How Many English Counties End In Shire Jun 2026

The term refers to the 48 geographic areas currently used for the purposes of lieutenancy (representing the monarch). If you look at different systems—such as historic counties or administrative counties —the number varies slightly due to how boundaries and local governments have changed over centuries. List of English Counties Ending in "-shire"

The suffix "-shire" is one of the most recognizable features of English geography. It conjures images of rolling green hills, market towns, and historic rural landscapes. But how many of England’s modern or historic counties actually bear this ancient label? The answer depends on whether you are looking at the (used for modern local government and lord-lieutenancies) or the historic counties (which have deeper roots but are no longer administrative units).

The difference arises because some historic shires have been renamed, merged, or had the suffix dropped over time. how many english counties end in shire

These counties are primarily located in the Midlands and the South, often taking their names from a prominent county town. Bedfordshire Buckinghamshire Cambridgeshire Derbyshire Gloucestershire Herefordshire Hertfordshire Lancashire Leicestershire Lincolnshire Northamptonshire Nottinghamshire Oxfordshire Shropshire Staffordshire Warwickshire Worcestershire

In England , there are that end with the suffix "-shire". The term refers to the 48 geographic areas

While the political map of England has changed over the years—most notably with the creation of metropolitan counties and unitary authorities—the 26 historic counties ending in "shire" are:

Herefordshire is an historic English county located in the West Midlands on the Welsh border. Herefordshire County Durham It conjures images of rolling green hills, market

These are the modern counties recognized by the Lieutenancies Act 1997 for ceremonial purposes (such as the appointment of Lords-Lieutenant). Note that some, like Berkshire and Yorkshire , are special cases.

There are English counties that end with the suffix "-shire."