Counties in England

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: [unknown]

Contents 1 Counties in England 2 Place Categories 3 Location Fields 4 Structural Changes in 1889 and 1965 4.1 London 4.2 Huntingdon and Peterborough 5 Reorganisation in 1974 5.1 Cumbria 5.2 Metropolitan Counties 5.3 Yorkshire 5.4 Avon 5.5 Sussex 5.6 Isle of Wight 5.7 Hereford and Worcester 5.8 Rutland 5.9 Lancashire and Cheshire 5.10 Berkshire

Counties in England

By the end of the 12th century, England had been divided into 39 counties which we now call the traditional or historic counties. Apart from minor boundary adjustments, these were largely stable as geographic units until the 19th century, when local government reforms began to introduce distinctions between geographic and administrative counties, more significant boundary changes were made, and many towns and cities became separate "counties corporate" or "county boroughs".

A new "County of London" was created in 1889, which was replaced by a larger county of "Greater London" in 1965.

Counties in the rest of England were comprehensively reorganised in 1974. Further piecemeal reorganisation from 1996 onwards has reintroduced a distinction between geographic and administrative counties in many areas.

This guidance summarises how the England Project defines and uses counties on WikiTree.

Place Categories

Categories for English places are in the format "Place, County". There should be only one category for each place, covering all time periods; and the county name used should be the historic county as defined in The Historic Counties Standard. The page Categorisation of English Places: Further Issues gives further guidance on categorising places which are no longer in their historic county.

Location Fields

In the location fields on profiles, places should be in the format "Place, County, England". The county used in the name should be the correct geographic county for the time period. We use the geographic counties ("historic counties" or modern "ceremonial counties"), not the administrative counties, counties corporate, county boroughs, unitary authorities, etc.

For the period before 1888, this will usually be the same as the historic county used for the category name. It may be different where minor boundary changes have taken place. From 1844 onwards in particular, changes were made to eliminate detached areas of counties and to tidy up boundaries which divided parishes and boroughs. For example, until 1888 the town of Newmarket was partly in Suffolk and partly in Cambridgeshire. From 1888 onwards it is entirely in Suffolk. Use "Newmarket, Cambridgeshire, England" for events in the parish of All Saints, Newmarket, before 1888 only; otherwise use "Newmarket, Suffolk, England.

Structural Changes in 1889 and 1965

London

The City of London is a separate entity outside the English county structure. Use "City of London, England" in all time periods.

The suburbs surrounding the City were in the county of Middlesex, or Surrey on the south bank of the Thames. In 1889 a new County of London was created from parts of Middlesex, Surrey and Kent. In 1965 this was replaced by a larger county of Greater London, extending further into Surrey, Kent and Essex, and the county of Middlesex was abolished. The changes are described in detail on this page: London, England, United Kingdom.

Examples:

• Use "Islington, Middlesex, England" for events prior to 1889. From 1889 to 1965 use "Islington, London, England". From 1965 onwards use "Islington, Greater London, England".
• Use "Barking, Essex, England" for events prior to 1965. From 1965 onwards use "Barking, Greater London, England".

See also Categorisation in London.

Huntingdon and Peterborough

In 1965 the Soke of Peterborough was transferred from Northamptonshire to be combined with Huntingdonshire in the new county of Huntingdon and Peterborough. The new county was abolished in 1974, when Huntingdonshire and Peterborough became districts within the enlarged county of Cambridgeshire.

Examples:

• Use "Eye, Northamptonshire, England" for events before 1965. From 1965 to 1974, use "Eye, Huntingdon and Peterborough, England". From 1974 onwards use "Eye, Cambridgeshire, England".
• Use "Brampton, Huntingdonshire, England for events before 1965. From 1965 to 1974, use "Brampton, Huntingdon and Peterborough, England". From 1974 onwards use "Brampton, Cambridgeshire, England".

Reorganisation in 1974

Counties outside Greater London were comprehensively reorganised in 1974.

The most significant changes which were introduced in 1974 are as follows:

Cumbria

Up to 1974	After 1974	Further changes
Cumberland	Cumbria
Westmorland	Cumbria
Furness, Lancashire	Cumbria
Dentdale, Yorkshire	Cumbria

The historic counties of Cumberland and Westmorland were replaced by a new county of Cumbria, also incorporating the Furness district of Lancashire and Dentdale from Yorkshire.

