Let’s settle it:
if we exclude Rutland (doesn’t end in shire) and Middlesex (ends in “sex,” not shire). But my list above gave 25. The error: Devonshire and Dorsetshire are still historic, but sometimes counted as Devon and Dorset. So to avoid double-counting, the accepted number among historians is 24 historic shire counties . Final Clear Answer | Type of county | Number ending in “-shire” | |----------------|---------------------------| | Ceremonial (modern) | 22 | | Historic (traditional) | 24 | how many counties in england end with shire
The most common answer given in quizzes and general knowledge is , referring to the historic counties. The discrepancy arises because some ceremonial counties like Devon and Dorset dropped the “-shire,” while historic ones retain it. Why “-shire”? The suffix comes from Old English scir , meaning an administrative district. Shires were originally governed by a sheriff ( shire reeve ). Most shires were named after their county town (e.g., Gloucester → Gloucestershire), but some (like Devon, Cornwall, Kent) never used the suffix or dropped it. Let’s settle it: if we exclude Rutland (doesn’t