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List of United Kingdom county name etymologies facts for kids

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Have you ever wondered where the names of places come from? This article is all about the interesting stories behind the names of counties in the United Kingdom. A 'county' is like a big area or region within a country. We'll explore how these names came to be, looking at both old and new counties in England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.

Discovering Place Names: The Story Behind "Etymology"

Throughout history, many different languages have been spoken in the United Kingdom. These languages were often used at the same time, which can make it tricky to figure out the true origin, or etymology, of a place name. That's why some names might have more than one possible meaning!

One common word you'll see in many county names, especially in England, is shire. This old word comes from a language called Old English and simply means 'share' or 'division'. It's like saying 'a divided part of the land'.

England's County Names: A Journey Through Time

Here's a look at the origins of county names in England:

County Name Language of Origin What the Name Means
Avon Brythonic Named after the River Avon. Avon is an English version of a Brythonic word meaning 'river'. This county was created in 1974 and later removed in 1996.
Bedfordshire Old English 'Shire' of Bedford. Bedford means 'Bieda's ford' (a shallow place to cross a river).
Berkshire Brythonic + Old English 'Shire' of Berrock Wood. Berrock might mean 'hilly place' in Brythonic.
Buckinghamshire Old English 'Shire' of Buckingham. Buckingham means 'Home of Bucca's people'.
Cambridgeshire Old English 'Shire' of Cambridge. Cambridge was once called Grantbridge, meaning 'Bridge on the River Granta'. The name changed because of Norman influence.
Cheshire Old English 'Shire' of Chester. Chester comes from an Old English word ceaster, meaning an old Roman town or city. This comes from the Latin word castra, meaning 'camp' or 'fort'.
Cleveland English Named after the Cleveland area, which has hills and coast. Cleveland comes from Old English and means 'Cliff land'. This county was created in 1974 and later removed in 1996.
Cornwall Brythonic + Old English The name comes from the Cornovii tribe, meaning 'people of the peninsula' (a piece of land almost surrounded by water). The wall part comes from an Old English word meaning 'foreigners'.
Cumberland Brythonic + Old English 'Cumber' comes from Cymry, the word the local Brythonic people used for themselves. So, Cumberland means 'Land of the Cumbrians'.
Cumbria Latin 'Cumbria' also comes from Cymry, the word the local Brythonic people used for themselves. It's a Latin version chosen for the new county in 1974.
Derbyshire Old Norse + Old English 'Shire' of Derby. Derby comes from Old Norse, meaning 'Animal settlement'.
Devon Brythonic Originally 'Defnas', from the Celtic tribal name Dumnonii. The meaning of Dumnonii is unknown.
Dorset Old English Literally 'People of Dorchester'. Dorchester is an Old English name, probably from the Roman name Durnovaria, which might mean 'place with fist-sized pebbles'.
County Durham Old English Named after Durham. Durham comes from Old English Dūnholm, meaning 'Hill island'.
Essex Old English Literally 'East Saxons'. This county was once the Kingdom of the East Saxons.
Gloucestershire Old English 'Shire' of Gloucester. Gloucester comes from an Old English name meaning 'Roman town called Glevum'. Glevum means 'bright place' in Brythonic.
Greater London English This county was formed in 1965, combining the old County of London with surrounding areas. The name London comes from the Roman name Londínĭum, which might mean 'place at the navigable river'.