Examples:

• Use "Carlisle, Cumberland, England" for events prior to 1974. From 1974 onwards use "Carlisle, Cumbria, England".
• Use "Kendal, Westmorland, England" for events prior to 1974. From 1974 onwards use "Kendal, Cumbria, England".
• Use "Ulverston, Lancashire, England" for events prior to 1974. From 1974 onwards use "Ulverston, Cumbria, England".
• Use "Sedbergh, Yorkshire, England" for events prior to 1974. From 1974 onwards use "Sedbergh, Cumbria, England".

Metropolitan Counties

Up to 1974	After 1974	Further changes
Parts of Lancashire	Became part of Greater Manchester
Parts of Cheshire	Became part of Greater Manchester
Parts of Lancashire	Became part of Merseyside
Parts of Cheshire	Became part of Merseyside

New counties were created based on the major industrial conurbations, including.

• Greater Manchester, incorporating parts of Lancashire and Cheshire;
• Merseyside, based on Liverpool and taking in parts of Lancashire and Cheshire;
• Tyne and Wear, incorporating parts of Northumberland and County Durham;
• West Midlands, incorporating parts of Staffordshire, Warwickshire and Worcestershire. (NB: Do not confuse with the West Midlands region, covering the whole of those counties together with Herefordshire and Shropshire.)

Examples:

• Use "Bury, Lancashire, England" for events prior to 1974. From 1974 onwards use "Bury, Greater Manchester, England".
• Use "Stockport, Cheshire, England" for events prior to 1974. From 1974 onwards use "Stockport, Greater Manchester, England".

• Use "Bootle, Lancashire, England" for events prior to 1974. From 1974 onwards use "Bootle, Merseyside, England".
• Use "Birkenhead, Cheshire, England" for events prior to 1974. From 1974 onwards use "Birkenhead, Merseyside, England".

• Use "North Shields, Northumberland, England" for events prior to 1974. From 1974 onwards use "North Shields, Tyne and Wear, England".
• Use "South Shields, County Durham, England" for events prior to 1974. From 1974 onwards use "South Shields, Tyne and Wear, England".

• Use "Wolverhampton, Staffordshire, England" for events prior to 1974. From 1974 onwards use "Wolverhampton, West Midlands, England".
• Use "Coventry, Warwickshire, England" for events prior to 1974. From 1974 onwards use "Coventry, West Midlands, England".
• Use "Stourbridge, Worcestershire, England" for events prior to 1974. From 1974 onwards use "Stourbridge, West Midlands, England".

Yorkshire

Up to 1974	After 1974	Further changes
Yorkshire	South Yorkshire
	West Yorkshire
	Cleveland (Teesside and part of County Durham)	Abolished 1996 Area north of the Tees to County Durham Area south of the Tees to North Yorkshire
	Humberside (North and South of Humber Estuary inc. part of Lincolnshire)	Abolished 1996 Part formerly in Yorkshire became East Riding of Yorkshire Part South of the Humber to Lincolnshire
	North Yorkshire (North and Central Yorkshire)

Yorkshire was England's largest county. It had been divided into Ridings (administrative counties which we do not use on WikiTree). All were abolished in 1974. Parts of Yorkshire were transferred to other counties: Dentdale to Cumbria, the Forest of Bowland to Lancashire, Saddleworth to Greater Manchester and Teesdale to County Durham. The remainder was divided into five new counties:

• South Yorkshire, including Sheffield, Doncaster, Barnsley and Rotherham.
• West Yorkshire, including Leeds, Bradford, Halifax, Huddersfield and Wakefield.
• Cleveland, based on Teesside and including part of County Durham. The county council was abolished in 1996, and the area north of the Tees transferred to the ceremonial county of County Durham, the area south of the Tees to the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire.
• Humberside, north and south of the Humber estuary, including part of Lincolnshire. The county was abolished in 1996. The part formerly in Yorkshire became the new county of East Riding of Yorkshire (confusingly with different boundaries to the former East Riding of Yorkshire). The part south of the Humber was transferred to the ceremonial county of Lincolnshire.
• North Yorkshire: the remaining part of north and central Yorkshire (still the largest county in England by area).

Examples:

• Use "Sheffield, Yorkshire, England" for events prior to 1974. From 1974 onwards use "Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England".
• Use "Leeds, Yorkshire, England" for events prior to 1974. From 1974 onwards use "Leeds, West Yorkshire, England".
• Use "Hartlepool, Cleveland, England" for events between 1974 and 1996. For all other time periods use "Hartlepool, County Durham, England".
• Use "Stockton on Tees, County Durham, England" for events before 1968 and after 1996. Between 1968 and 1974 use "Stockton on Tees, Yorkshire, England". Use "Stockton on Tees, Cleveland, England" for events between 1974 and 1996.
• Use "Middlesbrough, Yorkshire, England" for events before 1974. Between 1974 and 1996 use "Middlesbrough, Cleveland, England". After 1996 use "Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire, England".
• Use "Beverley, Yorkshire, England" for events before 1974. Between 1974 and 1996 use "Beverley, Humberside, England". After 1996 use "Beverley, East Riding of Yorkshire, England".
• Use "Grimsby, Humberside, England" for events between 1974 and 1996. For all other time periods use "Grimsby, Lincolnshire, England".
• Use "Selby, Yorkshire, England" for events prior to 1974. From 1974 onwards use "Selby, North Yorkshire, England".

Avon

Up to 1974	After 1974	Further changes
City of Bristol	Avon	1996 Back to being the City of Bristol
Part of Gloucestershire	Avon	Returned to Gloucestershire
Part of Somerset	Avon	Bath & North East Somerset, North Somerset returned to Somerset

A new county of Avon, based on Bristol (a county in its own right since 1373), was formed from parts of Gloucestershire and Somerset. The City and County of Bristol was reconstituted as a separate ceremonial county in 1996. The unitary authority of South Gloucestershire became part of the ceremonial county of Gloucestershire; and the unitary authorities of Bath & North East Somerset and North Somerset became part of the ceremonial county of Somerset.

See also Categorisation in Bristol.

Examples:

• Use "Bristol, Avon, England" for events between 1974 and 1996. For all other time periods use "Bristol, England".
• Use "Kingswood, Avon, England" for events between 1974 and 1996. For all other time periods use "Kingswood, Gloucestershire, England".
• Use "Bath, Avon, England" for events between 1974 and 1996. For all other time periods use "Bath, Somerset, England".

Sussex

Up to 1974	After 1974	Further changes
Sussex	East Sussex
	West Sussex

The historic county of Sussex was abolished and divided into the new counties of East Sussex and West Sussex.

Examples:

• Use "Lewes, Sussex, England" for events prior to 1974. From 1974 onwards use "Lewes, East Sussex, England".
• Use "Chichester, Sussex, England" for events prior to 1974. From 1974 onwards use "Chichester, West Sussex, England".

Isle of Wight

Up to 1974	After 1974	Further changes
Isle of Wight, Hampshire	Isle of Wight a county in its own right

The Isle of Wight, formerly part of Hampshire, became a county in its own right.

Hereford and Worcester

Up to 1974	After 1974	Further changes
Herefordshire	Hereford & Worcester	Became separate county of Herefordshire again in 1998
Worcestershire	Hereford & Worcester	became Worcestershire again in 1998

The counties of Herefordshire and Worcestershire were abolished and combined into a new county of Hereford and Worcester. The new county was abolished in 1998 and the separate counties of Herefordshire and Worcestershire (less those parts in West Midlands county) reinstated.

Examples:

• Use "Leominster, Hereford and Worcester, England" for events between 1974 and 1998. For all other time periods use "Leominster, Herefordshire, England".
• Use "Bromsgrove, Hereford and Worcester, England" for events between 1974 and 1998. For all other time periods use "Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, England".

Rutland

Up to 1974	After 1974	Further changes
Rutland	Became part of Leicestershire	1997 reinstated as Rutland

The county of Rutland was abolished and became a district of Leicestershire. It was reinstated as a county in its own right in 1997.

Example:

• Use "Oakham, Leicestershire, England" for events between 1974 and 1997. For all other time periods use "Oakham, Rutland, England".

Lancashire and Cheshire

Up to 1974	After 1974	Further changes
Lancashire	Some parts to Greater Manchester and Merseyside (Liverpool) and Furness to Cumbria
Cheshire	Some parts to Greater Manchester and Merseyside (Liverpool) and Tintwistle to Derbyshire
Warrington, Lancashire	Warrington, Cheshire

The boundaries of Lancashire and Cheshire were significantly altered. Both counties lost areas to the new metropolitan counties of Greater Manchester and Merseyside. The Furness area of Lancashire was transferred to Cumbria; and Tintwistle was transferred from Cheshire to Derbyshire. The area around Warrington was transferred from Lancashire to Cheshire.

Berkshire

Up to 1974	After 1974	Further changes
Berkshire Vale of the White Horse and Abingdon	Oxfordshire
Slough and Eton Buckinghamshire	Transferred to Berkshire

A large area of Berkshire, including the Vale of White Horse and the former county town of Abingdon, was transferred from Berkshire to Oxfordshire. Slough and Eton were transferred from Buckinghamshire into Berkshire.