English Counties Ending In Shire [top] Jun 2026

In England , the suffix -shire denotes a historic division of land. While there are 48 ceremonial counties today, only about 25 of them typically carry the "-shire" ending. Wikipedia +3 The "Shire" Counties The following ceremonial and historic counties in England currently use or are historically defined by the suffix: Bedfordshire Berkshire Buckinghamshire Cambridgeshire Cheshire Derbyshire Gloucestershire Hampshire Herefordshire Hertfordshire Huntingdonshire (Historically distinct, now part of Cambridgeshire) Lancashire Leicestershire Lincolnshire Northamptonshire Nottinghamshire Oxfordshire Shropshire Staffordshire Warwickshire Wiltshire Worcestershire Yorkshire (Now split into North, East, West, and South Yorkshire) Wikipedia +2 Historical & Optional "Shires" Some counties are occasionally referred to with the suffix, or used it more commonly in the past, even if it is not their standard modern name: 10 sites Shire - Wikipedia Counties in England bearing the "-shire" suffix are: * Bedfordshire. * Berkshire. * Buckinghamshire. * Cambridgeshire. * Cheshire. Wikipedia Literal English County Names 1. Bedfordshire – “Beda’s Ford Shire” ... Apr 17, 2025 —

The following counties currently or historically use the "-shire" suffix. While some (like Yorkshire ) are now divided into smaller administrative areas, they remain widely recognized as shires. Berkshire Buckinghamshire Cambridgeshire Cheshire Derbyshire Gloucestershire Hampshire Herefordshire Hertfordshire Lancashire Leicestershire Lincolnshire Northamptonshire Nottinghamshire Oxfordshire Shropshire Staffordshire Warwickshire Wiltshire Worcestershire english counties ending in shire

These names usually describe the landscape or the people who inhabited the area. In England , the suffix -shire denotes a

The most common form. The county takes its name from its principal town or ancient capital, with an -shire suffix. Examples include: * Berkshire

Despite administrative restructuring, the "shire" identity remains potent. The term evokes a specific English archetype—often associated with rural landscapes, market towns, and traditional governance.

The eight English ceremonial counties that do end in "shire" are fascinating precisely because they highlight what "shire" meant. These include: