcspop	Dingwall, Alness, Invergordon, Stornaway, Tain
Roxburghshire	Roxburgh	666	Template:Hcspop	Jedburgh, Hawick, Kelso, Melrose, Roxburgh
Rutland	Rutland	152	Template:Hcspop	Oakham, Cottesmore, Uppingham
Selkirkshire	Selkirk	267	Template:Hcspop	Selkirk, Galashiels
Shetland	Shetland	551	Template:Hcspop	Lerwick, Baltasound, Scalloway
Shropshire	Shrewsbury/Salop	1,343	Template:Hcspop	Shrewsbury, Bridgnorth, Ludlow, Market Drayton, Oswestry, Telford, Whitchurch
Somerset	Somerset	1,640	Template:Hcspop	Taunton, Bath, Bridgwater, Glastonbury, Wells, Weston-super-Mare, Yeovil
Staffordshire	Stafford	1,171	Template:Hcspop	Stafford, Lichfield, Stoke-on-Trent, Wolverhampton, Cannock, Walsall
Stirlingshire	Stirling	447	Template:Hcspop	Stirling, Bridge of Allan, Denny, Falkirk, Grangemouth, Kilsyth
Suffolk	Suffolk	1,489	Template:Hcspop	Ipswich, Bury St Edmunds, Bungay, Felixstowe, Haverhill, Lowestoft, Sudbury
Surrey	Surrey	758	Template:Hcspop	Guildford, Brixton, Croydon, Egham, Farnham, Kingston upon Thames, Southwark, Sutton, Wandsworth, Wimbledon, Woking
Sussex	Sussex	1,458	Template:Hcspop	Chichester, Bognor Regis, Brighton, Crawley, Eastbourne, Hastings, Horsham, Worthing
Sutherland	Sutherland	2,028	Template:Hcspop	Dornoch, Brora, Durness, Golspie, Helmsdale, Lairg, Tongue
Tyrone	Tyrone	1,260	Template:Hcspop	Omagh, Cookstown, Dungannon, Strabane
Warwickshire	Warwick	885	Template:Hcspop	Warwick, Birmingham, Coventry, Nuneaton, Rugby, Solihull, Stratford-upon-Avon
West Lothian	Linlithgow	120	Template:Hcspop	Linlithgow, Armadale, Bathgate, Bo'ness, Broxburn, Livingston, Whitburn
Westmorland	Westmorland	783	Template:Hcspop	Appleby, Ambleside, Kendal, Kirkby Lonsdale, Windermere
Wigtownshire	Wigtown	487	Template:Hcspop	Wigtown, Newton Stewart, Stranraer, Whithorn
Wiltshire	Wilts	1,370	Template:Hcspop	Salisbury, Chippenham, Devizes, Marlborough, Swindon, Trowbridge, Warminster
Worcestershire	Worcester	738	Template:Hcspop	Worcester, Dudley, Evesham, Great Malvern, Halesowen, Kidderminster, Stourbridge
Yorkshire	York	6,066	Template:Hcspop	York East Riding: Kingston upon Hull, Beverley, Bridlington, Driffield, Filey, Hornsea North Riding: Middlesbrough, Northallerton, Redcar, Scarborough, Whitby West Riding: Bradford, Leeds, Sheffield, Wakefield, Halifax, Harrogate

See also

• Counties of the Republic of Ireland
• The Association of British Counties
• The Historic Counties Trust

External references

• The Gazetteer of British Place Names