Abbreviations, sub-divisions and map:

Another source of confusion for those not familiar with English county names is the use of abbreviations. Most counties are subject to frequent abbreviation of their names, although there are a few exceptions. Here is a list of the traditional counties, with their normal abbreviations, if any. Each one is preceded by its Chapman code, the standard 3 character abbreviation used by genealogists. For those interested in further researching the Counties of the UK, the list below links to the relevant county page at GENUKI.

NB: These links change frequently. If you should come across a link that no longer works, please let me know:

BDF Bedfordshire (Beds.)
BRK Berkshire (Berks.)
BKM Buckinghamshire (Bucks.)
CAM Cambridgeshire (Cambs.)
CHS Cheshire (Ches.)
CON Cornwall (none)
CUL Cumberland (Cumb.)
DBY Derbyshire (Derbys.)
DEV Devonshire (Devon)
DOR Dorsetshire (Dorset)
DUR County Durham (Durham or Co. Durham)
ESS Essex (none)
GLS Gloucestershire (Gloucs. or Glos.)
HAM Hampshire (Hants.)
HEF Herefordshire (Hereford)
HRT Hertfordshire (Herts.)
HUN Huntingdonshire (Hunts.)
KEN Kent (none)
LAN Lancashire (Lancs.)
LEI Leicestershire (Leics.)
LIN Lincolnshire (Lincs.)
LND London (none)
MDX Middlesex (Middx.)
NFK Norfolk (none)
NTH Northamptonshire (Northants.)
NBL Northumberland (none)
NTT Nottinghamshire (Notts.)
OXF Oxfordshire (Oxon.)
RUT Rutland (none)
SAL Shropshire (Salop)
SOM Somersetshire (Somerset or Somt.)
STS Staffordshire (Staffs.)
SFK Suffolk (none)
SRY Surrey (none)
SSX Sussex (SX)
WAR Warwickshire (Warks.)
WES Westmorland (Wmld.)
WIL Wiltshire (Wilts.)
WOR Worcestershire (Worcs.)
YKS Yorkshire (Yorks.)

In addition, two other well-known areas have at times (pre-1974) had their own county councils. These are London (Chapman code LND) and the Isle of Wight (IOW, Chapman code IOW). Also, Monmouthshire (Mon., Chapman code MON), now in Wales, was for several centuries legally a part of England (but not legitimately in the view of many Welsh people).

A coloured map showing the locations of these counties can be seen on the main GENUKI web site here, as well as those of Scotland and Wales, with their Chapman codes (the genealogist's three character reference).

Also shown on the GENUKI map are the administrative sub-divisions of Lincolnshire, Suffolk, Sussex and Yorkshire. These sub-units were from 1888 to 1974 effectively independent counties. Lincolnshire was divided into three pieces, known as Parts of Holland, Parts of Kesteven and Parts of Lindsey (the full name being, for example Lincolnshire Parts of Holland). Suffolk was split into East Suffolk and West Suffolk, and Sussex similarly into East Sussex and West Sussex. Yorkshire, like Lincolnshire, was split into three pieces (in this case called ridings), their names being East Riding of Yorkshire (Chapman code ERY), North Riding of Yorkshire (Chapman code NRY) and West Riding of Yorkshire (Chapman code WRY).

The north eastern part of the traditional county of Northamptonshire (shown on the GENUKI map as being the northern part of Huntingdonshire) was from 1888 until some time between 1923 and 1965 also an independent county known as The Soke of Peterborough; it later became a part of Northamptonshire and was transferred to Huntingdonshire in 1965. Also an independent county for most of that period was the northern part of Cambridgeshire (called The Isle of Ely), and also London (until somewhat later).