How Many Shire Counties Are There In England !!exclusive!! Jun 2026
If defining a shire strictly by the name suffix, there are such counties today, including Bedfordshire . These typically stem from a historic county town. 2. Historic "Ancient" Counties (39 Counties)
, do not use the "-shire" suffix, they were historically administered under a similar system. 3. Modern "Shire Counties" (Administrative) how many shire counties are there in england
If someone asks you in a pub quiz or a geography debate, “How many shire counties?” – say , and you’ll be correct in the most widely accepted modern definition. But if you want to impress them, add: “But that depends if you count Cornwall, and whether you mean administrative or historic.” If defining a shire strictly by the name
There were 34 historic shire counties (excluding the ancient, non-shire counties). Historic "Ancient" Counties (39 Counties) , do not
To simplify:
According to the UK government’s official listing of non-metropolitan counties operating under a two-tier structure, there are shire counties:

