There are UK counties (including traditional and ceremonial counties) ending in “-shire.”
Here’s the short answer:
So the total of counts: England (historic/ceremonial): 21 (e.g., Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Gloucestershire, etc.) Scotland (historic counties as “X-shire”): 3 (Aberdeenshire, Banffshire, Berwickshire — plus maybe Kincardineshire, but often counted separately; narrow list gives 3–4, but most agreed count is 24 total for UK in common lists).
If you’d like the full list of the 24, just let me know.
If you want the long story: The suffix “-shire” comes from Old English scīr , meaning a division or administrative area. Most of these are historic counties in England, though some are still ceremonial or administrative today.
How Many Uk Counties End In Shire Now
There are UK counties (including traditional and ceremonial counties) ending in “-shire.”
Here’s the short answer:
So the total of counts: England (historic/ceremonial): 21 (e.g., Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Gloucestershire, etc.) Scotland (historic counties as “X-shire”): 3 (Aberdeenshire, Banffshire, Berwickshire — plus maybe Kincardineshire, but often counted separately; narrow list gives 3–4, but most agreed count is 24 total for UK in common lists).
If you’d like the full list of the 24, just let me know.
If you want the long story: The suffix “-shire” comes from Old English scīr , meaning a division or administrative area. Most of these are historic counties in England, though some are still ceremonial or administrative today.
