"BARTON REGIS HUNDRED, one of the 28 hundreds or subdivisions of the county of Gloucester, situated at the south-western extremity of the county, and bounded on the N. and W. by the hundred of Henbury, on the N.E. by the hundred of Langley and Swinehead, and on the S. by Somersetshire, from which it is separated by the river Avon. It comprises the parishes of Clifton, Mangotsfield, and Stapleton. The city of Bristol, also, is locally within this hundred, which extends over an area of 8.030 acres."

"BERKELEY HUNDRED, one of the 27 hundreds or subdivisions of the county of Gloucester, situated in the western division of the county, and bounded on the N. by the hundred of Whitstone, on the E. by the hundred of Longtree, on the S. by the hundreds of Grumbald's Ash and Thornbury, and on the W. by the river Severn. Several portions of this hundred lie detached. It is divided into two parts: upper and lower. The lower division contains the parishes of Elberton, Filton, Hill, and Horfield, with parts of those of Almondsbury and Henbury, and extends over an area of about 10,000 acres. The upper division contains the parishes of Arlingham, Ashleworth, Berkeley, Beverstone, Cam, Coaley, Cromhall-Abbots, Dursley, Kingscote, Newington-Bagpath, North Nibley, Nymphsfield, Owlpen, Ozleworth, Slimbridge, Stinchcombe, Uley, and Wotton-under-Edge, with part of the parish of Rockhampton. This division comprises an area of about 52,420 acres."

"BISHOP'S CLEEVE HUNDRED, one of the 27 hundreds or subdivisions of the county of Gloucester, situated in the north part of the county, and surrounded by the hundreds of Tewkesbury, Deerhurst, Kiftsgate, and Cheltenham, and the county of Worcester. It comprises the parish of Bishop's Cleeve."

"BISLEY HUNDRED, one of the 27 hundreds or sub-divisions of the county of Gloucester, situated in the centre of the county, and bounded on the N.W. by the hundreds of Dudstone and King's Barton, and Whitstone; on the N.E. by the hundreds of Rapsgate and Crowthorne; and on the S. by the hundred of Longtrees. It contains the parishes of Bisley Edgeworth, Miserden, Painswick, Sapperton, Stroud, and Winstone. The area of the hundred is about 27,730 acres."

"BLEDISLOE HUNDRED, one of the 27 hundreds or subdivisions of the county of Gloucester, situated in the western division of the county, and bounded on the N. and S. by the hundred of Westbury, on the E. by the river Severn, and on the W. by the hundred of St. Briavels. It contains the parishes of Alvington, Awre, and Lidney, and extends over an area of about 12,990 acres."

"BOTLOE HUNDRED, one of the 27 hundreds or subdivisions of the county of Gloucester, situated in the western division of the county, and bounded on the N. and W. by the counties of Hereford and Worcester, on the E. by the hundreds of Deerhurst, and Dudstone and King's Barton, and on the S. by the Duchy of Lancaster. It comprises the parishes of Bromsberrow, Dymock, Kempley, Newent, Oxenhall, Pauntley, Taynton, Upleadon, and part of Rudford. The hundred extends over an area of about 25,300 acres."

"BRADLEY HUNDRED, one of the 27 hundreds or subdivisions of the county of Gloucester, situated in the east parliamentary division of the county, and bounded on the N. by the hundreds of Kiftsgate and Deerhurst; on the E. by the hundred of Slaughter; on the S. by the hundreds of Brightwell's Barrow and Rapsgate; and on the W. by the hundred of Cheltenham. It contains the parishes of Aston Blank, Colne Rogers, Compton Abdale, Dowdeswell, Farmington, Hampnett, Hazleton, Northleach, Notgrove, Salperton, Sevenhampton, Shipton Oliffe, Shipton Sollars, Stowell, Turkdean, Whittington, Withington, and parts of Naunton and Bibury. The hundred covers an area of about 39,250 acres."

"BRIGHTWELL'S BARROW HUNDRED, one of the 27 hundreds or subdivisions of the county of Gloucester, situated in the eastern parliamentary division of the county, and bounded on the N. by the hundreds of Slaughter and Bradley, on the E. by Oxfordshire, on the S. by Wiltshire and Berkshire, and on the W. by the hundreds of Rapsgate and Crowthorne. It contains the parishes of Aldsworth, Barnsley, St. Aldwin's Colne, East Leach Martin, East Leach Turville, Fairford, Hatherop, Kempsford, Lechlade, Quennington, and Southrop, with part of the parish of Bibury. The hundred extends over an area of about 36,850 acres."

"CHELTENHAM, a hundred in the middle portion of the county of Gloucester. It contains the borough of Cheltenham, and the parishes of King's Charlton, Leckhampton, and Swindon, comprising 10,810 acres."

"CHURN, (or Corin River), rises in the county of Gloucester at the Seven Wells and Ullin farm, about 3 miles S. of Cheltenham. At Cricklade it joins the S. head of the river Thames, or Isis, of which it is the principal source, passing in its course North and South Cerney and Cirencester."

"CLEEVE, a hundred in the northern portion of the county of Gloucester, contains the parishes of Stoke Orchard, Woodmancote, Gotherington, and Southampton with Brockhampton."

"COLN, a small river of Gloucestershire, which, rising near Barnsley, after a course of 12 miles falls into the Isis near Lochlade."

"COTSWOLD HILLS, a range of hills and pleasant upland extending across England, through Gloucestershire and Warwickshire, for about 54 miles, and having an average altitude of 600 feet above the sea, though at certain points, as at Cleeve Hill and Broadway Hill, they rise to the height of 1,100 feet. There is little woodland, and the greater part of the surface is divided by stone fences, though some of the downs are still open. The estates along this plateau are large, with many handsome seats, and comfortable farmhouses; the land generally being let on long lease in farms from 300 to 1,000 acres. The Thames and Severn canal, and the Swindon Junction railway, cross this district near Stroud."

"CROWTHORNE-WITH-MINETY, a hundred in the S.E. division of the county of Gloucester, contains the borough of Cirencester, and the parishes of Ampney Crucis, Ampney St. Mary, Ampney St. Peter, Ampney-Down, Baunton, Badgington, South Cerney, Coates, Daglingworth, Driffield, Rouse-Duntisborne, Harnhill, Maisey-Hampton, Minety, Preston, Siddington, and parts of Abbots' Duntisbourne, and Stratton, comprising 33,720 acres, exclusive of Cirencester, which is a hundred of itself."

"DEERHURST, a hundred in the county of Gloucester, divided into upper and lower. The lower division contains Staverton, Woolstone Prestbury, Leigh; Tirley, and parts of Elmstone-Hardwick and Deerhurst. The upper contains St. Denis, Preston-on-Stour, Colne, Little Compton, and part of Welford, comprising 8,120 acres."

"DUCHY OF LANCASTER, a liberty in county Gloucester, contains the parishes of Bulley, Huntley, Longhope, Minsterworth Tibberton, and part of Westbury-on-Severn, comprising about 8,660 acres."

"DUDSTONE HUNDRED, in the county of Gloucester, is separated into three divisions, upper, middle, and lower. The upper contains the parishes of Badgeworth, Barnwood, Brockworth, Churchdown, Hatherley Up and Down, Norton, Sandhurst, Great Shurdington, Witcombe, and parts of St. Catherine and St. Mary-de-Lode, comprising 20,360 acres. The middle contains the parishes of Brookthorp, Elmore, Harescomb, Hempstead, Littleworth, Matson, Pitchcomb, Prinknash Park, Upton St. Leonard's, Whaddon, and parts of St. Catherine and St. Mary-de-Lode, St. Michael and Quedgeley, comprising 12,100 acres. The lower contains the parishes of Hartbury, Lassington, Maisemore, Preston, and parts of Churcham and Rudford, comprising 9,630 acres."

"GRUMBALDS ASH HUNDRED, one of the 28 subdivisions of Gloucestershire, situated in the southern part of the county, and bounded on the N. by the hundred of Berkeley, on the E. by the county of Wilts, on the S. by the hundred of Langley and Swineshead, and on the W. by the hundred of Thornbury. It includes the parishes of Acton-Turville, Alderley, Great Badminton, Boxwell, Charfield, Didmarton, Dodington, Dyrham, Hawkesbury, Horton, Oldbury-on-the-Hill, Chipping Sodbury, Little and Old Sodbury, Tormarton, Tortworth, Wapley, Wickwar, and a portion of Iron-Acton, comprising about 40,700 acres."

"HENBURY, a hundred in county Gloucester, divided into Lower and Upper. The former contains the parish of Westbury-on-Trym, and part of Henbury, comprising an area of 8,700 acres. The latter contains the parishes of Compton-Greenfield, Stoke-Gifford, Yate, and parts of Henbury and Tytherington, comprising an area of 10,800 acres."