Greater Manchester English This is the larger area around Manchester. Manchester is an Old English version of the Roman name Mancunium.
Hampshire Old English 'Shire' of Southampton. Southampton was known as Hāmwic or Hāmtūn in Old English, meaning 'home farm'.
Herefordshire Old English 'Shire' of Hereford. Hereford means 'ford suitable for an army to cross'.
Hertfordshire Old English 'Shire' of Hertford. Hertford means 'ford where deer are often found'.
Humberside English Area around the River Humber. Humber is a very old word of unknown meaning. This county was created in 1974 and later removed in 1996.
Huntingdonshire Old English 'Shire' of Huntingdon. Huntingdon means 'Hunters' hill'.
Isle of Wight English + Brythonic The old Old English name Wiht might mean 'place of division'. It could also come from a Brythonic word meaning 'eight-sided'. The Roman name was Vectis.
Kent Brythonic (Land of the) Cantii, an old Celtic tribe whose name might mean 'white' or 'bright'.
Lancashire Old English 'Shire' of Lancaster. Lancaster comes from the River Lune (meaning 'pure' in Brythonic) and the Old English word 'ceaster' for a Roman town.
Leicestershire Old English 'Shire' of Leicester. Leicester comes from Ligore, a Celtic tribal name, plus 'ceaster' for a Roman town.
Lincolnshire Old English 'Shire' of Lincoln. Lincoln comes from the Roman name Lindum, which means 'The pool' in Brythonic.
London English This county was formed in 1889. The name London comes from the Roman name Londínĭum, which might mean 'place at the navigable or unfordable river'. This county was absorbed into Greater London in 1965.
Merseyside English Area around the River Mersey. Mersey is an Old English word meaning 'boundary river'.
Middlesex Old English Literally 'Middle Saxons'.
Norfolk Old English 'Northern people'.
Northamptonshire Old English 'Shire' of Northampton. Northampton was originally 'Hāmtūn' ('home farm'). 'North' was added later to tell it apart from Hampshire.
Northumberland Old English Ancient land of those living north of the River Humber. Humber is a very old word of unknown meaning.
Nottinghamshire Old English 'Shire' of Nottingham. Nottingham means 'home of Snot's people'.
Oxfordshire Old English 'Shire' of Oxford. Oxford means 'ford used by Oxen'.
Rutland Old English 'Rota's territory'.
Shropshire Old English 'Shire' of Shrewsbury. Shrewsbury means 'scrubland fort'.
Somerset Old English 'People of Somerton'. Somerton means 'farm used in the summer'.
Staffordshire Old English 'Shire' of Stafford. Stafford means 'ford by a landing place'.
Suffolk Old English 'Southern people'.
Surrey Old English 'Southern district', because it's south of the River Thames.
Sussex Old English Literally 'South Saxons'. This county was once the Kingdom of the South Saxons.
Tyne and Wear English Area between the River Tyne and River Wear. Tyne is a Brythonic word for 'river', and Wear is a Brythonic word for 'water'.
Warwickshire Old English 'Shire' of Warwick. Warwick means 'Dwellings by the weir' (a low dam).
West Midlands English Area in the west of central England, around Birmingham.
Westmorland Old English Literally 'land west of the moors' (open, uncultivated land).
Wiltshire Old English 'Shire' of Wilton. Wilton means 'willow farm'.
Worcestershire Old English 'Shire' of Worcester. Worcester means 'Roman town of the Weogora'. Weogora is a Brythonic name meaning 'from the winding river'.
Yorkshire Middle English 'Shire' of York. York comes from the Old Norse Jórvík ('horse bay'), which was a Norse version of the Old English Eoforwīc ('boar town'). This itself came from a Brythonic name, Eboracon, probably meaning 'place of yew trees'.

Northern Ireland's County Names: From Irish Roots

Here are the meanings behind the county names in Northern Ireland:

County Name Language of Origin What the Name Means
County Antrim Irish Named for the town of Antrim; Irish Aontroim, meaning "Lone Ridge".
County Armagh Irish Named for the city of Armagh; Irish Ard Mhacha, meaning "Macha's height".
County Londonderry Irish (excluding London) Named for the city of Derry, from the Irish Doire, meaning 'oak grove'. The 'London' part comes from the Plantation of Ulster by companies from the City of London.
County Down Irish County of Downpatrick: "Patrick's hillfort" (formerly Dún Lethglaise or Fort by the stream).
County Fermanagh Irish Irish Fir Manach, meaning "Men of Manach" (a tribal name).
County Tyrone Irish Irish Tír Eoghain, meaning "Eoghan's land", referring to land conquered by the Cenél nEógain tribe.

Scotland's County Names: Gaelic and Norse Influences

Let's explore the origins of county names in Scotland:

County Name Language of Origin What the Name Means
Aberdeenshire Pictish 'Shire' of Aberdeen: The name means "the mouth of two rivers".
Angus Scottish Gaelic Named after Oengus, an 8th-century king of the Picts.
Argyll Scottish Gaelic Earra-Ghaidheal - meaning "Coastland of the Gaels".
Ayrshire Brittonic 'Shire' of Ayr: From Old Welsh Aeron - The (River) Ayr.
Banffshire Scottish Gaelic 'Shire' of Banff: Possibly "piglet", or from Banba - a name for Ireland.
Berwickshire Old English 'Shire' of Berwick: Possibly meaning "Barley farm".
Bute Scottish Gaelic Likely from bót - meaning "fire".
Caithness Old Norse and Celtic "Cat headland", from the name of the tribe who lived there. The Gaelic name Gallaibh means "among the Strangers" (referring to the Norse people).
Clackmannanshire Brittonic and Scottish Gaelic 'Shire' of Clackmannan: "The stone of Manau", a district of the Brythonic people.
Cromartyshire Scottish Gaelic 'Shire' of Cromarty: Crombaigh - meaning "crooked bay".
Dumfriesshire Brythonic or Scottish Gaelic 'Shire' of Dumfries: Meaning is uncertain, possibly "Fort of the Frisians" or "fort of the thicket".
Dunbartonshire Gaelic 'Shire' of Dumbarton: Dùn Breatainn - meaning "fort of the Britons".
East Lothian Brythonic with English ("East") Probably named from a chief called Leudonus, through Old English Loðene.
Fife Gaelic from Celtic Meaning is unclear.
Inverness-shire Gaelic 'Shire' of Inverness: "Mouth of the River Nis". The original meaning of the river name is unknown.
Kinross-shire Gaelic 'Shire' of Kinross: Cinn Rois - meaning "head of the wood" or "headland".
Kirkcudbrightshire Gaelic Stewartry of Kirkcudbright: Cill Chuithbeirt - meaning "Church of Saint Cuthbert".
Lanarkshire Brythonic 'Shire' of Lanark: "Place in the glade" (an open space in a forest).
Midlothian Brythonic with English (Mid) Probably named from a chief called Leudonus, through Old English Loðene.
Morayshire Celtic Moray: "Sea settlement".
Nairnshire Celtic 'Shire' of Nairn: "Penetrating (river)".
Orkney Old Norse and Celtic "Islands of the Orkos" (Orkos might come from a Brythonic tribal name meaning 'boar').
Peeblesshire Brythonic 'Shire' of Peebles: Meaning is uncertain, possibly pebyll, meaning "pavilions".
Perthshire Pictish 'Shire' of Perth: "Place by a thicket" (a dense group of bushes or trees).
Renfrewshire Goidelic/Brythonic 'Shire' of Renfrew: Rinn Friù - meaning "point of the current".
Ross-shire Gaelic Rois - meaning either "forest" or "headland".
Roxburghshire Old English 'Shire' of Roxburgh: "Hroc's fortress".
Selkirkshire Old English 'Shire' of Selkirk: "Church by a hall".
Shetland Old Norse and Celtic Origin is debated, but it might be an English version of the Old Norse Hjältland. The old Gaelic name was Innse Cat, "islands of the Cats".
Stirlingshire Celtic 'Shire' of Stirling: Sruighlea in Gaelic. The origin is uncertain.
Sutherland Old Norse "Southern territory". The Gaelic name Cataibh means "among the Cats", referring to the same tribe as Caithness.
West Lothian Brythonic with English (West) Probably named from a chief called Leudonus, through Old English Loðene.
Wigtownshire Norse and/or Middle English 'Shire' of Wigtown, from vik meaning a bay. In Gaelic, it is Baile na h-Ùige, "town on the bay".

Wales' County Names: A Mix of Languages

Finally, let's look at the meanings behind the county names in Wales:

County Name Language of Origin What the Name Means
Anglesey Old Norse "Ongull's Island".
Brecknockshire Welsh Brycheiniog + shire: "Brychan's territory".
Caernarfonshire Welsh 'Shire' of Caernarfon: "Fort opposite Fôn" (Môn is the Welsh name for Anglesey).
Cardiganshire Welsh Ceredigion + shire: "Ceredig's territory".
Carmarthenshire Welsh 'Shire' of Carmarthen: "Fort at Maridunum" (a Roman place name meaning 'fort by the sea').
Clwyd Welsh From the River Clwyd (the river name means 'hurdle').
Denbighshire Welsh 'Shire' of Denbigh: "Little fortress".
Dyfed Welsh "District of the Demetae" (an old group of settlers in the area).
Flintshire Old English 'Shire' of Flint: "Place of hard rock".
Glamorgan Welsh "Morgan's land" (Welsh Gwlad Morgan).
Gwent Welsh From Venta, a Roman center, perhaps meaning "trading place".
Gwynedd Welsh Possibly "the place of white-topped mountains".
Merionethshire Welsh Meirionnydd + shire: "Place of Meirion".
Monmouthshire Old English 'Shire' of Monmouth: "Mouth of the River Monnow" (Monnow means 'fast flowing' in Brythonic).
Montgomeryshire Norman 'Shire' of Roger de Montgomery (a person's name).
Pembrokeshire Welsh 'Shire' of Pembroke: "Land at the end".
Powys Latin and Welsh "Provincial place".
Radnorshire Old English 'Shire' of Radnor: "Red bank".

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List of United Kingdom county name etymologies Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.