"KIFTSGATE, a hundred in two divisions, upper and lower, in the county Gloucester. The upper contains the parishes of Aston-sub-Edge, Batsford, Chipping Campden, Cow. Honeybourne, Dorsington, Ebrington, Longboro', Marston-Sicca, Mickleton, Pebworth, Quinton, Saintbury, Seasoncote, Upper Swell, Weston-sub-Edge, Willersey, and parts of Condicote, Ilmington, and Weston-upon-Avon, comprising an area of 38,450 acres. Kiftsgate lower hundred contains the parishes of Ashton-Somerville, Buckland, Charlton Abbots, Childs-Wickham, Didbrook, Dumbleton, Power Guyting and Temple Guyting, Hailes, Hawling, Rowell, Snowshill, Stanley Pontlarge, Stanton, Studeley-Manor, Toddington, Twining, Winchcombe, and Wormington, comprising an area of 46,840 acres."

"LANGLEY AND SWINEHEAD, a hundred in county Gloucester, in two divisions, Upper and Lower. The latter contains the parishes of Littleton-on-Severn, Olveston, Rockhampton, and parts of Almondsbury and Alveston, comprising an area of 11,780 acres. The former contains the parishes of Bitton, Doynton, Frampton-Cotterell, Winterbourne, and part of Alveston, comprising an area of 17,010 acres."

"LEACH, a river, rising near Northleach, county Gloucester, and joins the Thames at Lechlade."

"LONGTREE HUNDRED, one of the 28 subdivisions of Gloucestershire. It is situated in the southern part of the county, and bounded on the N. by the hundred of Bisley, on the E. and S. by the county of Wilts, and on the W. by the hundred of Berkeley. It includes the parishes of Avening, Cherington, Horsley, Minchinhampton, Rodborough, Rodmarton, Shipton-Moyne, Tetbury, Weston-Birt, and Woodchester, comprising an area of about 32,000 acres."

"LOWER SLAUGHTER, a hundred in the county of Gloucester, contains the parishes of Great and Little Barrington, Bourton, Clapton, Naunton, Great and Little Rissington, Rissington Wick, Sherborne Upper and Lower, Slaughter, Wilford, and Windrush, comprising an area of 23,590 acres."

"LOWER TEWKESBURY, a hundred in county Gloucester, contains Tewkesbury, and the parishes of Ashchurch, Boddington, Forthampton, Kemerton, Oxenton, Tredington, and Walton-Cardiff, comprising an area of 11,720 acres, exclusive of Tewkesbury."

"LOWER THORNBURY, a hundred in county Gloucester, contains the parishes of Almondsbury, Iron-Acton, Thornbury, and part of Tytherington, comprising an area of 16,150 acres."

"PUCKLECHURCH, a hundred in the county of Gloucester, contains the parishes of Abson, Cold Ashton, Pucklechurch, Siston, and Westerleigh, comprising an area of 12,250 acres."

"RAPSGATE, a hundred in the county of Gloucester, contains the parishes of Brimpsfield, North Cerney, Chedworth, Colesborne, Cowley, Cranham, Cubberley, Elkstone, Rendcombe, Side, and part of Duntisbourne-Abbotts, comprising an area of 26,900 acres."

"ST. BRIAVEL'S HUNDRED, one of the 27 hundreds, or subdivisions of the county of Gloucester, situated in the western parliamentary division of the county, and bounded on the N. by Herefordshire, on the E. by the duchy of Lancaster and the hundreds of Westbury and Bledisloe, on the S. by the hundred of Westbury, and on the W. by Monmouthshire. It comprises the following parishes: Abinghall, English-Bicknor, St. Briavel's, Dean Forest, Little Dean, Flaxley, Hewelsfield, Mitchell Dean, Newland, Ruardean, Staunton, and part of the parish of Lea. The hundred extends over an area of about 50,100 acres."

"SWIFTGATE, a tributary of the Avon, rises near Cheltenham, in Gloucestershire."

"THAMES, the largest and most important river of Great Britain, rises in two heads, one at Ullen Farm, and the other at Coates near Cirencester, on the Gloucestershire border. It drains a basin of about 7,000 square miles, including parts of the counties of Gloucester, Oxford, Buckingham, Middlesex, and Essex, on the northern bank, and Wilts, Berks, Surrey, and Kent on the southern. Its source is 376 feet above the sea at the Nore, and the level descends by stages to London Bridge, where it is only 4¼ feet above the sea, with 12 feet water at low tide, and 17 or 18 feet rise at high tide, with a width of about 290 feet. From this point the fall in the bed is about 1 foot per mile, and the force of the current from 3 to 3½ miles per hour. Depth of low-water from London to Gravesend 2 to 5 fathoms, gradually deepening to the mouth, where it is obstructed by numerous sandbanks and shallows, with deeps or channels between them. Mean tides at full and change 2¼ hours at London Bridge and the Docks, 2 hours at Blackwall, 1½ at Gravesend, and 12½ at the Nore, where it rises 14 feet. The principal of the tributary streams commencing from its source are the Swill, Churn, Ray, Cole, Colne, Leach, Windrush, Evenlode, Cherwell, Ock, Thame, Kennet, Loddon, Colne, Wey, Bourn, Mole, Cran, Brent, and Wandle; besides the Severn canal, to which barges come up, the Wilts canal, Kennet and Avon canal, and Grand Junction canal."

"TIBALDSTONE, a hundred, county Gloucester, contains the parishes of Ashton-under-Hill, Beckford, and Hinton-on-the-Green, comprising an area of 5,980 acres."

"UPPER SLAUGHTER, a hundred in the county of Gloucester, contains the parishes of Addlestrop, Bleddington, Broadwall, Eyford, Oddington, Stow-on-the-Wold, Lower Swell, Westcote, and parts of Condicote and Iccomb, comprising an area of 13,840 acres."

"UPPER TEWKESBURY, a hundred in Gloucestershire, contains the parishes of Alderton, Clifford-Chambers, Lower Leamington, Prescott, Shenington, Stanway, Great Washbourne, and parts of Ashton-under-Hill, and Bourton-on-the-Hill, comprising an area of 11,720 acres. This hundred forms five different portions."

"UPPER THORNBURY, a hundred, county Gloucester, contains the parishes of Marshfield, Ashton-under-Hill, Beckford, and Hinton-on-the-Green, comprising an area of 5,980 acres."

"WESTBURY, a hundred in county Gloucester, contains the parishes of Blaisdon, Newnham, Tidenham, Wollaston, and parts of Churcham and Westbury-on-Severn, comprising 22,350 acres."

"WESTMINSTER, a hundred, county Gloucester, in two divisions, lower and upper. The former contains the parishes of Corse, Hasfield, and parts of Boddington, Deerhurst, Elmstone, Hardwick, and Leigh; and the latter, Moreton-in-the-Marsh, Sutton-under-Brails, Toddenham, and part of Bourton-on-the-Hill, together comprising 14,140 acres."

"WHITSTONE, a hundred in two divisions, county Gloucester; the lower contains the parishes of Eastington, Frampton-on-Severn, Frocester, Stanley St. Leonard's, Stanley King's, Stonehouse, and Wheatenhurst; and the upper the parishes of Fretherne, Hardwick, Haresfield, Longney, Moreton, Valence, Randwick, Saul, Standish, and part of Quedgely, together comprising 25,300 acres."

[Description(s) from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland (1868)
Transcribed by Colin Hinson ©2003]

This Town and Parish List covers all the parishes within the historic county of Gloucestershire. GENUKI aims to help people find information and the parishes are therefore defined largely as those that existed in the mid 19th Century. The list is also based on how the records in the principal record offices (Gloucestershire and Bristol) are organised. As an aid to understanding the historical geography the places in the list below have annotations as follows [The annotations are only partially complete]: GAP Described as an "ancient parish" in the Diocese of Gloucester in GRO master lists GOP Described as an "ecclesiastical parish" or with more complex history in the Diocese of Gloucester in GRO master lists where the earliest register is before 1868 GChap Listed by GRO as a chapelry GNP A Gloucestershire parish formed later than 1868 but it may have earlier records in the Record Office BCountryP Listed as "Country Parishes: Gloucestershire" in the BRO lists BCityP Listed as "City Parishes: Gloucestershire" in the BRO lists WOP Old parish where principal records are in Worcestershire Record Office OxP An old parish where principal records are in Oxfordshire Record Office NotP Not a parish with records. These pages have been dropped and you are directed to the parish in which this sits. A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - K - L - M - N - O - P - Q - R - S - T - U - V - W - Y Note: this list focuses on parishes and the pre-1834 structure. If the place you are looking for isn't listed, you may like to try searching for it in the GENUKI Gazetteer   See also Where is it in Gloucestershire for a list of places in the National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland, 1868 (provided by Colin Hinson). Note. This page is being updated over a period as all the lists are checked. You can see the original introduction on this page that discusses the details of the changes

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• Badgeworth GAP
• Badminton
  • See Great Badminton & Little Badminton
• Bagendon GAP
• Barnsley GAP
• Barnwood GAP
• Barringtons, The
  • See Great Barrington & Little Barrington
• Batsford GAP
• Baunton GAP
• Beachley NotP see??
• Beckford WOP
• Berkeley GAP
• Beverstone GAP
• Bibury GAP
• Birdlip - see Cowley
• Bishops Cleeve GAP
• Bisley GAP
• Bitton BCountryP
• Blaisdon GAP
• Blakeney - see also Awre
• Bledington GAP
• Blockley GAP
• Boddington GChap
• Bourton on the Hill GAP
• Bourton on the Water GAP
• Boxwell & Leighterton GAP
• Breadstone - see Berkeley
• Bream GOP
• Brimpsfield GAP
• Brimscombe GOP 
  • For Census see Minchinhampton
• Bristol
  • Christchurch
  • St George
  • St James
  • St Mary Redcliffe
  • Temple (or Holy Cross)
• Broad Campden
  • For Census see Chipping Campden
• Broad Marston
  • For Census see Pebworth
• Broadwell GAP
• Brockworth GAP
• Bromsberrow GAP
• Brookthorpe GAP
• Buckland GAP
• Bulley GChap
• Bussage GOP 
  • For Census see Bisley

 

• Cainscross GOP 
  • For Census see Stonehouse
• Cam GAP
• Cam, Lower - see Cam
• Cerney Wick - see South Cerney
• Cerneys, The
  • See North Cerney & South Cerney
• Chaceley GOP
• Chalford GOP 
  • For Census see Minchinhampton & Bisley
• Charfield GAP
• Charlton Abbots GAP
• Charlton Kings GAP
• Chavenage
  • For Census see Horsley
• Chedworth GAP
• Cheltenham
• Cherington GAP
• Childs Wickham GAP
• Chipping Campden GAP
• Chipping Sodbury GAP
• Churcham GAP
• Churchdown GAP
• Cinderford GAP
• Cirencester GAP
• Clapton on the Hill GChap
• Clearwell
• Clifford Chambers GAP
• Clifton (Bristol)
• Coaley GAP
•  Coal Pit Heath Check BCountryP
• Coates GAP
• Coberley GAP
• Codrington see Wapley
• Cold Ashton GAP Check BCountryP
• Cold Aston - see Aston Blank
• Coleford GNP
• Colesbourne GAP
• Coln Rogers GAP
• Coln St Aldwyn GAP
• Coln St Dennis GAP
• Compton Abdale GAP
• Compton Greenfield BCountryP
• Compton, Little - see Little Compton
• Condicote GAP
• Corse GAP
• Cow Honeybourne - see Honeybourne
• Cowley GAP
• Cranham GAP
• Cromhall GAP
• Cutsdean WChap

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• Daglingworth GAP
• Daylesford
• Deerhurst GAP
• Didbrook GAP
• Didmarton GAP
• Dodington BCountryP
• Donnington (nr. Stow on the Wold) GOP
• Donnington (nr. Ledbury, co. Hereford)
• Dorsington GAP
• Dowdeswell GAP
• Downend  BCountryP
• Down Ampney GAP
• Down Hatherley GAP
• Doynton GAP Check BCountryP
• Driffield GAP
• Drybrook GOP
• Dumbleton GAP
• Duntisbourne Abbots GAP
• Duntisbourne Rouse GAP
• Dursley GAP
• Dymock GAP
• DyrhamBCountryP

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• East Dean (ex. par.)
• Eastcombe A Hamlet
• Eastington (nr. Northleach)
• Eastington (nr. Stonehouse)
• Eastleach Martin GAP
• Eastleach Turville GAP
• Ebrington GAP
• Edge GAP
• Edgeworth GAP
• Elberton BCountryP
• Elkstone GAP
• Elmore GAP
• Elmstone Hardwicke GAP
• English Bicknor GAP
• Evenlode GAP
• Eyford (ex. par.)

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• Fairford GAP
• Falfield GOP
• Farmcote GChap 
  • For Census see Guiting Power
• Farmington GAP
• Filton Bristol BCountryP
• Fishponds (Bristol)
• Flaxley GAP
• Forest of Dean
• Forest Green
  • For Census see Nailsworth
• Forthampton GAP
• Framilode GOP
• Frampton Cotterell GOP BCountryP
• Frampton Mansell NotP 
  • Also known as Frampton Tything see Sapperton
• Frampton on Severn GAP
• France Lynch GOP 
  • For Census see Bisley
• Frenchay BCountryP
• Fretherne GAP
• Frocester GAP

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• Gloucester City Parishs show date of earliest register
  • All Saints (ancient parish) (1597)
  • All Saints (1875)
  • Cathedral (St Peter) (1662)
  • Christchurch (1823)
  • Holy Trinity (1557)
  • Littleworth ExP
  • Mariners (1849)
  • St Aldate (1572)
  • St Barnabas (1907)
  • St Catherine (1687)
  • St James (1843)
  • St John the Baptist (1558)
  • St Luke (1841)
  • St Mark (1847)
  • St Mary de Crypt (1653)
  • St Mary de Grace
  • St Mary de Lode (1675)
  • St Michael (1553)
  • St Nicholas (1558)
  • St Oswald (1933)
  • St Owen
  • St Paul (1883)
  • St Stephen (1896)
• Gotherington GHamlet
• Great Badminton GAP
• Great Barrington GAP
• Great Rissington GAP
• Great Washbourne GAP
• Great Witcombe GAP
• Gretton (includes Greet) GChap
• Guiting Power GAP
• Guiting, Temple - see Temple Guiting

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• Hailes GChap
• Halmore
  • For Census see Berkeley
• Hampnett GAP
• Hanham BCountryP
• Hanham Abbots BCountryP
• Hardwicke GChap
• Harescombe GAP
• Haresfield GAP
• Harnhill GAP
• Hartpury GAP
• Hasfield GAP
• Hatherley
  • See Down Hatherley & Up Hatherley
• Hatherop GAP
• Hawkesbury GAP
• Hawling GAP
• Hazleton GAP
• Hempsted GAP
• Henbury BCityP 
• Hewelsfield GAP
• Highnam GOP
• Hill GAP
• Hillesley GOP
• Hinton (Parish of Berkeley)
  • For Census see Berkeley
• Hinton - see Dyrham
• Hinton on the Green WOP
• Honeybourne
• Horfield BCityP
• Horsley GAP
• Horton GAP
• Hucclecote GOP
• Huntley GAP

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• Icomb GAP
• Ilmington (co. Warcs)
• Iron Acton BCountryP

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• Kemble GAP (co. Wilts. <1897)
• Kemerton GAP
• Kempley GAP
• Kempsford GAP
• Kings Stanley GAP
• Kingscote 
• Kingswood (nr. Bristol) BCountryP
• Kingswood (nr. Wotton) GAP

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• Lancaut NotP see Tidenham
• Lasborough GAP
• Lassington GAP
• Lea
• Lechlade GAP
• Leckhampton GAP
• Leigh (or Lye) GAP
• Leighterton - see Boxwell & Leighterton
• Leonard Stanley GAP
• Little Badminton
  • For Census see Great Badminton & Hawkesbury
• Little Barrington GAP
• Little Compton (now co. Warcs)
• Little Rissington GAP
• Little Sodbury GAP
• Little Washbourne
  • For Census see Great Washbourne
• Littledean
• Littleton on Severn BCountryP
• Littleton, West - see West Littleton
• Littleworth
  • For Census see Gloucester
• Long Marston - see Marston Sicca
• Long Newnton (co. Wilts. <1930)
• Longborough GAP
• Longford NotP see Gloucester
• Longhope
• Longney GAP
• Longwell Green Check BCountryP
• Lower Guiting - see Guiting Power
• Lower Lemington GAP
• Lower Slaughter
• Lower Swell GAP
• Lydbrook
• Lydney GAP

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• Maisemore GAP
• Maiseyhampton GAP
• Mangotsfield BCountryP
• Marshfield GAP Check BCountryP
• Marston Maisey (now co. Wilts)
• Marston Sicca (or Long Marston) GAP
• Matson GAP
• Maugersbury NotP see Stow on the Wold
• Meysey Hampton - see Maiseyhampton
• Mickleton GAP
• Minchinhampton GAP
• Minsterworth GAP
• Miserden GAP
• Mitcheldean GAP
• Moreton in Marsh
• Moreton Valence GAP

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• Nailsworth
• Naunton GAP
• Newent GAP
• Newington Bagpath GAP
• Newland GAP
• Newport - see Berkeley
• Newnham
• North Cerney GAP
• North Nibley
• Northleach GAP
• Northwick - see Redwick & Northwick BCountryP
• Norton GAP
• Notgrove GAP
• Nympsfield GAP

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• Oakridge - see Bisley
• Oddington GAP
• Old Sodbury GAP
• Oldbury on Severn
• Oldbury on the Hill GAP
• Oldland BCountryP
• Olveston BCountryP
• Owlpen
• Oxenhall GAP
• Oxenton GAP
• Ozleworth GAP

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• Paganhill
  • For Census see Whiteshill
• Painswick GAP
• Parkend
• Pathway Check BCountryP
• Pauntley GAP
• Paxford NotP see Blockley
• Pebworth
• Pilning - see Henbury BCountryP
• Pitchcombe GAP
• Poole Keynes GAP (co. Wilts. <1897)
• Poulton GAP
• Prescott (ex. par.)
• Prestbury GAP
• Preston (nr. Cirencester) GAP
• Preston (nr. Ledbury) GAP
• Preston on Stour
• Prinknash - see Upton St Leonards
• Pucklechurch BCountryP
• Purton - see Berkeley

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• Quedgeley GAP
• Quenington GAP
• Quinton GAP

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• Randwick
• Rangeworthy
• Redmarley d'Abitot
• Redwick & Northwick
• Rendcombe GAP
• Rissingtons, The
  • See Great Rissington, Little Rissington & Wyck Rissington
• Rockhampton GAP
• Rodborough
• Rodmarton GAP
• Roel (ex. par.)
  • For Census see Hawling
• Ruardean GAP
• Rudford GAP

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• Saint Briavels GAP
• Saintbury GAP
• Salperton GAP
• Sandhurst GAP
• Sapperton GAP
• Saul GAP
• Selsley GAP
• Sevenhampton GAP
• Sezincote NotP see Longborough
• Sharpness
• Sheepscombe
• Shenington
• Sherborne GAP
• Shipton Moyne GAP
• Shipton Oliffe & Shipton Sollars GAP
• Shirehampton
• Shorncote GAP (co. Wilts. <1897)
  • For Census see Somerford Keynes
• Shurdington GAP
• Siddington GAP
• Siston
• Slad
  • For Census see Painswick
• Slaughters, The
  • See Upper Slaughter & Lower Slaughter
• Slimbridge GAP
• Snowshill
• Sodbury
  • see Chipping Sodbury, Little Sodbury & Old Sodbury
• Somerford Keynes GAP (co. Wilts. <1897)
• South Cerney GAP
• Southam
• Southrop GAP
• Standish GAP
• Stanley Pontlarge
• Stanton GAP
• Stanway GAP
• Stapleton
• Staunton (nr. Coleford) GAP
• Staunton (nr. Newent) GAP
• Staverton GAP
• Stinchcombe GAP
• Stoke Bishop
• Stoke Gifford BCountryP
• Stoke Orchard NotP see Bishop's Cleeve
• Stone
• Stonehouse GAP
• Stow on the Wold GAP
• Stowell GAP
• Stratton GAP
• Stretton on the Foss (co. Warcs)
• Stroud
• Sudeley Manor GAP 
  • For Census see Winchcombe
    & Charlton Abbots
• Sutton under Brailes
• Swells, The
  • See Lower Swell & Upper Swell
• Swindon (Village) GAP 
• Syde GAP 
  • For Census see Elkstone
• Syston BCountryP

Go back to the Alphabetical Index  

• Taynton GAP
• Teddington
• Temple Guiting GAP
• Tetbury GAP
• Tewkesbury
• Thornbury GAP
• Thrupp - see Stroud
• Tibberton GAP
• Tidenham GAP
• Tirley GAP
• Toddington GAP
• Todenham GAP
• Tormarton BCountryP
• Tortworth GAP
• Tredington GAP
• Tresham NotP 
  • see Hawkesbury
• Turkdean GAP
• Tutshill - see Tidenham
• Twigworth
• Twyning GAP
• Tytherington GAP

Go back to the Alphabetical Index  

• Uckington NotP Elmstone Hardwick
• Uley GAP
• Up Hatherley
• Upleadon GAP
• Upper Slaughter GAP
• Upper Swell GAP
• Upton St Leonards GAP

Go back to the Alphabetical Index  

• Viney Hill

  Go back to the Alphabetical Index  

• Walton Cardiff GAP
• Wapley & Codrington BCountryP
• Warmley BCountryP
• Welford on Avon GAP
• West Dean (ex. par.) NotP
• West Littleton BCountryP
• Westbury on Severn GAP
• Westbury on Trym
• Westcote GAP
• Westerleigh BCountryP
• Weston Subedge GAP
• Weston upon Avon GAP
• Westonbirt GAP
• Whaddon
• Washbournes, The
  • See Great Washbourne & Little Washbourne
• Whiteshill
• Whitminster (Wheatenhurst) GAP
• Whittington GAP
• Wick & Abson BCountryP
• Wickwar GAP
• Widford
• Willersey GAP
• Winchcombe GAP
• Windrush GAP
• Winson
• Winstone GAP
• Winterbourne BCountryP
• Witcombe - see Great Witcombe
• Withington GAP
• Woodchester GAP
• Woodmancote NotP see Bishop's Cleeve
• Woolaston GAP
• Woolstone GAP
• Wormington GAP
• Wotton under Edge
• Wyck Rissington GAP

Go back to the Alphabetical Index      

• Yanworth
• Yate BCountryP

Go back to the Alphabetical Index  

General

As indicated, the principal means of structuring used for GENUKI is by means of the following elements:

1. The British Isles.
2. England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.
3. Counties, including the separate islands comprising the Channel Islands.
4. Towns and parishes within counties.
5. Parishes that are grouped together within a town.

However locations, their hierarchy and the boundaries between groups of locations (county, parish, township, etc.) vary with date. And the existence of both civil and ecclesiastical parishes can cause confusion when these differ significantly.

The following sections derive mainly, or exclusively, from the practice and law in England and Wales. Where this differs significantly, the practice and law elsewhere in the UK are listed in additional sections. However, an additional section has been added to reflect the Welsh timeline which brought Wales into line with England.

Parish and County Definitions

Parishes existed for centuries as loosely defined groupings of manors, hamlets and other residences. Ancient parishes are often defined as ones which existed prior to the 1597 and 1601 Elizabethan Poor Law Acts. They often had detached parts, exclaves and enclaves which were not contiguous with the rest of the parish. In some cases the detached part was in a different county. In other cases, an entire parish was in a detached part of the county to which it belonged. There were also many examples of parishes divided between two or more adjoining counties.

Ancient parishes supported one or more priests by means of tithes paid by residents as a fraction of their produce or its value.

Originally, parishes were the main (or only) source of income to support a parish priest, whose living was defined as a benefice, i.e., financial support. Much later, it became the custom for several parishes to be combined to form a benefice.

Parishes were exclusively ecclesiastical until the mid-19thC but it was the 1866 Act which defined the concept of civil parishes.

[Wikipedia] The historic counties of England were established for administration by the Normans, in most cases based on earlier kingdoms and shires established by the Anglo-Saxons and others, and went out of official use with the creation of the administrative counties in 1889. They are alternatively known as former counties, ancient counties or traditional counties.

The county boundaries for England were historically relatively static as defined by the ancient counties until the impact of the 1844 Counties (Detached Parts) Act. The 1844 Act rationalised many counties by incorporating small external enclaves back into their geographical county. This aligned county boundaries with the consequences of the 1832 Great Reform Bill that changed only parliamentary boundaries not those of local government. Subsequently the 1888 Local Government Act created Administrative Counties, rationalising things further with the establishment of county councils and county borough councils whose borders were then aligned with those of the parent county.

Poor Laws and Unions

The Elizabethan Poor Law Acts were introduced in 1597, and 1601, and made it the responsibility of ecclesiastical parishes to support their membership financially if unable to do so themselves. It therefore became vital for parishes to be clear about their membership and their boundaries. Relief of the poor was based upon the principle of "settlement", that is their right to live in the parish in question. This was based originally upon place of birth and parentage, residence, property ownership, apprenticeship, or contract of work. Married women were granted settlement in their husband's parish. Otherwise it became necessary to produce a "settlement certificate" from the home parish before moving to a new one. However, the Acts allowed the use of a parish rate to provide for support of the poor.

From the 18thC it became common for ecclesiastical parishes to combine together to build workhouses to provide relief to the poor via independent acts of Parliament. "Gilbert's Act" of 1783 made this easier by allowing the voluntary association of parishes for this purpose. In 1834 the Poor Law Amendment Act facilitated the building of workhouses by creating Poor Law Unions throughout England & Wales which existed until their abolition in 1930 as a result of the Local Government Act of 1929.

The boundaries of these Poor Law Unions were used as the basis of Civil Registration Districts when they were introduced in 1837 by the Births and Deaths Registration Act of 1836. Thus District boundaries took no regard of county boundaries and as a result Registration Counties were created for statistical purposes. The boundaries of the unions would later be re-used to define rural sanitary districts in 1875 and yet again for rural districts in 1894.

Extra-Parochial Areas

Historically nearly 700 geographical areas of England & Wales were omitted from the ecclesiastical parish structure, meaning that they had no local church or clergy. Some were established because of the existence of a crown property, e.g., Windsor Castle, a cathedral close, or an Inn of Court, e.g., Middle Temple. Others simply existed because the area covered was unpopulated, often falling on the boundaries of two or more parishes, e.g., Nomansland, Devon.

However, the creation of civil parishes, and the new Poor Law Unions, based originally upon the ecclesiastical parish structure, and the growing population in the 19th century, including that within these extra-parochial areas, created problems. The issue was partly resolved in 1858 by means of the Extra-Parochial Places Act 1857 that turned the extra-parochial areas into civil parishes and finally by the Poor Law Amendment Acts of 1866 and 1868, which removed the remaining anomalies. Of course, these rationalisations applied in the context only of civil parishes and did not affect the ecclesiastical status of these areas.

Special arrangements were made for Gray's Inn, Inner Temple, Middle Temple and Charterhouse, (all in London) which could not be grouped into any poor law union, although they were otherwise considered to be parishes.

There were also many English areas that lay outside the ancient ecclesiastical parish, and later civil parish, structure known as Liberties, where the land was independent of the ancient hundred and borough structure. In some cases a Liberty was large, comprising several geographically separate areas, while others were much smaller plots of land contained within one surrounding parish. The Liberty of Bowland was a notable example of the larger variety that included several manors, villages and four ecclesiastical parishes. Such anomalies were removed by a series of Acts of Parliament in the 19th century, culminating in the Local Government Act 1888. The exceptions to this being both Inner and Middle temple which remain Liberties to this day, as well as retaining their extra-parochial status.

Timeline

There are some dates at which changes occurred in the definition and boundaries of counties, parishes and other elements of interest to GENUKI users:

• 1538. Parishes (ecclesiastical) were instructed to keep a record of baptisms, marriages and burials. At this time civil parishes did not exist, but the county boundaries had been established for many years, and were formalised soon after 1066.
• 1597 and 1601. The Elizabethan Poor Law Acts were introduced which made parishes responsible for supporting their membership and allowed the use of a parish rate to provide the associated funds.
• 1812. Closed ecclesiastical parish records had to be lodged in the care of the civil administration.
• 1832. The Great Reform Bill changed parliamentary boundaries.
• 1837. The Births and Deaths Registration Act of 1836 introduced Civil Registration to England & Wales in 1837, and civil registration became mandatory in 1875.
• 1844. The Counties (Detached Parts) Act rationalised many counties by incorporating small external enclaves back into their geographical county.
• 1855. Similar to 1837 in England and Wales, civil registration of life events in Scotland was started, and all existing Kirk of Scotland Registers of Baptism, Marriage and Death were surrendered to the Registrar-General in Edinburgh.
• 1866. The ancient parishes of England and Wales diverged into two distinct units following the Poor Law Amendment Act of 1866 which declared all areas that levied a separate rate including extra-parochial areas, townships, and chapelries as "civil parishes".
• 1888. The 1888 Local Government Act created Administrative Counties, rationalising things further with the establishment of county councils and county borough councils whose borders were then aligned with those of the parent county.
• 1891. A major re-alignment of both parish and county boundaries took place in Scotland.
• 1894. Civil parishes in their modern sense were established afresh in 1894, by the Local Government Act.
• 1974. The Local Government Act (England and Wales) retained civil parishes in rural areas and low-population urban districts, but abolished them in larger urban districts, especially boroughs. County boundaries and their included civil parishes were redefined extensively, and new districts, counties, boroughs and other administrative entities defined.
• 1974. The Local Government (Scotland) Act of 1973 (introduced in 1974) abolished the "traditional" counties and replaced them by a system of 9 "Regions" and 3 "Island Authorities".

Scotland

When co-ordinating Scotland in the early years of GENUKI, the policy was to adopt the counties as in 1855 as the core reference point.

This was because 1855 was a significant date in Scottish genealogy, equivalent to 1837 in England and Wales, and to use the counties as they were at that point made sense.

However, a major re-alignment of both parish and county boundaries took place in Scotland in 1891.

In parallel with the 1974 changes in England and Wales there were similar, but very different, changes in Local Government which took effect in Scotland. Under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, the traditional counties were abolished and replaced by a system of 9 "Regions" and 3 "Island Authorities".

So, in Scotland, 1855 was the start date for civil registration of life events, but all the Registers, together with the "OPRs" (the pre-1855 parochial records of the Kirk of Scotland), the Census records, the Poor Law records and much else are catalogued by their current guardians according to the parishes and counties as they were between 1891 and 1974.

As a result, the stability of parish and county definitions and boundaries in Scotland between 1891 and 1974, makes 1891 as good, if not a better date than 1855 for standardising GENUKI parish lists for Scotland.

Even so, it is important for all changes to be acknowledged, to an extent. So, for example, the Scottish Borders county pages in GENUKI acknowledge the later regions, but mainly to explain to a modern readership how the entities they know now were reflected in the past.

The 1974 situation continued until 1995, when under the terms of the Local Government etc (Scotland) Act (1994) the Regions were abolished, to be replaced by a set of counties. But while these new counties revived some of the former county names, they were different from the counties merged in 1974. The "New, Improved" Aberdeenshire, for example, now includes the whole of the former county of Kincardine, and about half of the former county of Banffshire, but excludes the City of Aberdeen, which has its own separate Council.

None of these latter-day changes has any effect on how resources might be indexed, where 1891-1974 is still the Gold Standard, but does have some influence on where some resources are held. The now discontinued Regional setup, for instance, lives on in terms of Archives, with records from the whole of the former Grampian Region (Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Kincardine and Moray) being held by Aberdeen City and County Archives. And the 1995 counties will be the place to go for Burial Records.

As regards sources, the definitive guide to the 1891 changes in Scotland is "Boundaries of Counties and Parishes in Scotland" (published 1892). The author was Hay Shennan, who had been Secretary to the Boundary Commission which decided on those changes.

The pre-1891 parish and county boundaries are shown on the 1st Edition of the Ordnance Survey 1 inch maps, while the 2nd Edition (which conveniently came out in the mid-1890s) shows the post-1891 boundaries.

An annoyance to genealogists is that the Ordnance Survey, in their wisdom, stopped showing parish boundaries in Scotland from the early 1980s, i.e., the 2nd Edition of the 1:50000 "Landranger" sheets. They justify this by claiming that there were (from 1974) no more Parish Councils in Scotland. Whilst this is technically true, it ignores the fact that the parish boundaries are apparently still used in the calculation of agricultural subsidies.

Ireland

?

Wales

Researchers should look elsewhere for the history of the relationship between Wales and England prior to the 1536/43 Acts of Union brought in by Thomas Cromwell to ensure a more effective domination of Wales by Henry VIII and his Parliament. These resulted in the abolition of the Marcher lordships and the creation of 5 new counties i.e Monmouth, Brecon, Radnor, Montgomery, Denbigh, making 13 in total.

One aspect of land divisions in Wales that it would be worth having a working knowledge of relates to cantrefs and hundreds

Over the centuries Monmouthshire has for some purposes been treated as if it was part of England but for most practical purposes it should be seen as part of Wales.

Since the above dates changes in Welsh boundaries follow the same pattern as their English counterparts as outlined under Timeline above.

It is worth noting in respect of Welsh ancient ecclesiastical parishes that before the introduction of the concept of civil parishes in 1866 the Church in Wales, an integral part of the Church of England, was comprised of four ancient dioceses which covered the following areas;

Bangor ;  Anglesey, most of Caernarfonshire, parts of Merioneth and Montgomeryshire, and the Deanery of Dyffryn Clwyd in central Denbighshire.

Llandaff ; Most of Glamorgan and Monmouthshire

St Asaph; Most of Flintshire and Denbighshire, with parts of Caernarfonshire, Merioneth, Montgomeryshire and Shropshire

St David's; Carmarthenshire, Cardiganshire, Pembrokeshire, Brecknockshire, most of Radnorshire, and parts of Montgomeryshire, Glamorgan, Monmouthshire and Herefordshire.

And if that seems complex then it won't help to point out that 3 English dioceses also included parts of Wales; there was a considerable of swapping of parishes between the two countries in the 19th century.

In 1974 the 13 ancient counties of Wales were divided or amalgamated into 8 new ones and in 1996 certain ancient counties reappeared but some without the same boundaries that existed before 1974.

These changes are outlined  on Wales - Genealogy Help Pages

The first table below shows the historic counties and their administrative sub-divisions before the first round of changes and lists the successor counties for each, that is the post-change counties which contain some or all of the original county area. The second table lists the counties after the first round of changes and lists their successor counties and/or unitary authorities. In all cases only the top-tier authority is shown - either the top-tier in a two-tier arrangement or a single tier authority (shown italicised).

Additional information is provided where appropriate and available - the Chapman County Code (CCC), a unique 3 letter code for counties and regions; the common abbreviation for the area; and, for the second round of changes, the year in which the changes were (or will be) implemented.

For a brief description of the administrative changes in the United Kingdom see - Local Government Changes in the United Kingdom.

The following abbreviations are used in these tables:

Key
(C)	County Borough County of itself
(L)	London Borough
(M)	Metropolitan District
(MC)	Metropolitan County
(U)	Unitary Authority

Single-tier local authorities are shown italicised.

England - changes of 1965/1974
Historic County	Abbrev.	CCC	Administration up to 1974 (London 1965)	Successor Counties
Bedfordshire	Beds	BDF	Bedfordshire Luton (C)	Bedfordshire
Berkshire	Berks	BRK	Berkshire Reading (C)	Berkshire Oxfordshire
Buckinghamshire	Bucks	BKM	Buckinghamshire	Buckinghamshire Berkshire
Cambridgeshire	Cambs	CAM	Cambridgeshire and Isle of Ely	Cambridgeshire
Cheshire		CHS	Cheshire Birkenhead (C) Chester (C) Stockport (C) Wallasey (C)	Cheshire Greater Manchester (MC) Merseyside (MC) Derbyshire
Cornwall (1)	Corn	CON	Cornwall	Cornwall
Cumberland		CUL	Cumberland Carlisle (C)	Cumbria
Derbyshire	Derbys	DBY	Derbyshire Derby (C)	Derbyshire
Devon		DEV	Devon Exeter (C) Plymouth (C) Torbay (C)	Devon
Dorset		DOR	Dorset Poole (C)	Dorset
County Durham		DUR	County Durham Darlington (C) Gateshead (C) Hartlepool 1967-74 (C) South Shields (C) Sunderland (C) Teesside 1968-74 (C) West Hartlepool until 1967 (C)	County Durham Tyne and Wear (MC) Cleveland
Essex		ESS	Essex East Ham (C) Southend (C) West Ham (C)	Essex Greater London
Gloucestershire	Glos	GLS	Gloucestershire Bristol (C) Gloucester (C)	Gloucestershire Avon
Hampshire	Hants (2)	HAM	Hampshire Bournemouth (C) Portsmouth (C) Southampton (C)	Hampshire Dorset
			Isle of Wight	Isle of Wight
Herefordshire		HEF	Herefordshire	Hereford and Worcester
Hertfordshire	Herts	HRT	Hertfordshire	Hertfordshire Greater London
Huntingdonshire	Hunts	HUN	Huntingdonshire and Peterborough	Cambridgeshire
Kent		KEN	Kent Canterbury (C)	Kent Greater London
Lancashire	Lancs	LAN	Lancashire Barrow-in-Furness (C) Blackburn (C) Blackpool (C) Bolton (C) Bootle (C) Burnley (C) Bury (C) Liverpool (C) Manchester (C) Oldham (C) Preston (C) Rochdale (C) St Helens (C) Salford (C) Southport (C) Warrington (C) Wigan (C)	Lancashire Greater Manchester (MC) Merseyside (MC) Cheshire Cumbria
Leicestershire	Leics	LEI	Leicestershire Leicester (C)	Leicestershire
Lincolnshire	Lincs	LIN	Lincolnshire (Holland)	Lincolnshire
			Lincolnshire (Kesteven)	Lincolnshire
			Lincolnshire (Lindsey) Grimsby (C) Lincoln (C)	Lincolnshire Humberside
London		LND	London	Greater London
Middlesex	Middx	MDX	Middlesex	Greater London
Norfolk		NFK	Norfolk Norwich (C) Yarmouth (C)	Norfolk
Northamptonshire	Northants	NTH	Northamptonshire Northampton (C)	Northamptonshire
Northumberland	Northumb	NBL	Northumberland Berwick-upon-Tweed (C) Newcastle-upon-Tyne (C) Tynemouth (C)	Northumberland Tyne and Wear (MC)
Nottinghamshire	Notts	NTT	Nottinghamshire Nottingham (C)	Nottinghamshire South Yorkshire (MC)
Oxfordshire	Oxon (3)	OXF	Oxfordshire Oxford (C)	Oxfordshire
Rutland		RUT	Rutland	Leicestershire
Shropshire	Salop (4)	SAL	Shropshire	Shropshire
Somerset		SOM	Somerset Bath (C) Bristol (C)	Somerset Avon
Staffordshire	Staffs	STS	Staffordshire Burton-upon-Trent (C) Dudley (C) Stoke-on-Trent (C) Walsall (C) West Bromwich (C) Wolverhampton (C)	Staffordshire West Midlands (MC)
Suffolk		SFK	Suffolk (East) Ipswich (C)	Suffolk Norfolk
			Suffolk (West)	Suffolk
Surrey		SRY	Surrey Croydon (C)	Surrey West Sussex Greater London
Sussex		SSX	Sussex (East) Brighton (C) Eastbourne (C) Hastings (C)	East Sussex West Sussex
			Sussex (West)	West Sussex
Warwickshire	Warks	WAR	Warwickshire Birmingham (C) Coventry (C) Solihull (C)	Warwickshire West Midlands (MC)
Westmorland		WES	Westmorland	Cumbria
Wiltshire	Wilts	WIL	Wiltshire	Wiltshire
Worcestershire	Worcs	WOR	Worcestershire Dudley (C) Warley (C) Worcester (C)	Hereford and Worcester West Midlands (MC)
Yorkshire	Yorks	YKS	Yorkshire (East Riding) ERY Kingston-upon-Hull (C)	Humberside North Yorkshire
			Yorkshire (North Riding) NRY Middlesbrough until 1968 (C) Teesside 1968-74 (C)	North Yorkshire Cleveland Durham
			Yorkshire (West Riding) WRY Barnsley (C) Bradford (C) Dewsbury (C) Doncaster (C) Halifax (C) Huddersfield (C) Leeds (C) Rotherham (C) Sheffield (C) Wakefield (C)	West Yorkshire (MC) Greater Manchester (MC) South Yorkshire (MC) Cumbria Humberside Lancashire North Yorkshire
			York (C)	North Yorkshire

England - changes of 1986-1998
Counties 1974-1986/1998	CCC	Year	Successor Counties and Unitary Authorities
Avon	AVN	1996	Bristol (U) North Somerset (U) Bath and North East Somerset (U) South Gloucestershire (U)
Bedfordshire	BDF	1997	Bedfordshire Luton (U)
Berkshire	BRK	1998	Bracknell Forest (U) West Berkshire (U) Reading (U) Slough (U) Windsor and Maidenhead (U) Wokingham (U)
Buckinghamshire	BKM	1997	Buckinghamshire Milton Keynes (U)
Cambridgeshire	CAM	1998	Cambridgeshire Peterborough (U)
Cheshire	CHS	1998	Cheshire Halton (U) Warrington (U)
Cleveland	CLV	1996	Hartlepool (U) Middlesbrough (U) Redcar and Cleveland (U) Stockton-on-Tees (U)
Cornwall (1)	CON	--	Cornwall
Cumbria	CMA	--	Cumbria
Derbyshire	DBY	1997	Derbyshire Derby City (U)
Devon	DEV	1998	Devon Plymouth (U) Torbay (U)
Dorset	DOR	1997	Dorset Bournemouth (U) Poole (U)
County Durham	DUR	1997	County Durham Darlington (U)
East Sussex	SXE	1997	East Sussex Brighton and Hove (U)
Essex	ESS	1998	Essex Southend (U) Thurrock (U)
Gloucestershire	GLS	---	Gloucestershire
Greater London		1986	Barking and Dagenham (L) Barnet (L) Bexley (L) Brent (L) Bromley (L) Camden (L) Corporation of London (L) Croydon (L) Ealing (L) Enfield (L) Greenwich (L) Hackney (L) Hammersmith and Fulham (L) Haringey (L) Harrow (L) Havering (L) Hillingdon (L) Hounslow (L) Islington (L) Kensington and Chelsea (L) Kingston-upon-Thames (L) Lambeth (L) Lewisham (L) Merton (L) Newham (L) Redbridge (L) Richmond-upon-Thames (L) Southwark (L) Sutton (L) Tower Hamlets (L) Waltham Forest (L) Wandsworth (L) Westminster (L)
Greater Manchester (MC)	GTM	1986	Wigan (M) Bolton (M) Bury (M) Rochdale (M) Oldham (M) Tameside (M) Stockport (M) Manchester (M) Salford (M) Trafford (M)
Hampshire	HAM	1997	Hampshire Portsmouth (U) Southampton (U)
Hereford and Worcester	HWR	1998	Worcestershire Herefordshire (U)
Hertfordshire	HRT	---	Hertfordshire
Humberside	HUM	1996	East Riding of Yorkshire (U) City of Kingston upon Hull (U) North Lincolnshire (U) North East Lincolnshire (U)
Isle of Wight	IOW	1995	Isle of Wight (U)
Kent	KEN	1998	Kent The Medway Towns (U)
Lancashire	LAN	1998	Lancashire Blackburn with Darwen (U) Blackpool (U)
Leicestershire	LEI	1997	Leicestershire Leicester City (U) Rutland (U)
Lincolnshire	LIN	---	Lincolnshire
Merseyside (MC)	MSY	1986	Wirral (M) Sefton (M) Liverpool (M) Knowsley (M) St Helens (M)
Norfolk	NFK	---	Norfolk
Northamptonshire	NTH	---	Northamptonshire
Northumberland	NBL	---	Northumberland
North Yorkshire	NYK	1996	North Yorkshire York (U)
Nottinghamshire	NTT	1998	Nottinghamshire Nottingham City (U)
Oxfordshire	OXF	---	Oxfordshire
Shropshire	SAL	1998	Shropshire The Wrekin (U)
Somerset	SOM	---	Somerset
South Yorkshire (MC)	SYK	1986	Barnsley (M) Doncaster (M) Rotherham (M) Sheffield (M)
Staffordshire	STS	1997	Staffordshire Stoke on Trent (U)
Suffolk	SFK	---	Suffolk
Surrey	SRY	---	Surrey
Tyne and Wear (MC)	TWR	1986	Newcastle-upon-Tyne (M) North Tyneside (M) South Tyneside (M) Gateshead (M) Sunderland (M)
Warwickshire	WAR	---	Warwickshire
West Midlands (MC)	WMD	1986	Walsall (M) Wolverhampton (M) Dudley (M) Sandwell (M) Birmingham (M) Solihull (M) Coventry (M)
West Sussex	SXW	---	West Sussex
West Yorkshire (MC)	WYK	1986	Calderdale (M) Bradford (M) Leeds (M) Wakefield (M) Kirklees (M)
Wiltshire	WIL	1997	Wiltshire Swindon (U)

Notes

1. Includes the Isles of Scilly.
2. "Hants" derives from "Hantshaving", the original name for this county.
3. "Oxon" is an abbreviation of "Oxonia", the Latin name for Oxford.
4. "Salop" derives from "Sloppesberie", the original Anglo-French name for this county.

© GENUKI and Contributors 1993, 1997

Page created by Phil Lloyd in January 1993. Revised and updated in September 1997 by Brian Pears.

The first table below shows the historic counties and their administrative sub-divisions before the 1973 changes and lists the successor districts for each, that is the post-change districts which contain some or all of the original county area. The second table lists the districts after these changes.

The first table also shows the Chapman County Codes (CCC) for each county. These are unique 3 letter codes.

Additional information is provided where appropriate and available - the common abbreviation for the area; and the Chapman County Code (CCC), a unique 3 letter code for counties and regions.

For a brief description of the administrative changes in the United Kingdom see - Local Government Changes in the United Kingdom.

Key:- (C) = County Borough

Single-tier local authorities are shown italicised.

The links in the following table are to outline maps showing the location of each county.

Northern Ireland - changes of 1973
Historic County	CCC	Administration until 1973	Successor District Councils
Antrim	ANT	Antrim Belfast (C)	Antrim Ballymena Ballymoney Belfast Carrickfergus Craigavon Larne Lisburn Moyle Newtownabbey
Armagh	ARM	Armagh	Armagh Craigavon Newry and Mourne
Down	DOW	Down	Ards Banbridge Castlereath Craigavon Down Lisburn Newry and Mourne North Down
Fermanagh	FER	Fermanagh	Fermanagh
Londonderry / Derry	LDY	Londonderry Londonderry (C)	Coleraine Cookstown Limavady Londonderry Magherafelt
Tyrone	TYR	Tyrone	Cookstown Dungannon Omagh Strabane

 

Northern Ireland Councils from 1973
Antrim
Ards
Armagh
Ballymena
Ballymoney
Banbridge
Belfast
Carrickfergus
Castlereagh
Coleraine
Cookstown
Craigavon
Down
Dungannon
Fermanagh
Larne
Limavady
Lisburn
Londonerry / Derry
Magherafelt
Moyle
Newry and Mourne
Newtonabbey
North Down
Omagh
Strabane

© GENUKI and Contributors 1993, 1997

Page created by Phil Lloyd in January 1993. Revised and updated in September 1997 by Brian Pears.

The first table below shows the historic counties and their administrative sub-divisions before the first round of changes and lists the successor regions for each, that is the post-change regions which contain some or all of the original county area. The second table shows the regions after the first round of changes and lists their successor unitary authorities. In all cases only the top-tier authority is shown - either the top-tier in a two-tier arrangement or a single tier authority (shown italicised).

The tables also show the Chapman County Codes (CCC) for each county and region. These are unique 3 letter codes.

For a brief description of the administrative changes in the United Kingdom see - Local Government Changes in the United Kingdom.

The following abbreviations are used in these tables:

Key
(C)	County of a City
(U)	Unitary Authority

Single-tier local authorities are shown italicised.

The links in the following table are to outline maps showing the location of each county.

Scotland - changes of 1975
Historic County	CCC	Administration until 1975	Successor Regions
Aberdeenshire	ABD	Aberdeenshire Aberdeen (C)	Grampian
Angus (1)	ANS	Angus Dundee (C)	Tayside
Argyllshire (2)	ARL	Argyllshire	Strathclyde Highland
Ayrshire	AYR	Ayrshire	Strathclyde
Banffshire	BAN	Banffshire	Grampian
Berwickshire	BEW	Berwickshire	Borders
Bute (3)	BUT	Bute	Strathclyde
Caithness	CAI	Caithness	Highland
Clackmannanshire	CLK	Clackmannanshire	Central
Dunbartonshire	DNB	Dunbartonshire	Strathclyde
Dumfriesshire	DFS	Dumfriesshire	Dumfries and Galloway
East Lothian	ELN	East Lothian	Lothian
Fife	FIF	Fife	Fife
Inverness-shire (4)	INV	Inverness-shire	Highland Western Isles
Kincardineshire	KCD	Kincardineshire	Grampian
Kinross-shire	KRS	Kinross-shire	Tayside
Kirkcudbrightshire	KKD	Kirkcudbrightshire	Dumfries and Galloway
Lanarkshire	LKS	Lanarkshire Glasgow (C)	Strathclyde
Midlothian	MLN	Midlothian Edinburgh (C)	Lothian Borders
Moray	MOR	Moray	Grampian Highland
Nairnshire	NAI	Nairnshire	Highland
Orkney (5)	OKI	Orkney	Orkney
Peeblesshire	PEE	Peeblesshire	Borders
Perthshire	PER	Perthshire	Tayside Central
Renfrewshire	RFW	Renfrewshire	Strathclyde
Ross and Cromarty (6)	ROC	Ross and Cromarty	Highland Western Isles
Roxburghshire	ROX	Roxburghshire	Borders
Selkirkshire	SEL	Selkirkshire	Borders
Shetland (7)	SHI	Shetland	Shetland
Stirlingshire	STI	Stirlingshire	Central Strathclyde
Sutherland	SUT	Sutherland	Highland
West Lothian	WLN	West Lothian	Lothian Central
Wigtownshire	WIG	Wigtownshire	Dumfries and Galloway

 

Scotland - changes of 1996
Administration 1975-1996	CCC	Successor Unitary Authorities
Borders	BOR	The Scottish Borders (U)
Central	CEN	Clackmannanshire (U) Falkirk (U) Stirling (U)
Dumfries and Galloway	DGY	Dumfries and Galloway (U)
Fife	FIF	Fife (U)
Grampian	GMP	Aberdeenshire (U) Aberdeen City (U) Moray (U)
Highland (8)	HLD	Highland (U)
Lothian	LTN	City of Edinburgh (U) East Lothian (U) Midlothian (U) West Lothian (U)
Orkney (5)	OKI	Orkney Islands (U)
Shetland (7)	SHI	Shetland Islands (U)
Strathclyde (9)	STD	Argyll and Bute (U) City of Glasgow (U) East Ayrshire (U) East Dunbartonshire (U) East Renfrewshire (U) Inverclyde (U) North Ayrshire (U) North Lanarkshire (U) Renfrewshire (U) South Ayrshire (U) South Lanarkshire (U) West Dunbartonshire (U)
Tayside	TAY	Angus (U) Dundee City (U) Perth and Kinross (U)
Western Isles (10)	WIS	Western Isles (U)

Notes

1. An old name for Angus is "Forfarshire".
2. Includes islands: Islay, Jura and Mull.
3. Consists of islands Arran and Bute.
4. Includes islands: Lewis (part), North Uist, South Uist, and Skye.
5. Also "Orkney Isles", or "Orkney Islands", but NOT "The Orkneys"!
6. Includes part of the island of Lewis.
7. Also "Shetland Isles", or "Shetland Islands", but NOT "The Shetlands"! Originally known as "Zetland".
8. Includes the island of Skye.
9. Includes islands: Arran, Bute, Islay, Jura and Mull.
10. Includes islands: Lewis, North Uist and South Uist.

© GENUKI and Contributors 1993, 1997

Page created by Phil Lloyd in January 1993. Revised and updated in September 1997 by Brian Pears.

Following the Government of Ireland Act 1920, 26 of Ireland's 32 counties left the United Kingdom and formed the Irish Free State. In 1949 this became the Republic of Ireland.

Province	CCC	County	CCC	Centre
Connaught	CNN	Galway	GAL	Galway
		Leitrim	LET	Carrick-on-Shannon
		Mayo	MAY	Castlebar
		Roscommon	ROS	Roscommon
		Sligo	SLI	Sligo
Leinster	LEN	Carlow	CAR	Carlow
		Dublin	DUB	Dublin
		Kildare	KID	Naas
		Kilkenny	KIK	Kilkenny
		King's County / Offaly (1)	OFF	Tullamore
		Longford	LOG	Longford
		Louth	LOU	Dundalk
		Meath	MEA	Navan (2)
		Queen's County / Laois (3)	LEX	Portlaoise
		Westmeath	WEM	Mullingar
		Wexford	WEX	Wexford
		Wicklow	WIC	Wicklow
Munster	MUN	Clare	CLA	Ennis
		Cork	COR	Cork
		Kerry	KER	Tralee
		Limerick	LIM	Limerick
		Tipperary	TIP	Clonmel
		Waterford	WAT	Waterford
Ulster (4)	UIE	Cavan	CAV	Cavan
		Donegal	DON	Lifford
		Monaghan	MOG	Monaghan

Notes 

1. The name "King's County" (or simply "King's") was changed to "Offaly" in 1921.
2. Also known as "An Uaimh".
3. The name "Queen's County" (or simply "Queen's") was changed to "Laois" in 1921. It is sometimes spelt "Laoighis" and is also known as "Leix".
4. The six counties of Northern Ireland are also part of the Province of Ulster.

© GENUKI and Contributors 1993, 1997

Page created by Phil Lloyd in January 1993. Revised and updated in September 1997 by Brian Pears.

The first table below shows the historic counties and their administrative sub-divisions before the first round of changes and lists the successor counties for each, that is the post-change counties which contain some or all of the original county area. The second table shows the counties after the first round of changes and lists their successor unitary authorities. In all cases only the top-tier authority is shown - either the top-tier in a two-tier arrangement or a single tier authority (shown italicised).

Additional information is provided where appropriate and available - the common abbreviation for the area; and the Chapman County Code (CCC), a unique 3 letter code for counties and regions.

For a brief description of the administrative changes in the United Kingdom see - Local Government Changes in the United Kingdom.

The following abbreviations are used in these tables:

Key
(C)	County Borough
(U)	Unitary Authority

Single-tier local authorities are shown italicised.

The links in the following table are to outline maps showing the location of each county.

Wales - changes of 1974
Historic County	Abbrev	CCC	Administration up to 1974	Successor Counties
Anglesey		AGY	Anglesey	Gwynedd
Breconshire (1)		BRE	Breconshire	Powys Gwent Mid Glamorgan
Caernarvonshire		CAE	Caernarvonshire	Gwynedd
Cardiganshire	Cards	CGN	Cardiganshire	Dyfed
Carmarthenshire		CMN	Carmarthenshire	Dyfed
Denbighshire		DEN	Denbighshire	Clwyd Gwynedd
Flintshire	Flints	FLN	Flintshire	Clwyd
Glamorgan	Glam	GLA	Glamorgan Cardiff (C) Merthyr Tydfil (C) Swansea (C)	Mid Glamorgan South Glamorgan West Glamorgan
Merionethshire		MER	Merionethshire	Gwenedd Clwyd
Monmouthshire	Mon	MON	Monmouthshire Newport (C)	Gwent Mid Glamorgan South Glamorgan
Montgomeryshire	Mont	MGY	Montgomeryshire	Powys
Pembrokeshire		PEM	Pembrokeshire	Dyfed
Radnorshire		RAD	Radnorshire	Powys

 

Wales - changes of 1996
Administration 1974-1996	CCC	Successor Unitary Authorities
Clwyd	CWD	Conwy (U) Denbighshire (U) Flintshire (U) Powys (U) Wrexham (U)
Dyfed	DFD	Cardiganshire (U) Carmarthenshire (U) Pembrokeshire (U)
Gwent	GNT	Blaenau Gwent (U) Caerphilly (U) Monmouthshire (U) Newport (U) Torfaen (U)
Gwynedd	GWN	Aberconwy and Colwyn (U) Anglesey (U) Gwynedd (U)
Mid Glamorgan	MGM	Bridgend (U) Caerphilly (U) Cardiff (U) Merthyr Tydfil (U) Rhondda Cynon Taff (U) Vale Of Glamorgan (U)
Powys	POW	Powys (U)
South Glamorgan	SGM	Cardiff (U) Vale Of Glamorgan (U)
West Glamorgan	WGM	Neath and Port Talbot (U) Swansea (U)

Notes

1. Also known as Brecnockshire.

© GENUKI and Contributors 1993, 1997

Page created by Phil Lloyd in January 1993. Revised and updated in September 1997 by Brian Pears.

General Notes

The term "British Isles" is a geographic one describing the two large islands of Great Britain (which contains England, Scotland and Wales) and Ireland, together with numerous smaller islands around their coasts. The major administrative divisions are England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands.

The term "United Kingdom" is a contraction of "United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland", that is England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, but has meant different things at different times. From 1707, when the parliaments of England and Scotland were united, we had the "United Kingdom of Great Britain". Then, in 1801, when Ireland joined the union, it was the "United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland". Finally, in 1922, when 26 of the 32 counties of Ireland left the union to form the Irish Free State (the forerunner of the Republic of Ireland), the present name was adopted.

The adjective "British" is generally taken to mean "of the United Kingdom" rather than "of Great Britain" or "of the British Isles", but "Irish" can mean either "of Ireland" or "of the Republic of Ireland" depending on the context.

In England, Wales and Scotland, the word "County" is not part of a county's name, so it is incorrect to refer to, for example, "County Devon" or "Devon County". There is a single exception to this rule - County Durham, where this form is used to distinguish the county from Durham City. In Ireland (both Northern Ireland and the Republic), however, the opposite is true; county names are usually prefixed with the word "County", for example County Down and County Clare.

The suffix "shire" appears on many county names in England, Scotland and Wales. The general rule is the "shire" is used only where there is a town or city with the same name as the county - hence "Nottinghamshire" to distinguish the county from the city of Nottingham. There are some cases, however, where the suffix "shire" is regarded as optional, for example Devon / Devonshire and Nairn / Nairnshire.

Specific notes relating to individual areas can be found on the relevant pages.

The documents linked from the head of this page list the administrative sub-divisions of the various parts of the British Isles and attempt to clarify the far reaching local government changes made (or about to be made) within the United Kingdom since 1965.

While every effort has been made to achieve accuracy, there may well be errors. Comments, corrections and suggestions are welcome.

Note: The Association of British Counties provide a number of helpful pages, including one on The problem of "county confusion" - and how to resolve it which explains the differences betwee historic counties, counties as designated under the 1972 Local Government Act, and those under the 1997 Lieutenancies Act.

References

• Whitaker's Almanac 1969
• Bartholomew Gazetteer of Britain 1977
• BSI Standards Catalogue 1991
• Chambers English Dictionary 1988
• The Ordnance Survey Atlas of Great Britain 1982
• Pears Cyclopaedia 1973-74
• Pears Cyclopaedia 1988
• The Statesman's Year-Book 1984-85
• Local Government in the United Kingdom by Dan Wilson and Chris Game 1994 (Macmillan)
• Directory of Local Authorities 1996 (F.T. Law and Tax)

NOTE: These codes, a superset of the the ISO 3166-2:GB and BS 6879 codes, were created by Dr Colin Chapman. A more complete list of Chapman codes, also covering the 1975-1996 counties (not used in GENUKI) is to be found in Wikipedia.

Select a letter below to go directly to entries starting with that letter

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P R S T W Y

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A

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B

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C

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D

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E

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F

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G

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H

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I

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J

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K

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L

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M

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N

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O

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P

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R

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S

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T

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W

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Y

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These islands form part of the British Isles but are self-governing. Legislation does, however, require the Royal assent.

The links in this table are to outline maps showing the location of each island.

Island	CCC	Centre
Isle of Man	IOM	Douglas
Alderney (1,2)	ALD	St. Anne's
Guernsey (1)	GSY	St. Peter Port
Jersey (1)	JSY	St. Helier
Sark (1,2)	SRK	Â

Notes

1. Known collectively as the Channel Islands.
2. Dependency of Guernsey. 

© GENUKI and Contributors 1993, 1997

Page created by Phil Lloyd in January 1993. Revised and updated in September 1997 by Brian Pears.