Scotland was, until 1975, divided into counties for the purposes of local government and other government functions such as the lieutenancy. The counties originated prior to the union of Scotland with England and Wales, and continued as both administrative and ceremonial units until their abolition in 1975 by the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, when they were replaced with regions and districts and the areas for Lieutenancy. ... 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1975 calendar). ... Ensign of the Lord-Lieutenant The title Lord-Lieutenant is given to the British monarchs personal representatives around the United Kingdom. ... Wikimedia Commons has media related to: England Travel guide to England from Wikitravel English language English law English (people) List of monarchs of England – Kings of England family tree List of English people Angeln (region in northern Germany, presumably the origin of the Angles for whom England is named) UK... National motto: Cymru am byth (Welsh: Wales for ever) Waless location relative to the some of the British Isles (other parts of the UK shown on the map are in pink). ... The nine Regions of Scotland were established under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 as the uppermost tier of local government in Scotland. ... The Lieutenancy areas of Scotland are the areas used for ceremonial purposes such as Lord Lieutenancy. ...

The counties remained in use in adapted form as postal counties until 1996; now their main use is traditional. Some of the names have been revived for the post-1996 council areas and some of their areas remain in use as Lieutenancy areas and area committees of the present councils. The Scottish Land Register is organised by counties, but includes Glasgow seperately and combines Orkney and Shetland. The postal counties of the United Kingdom, now known officially as the former postal counties, were subdivisions of the UK in routine use by the Royal Mail until 1996. ... The word tradition, comes from the Latin word traditio which means to hand down or to hand over. ... The council areas of Scotland form the local government areas of Scotland, all of them unitary authorities. ... The Lieutenancy areas of Scotland are the areas used for ceremonial purposes such as Lord Lieutenancy. ... Many large British councils have a system of area committees, with responsibility for services in particular part of the area covered by the council. ... Glasgow (or Glaschu in Gaelic) is Scotlands largest city and unitary council, situated on the River Clyde in the countrys west central lowlands. ... The Orkney Islands form one of 32 unitary council regions in Scotland, and are a Lieutenancy Area. ... See Shetland (disambiguation) for other meanings. ...

The counties had their origin in the sheriffdoms created as administrative divisions in Scotland generally in the 12th century and 13th century, based on the English model of shires. [1] (11th century - 12th century - 13th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 12th century was that century which lasted from 1101 to 1200. ... (12th century - 13th century - 14th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 13th century was that century which lasted from 1201 to 1300. ... For information on the fictional Shire of J. R. R. Tolkiens The Lord of the Rings, see Shire (Middle-earth) A shire is an administrative area of Great Britain. ...

Original counties

The original counties were as follows:

It may be noted that the map depicts a large number of exclaves of counties, physically detatched from the county that they were politically deemed to be part of. Cromartyshire is particularly fragmentary, and its borders were achieved as late as 1685. D is Bs exclave, but is not an enclave. ... Cromartyshire (Siorrachd Chromba in Gaelic) is a traditional county in the north of Scotland, consisting of a series of enclaves within Ross-shire. ... Events February 6 - James Stuart, Duke of York becomes King James II of England and Ireland and King James VII of Scotland. ...

Several counties had alternate names

• Angus / Forfarshire
• Moray / Elginshire
• East Lothian / Haddingtonshire
• Midlothian / Edinburghshire
• West Lothian / Linlithgowshire

Dunbartonshire was also spelt 'Dumbartonshire' - the latter form would be more regular, as the county town remains Dumbarton. Kirkcudbrightshire was (and is) commonly called the 'Stewartry of Kirkcudbright', or just 'the Stewartry'. Dumbarton (Dùn Breatainn in Scottish Gaelic) is a burgh in Scotland, lying on the north bank of the River Clyde where the River Leven flows into the Clyde estuary. ...

Counties from 1890-1975

The Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889 established county councils in Scotland. Unlike in England and Wales, where corresponding legislation created new entities called administrative counties, the Act amended the existing counties, including merging Ross-shire and Cromartyshire into Ross and Cromarty, and set up a boundary commission to make further changes as necessary. Generally speaking, exclaves were abolished, the only significant exclave left untouched being the part of Dunbartonshire between Stirlingshire and Lanarkshire. The Local Government (Scotland) Act 1888 (52 & 53 Vict. ... In the British Isles, a county council is a council that governs a county. ... Wikimedia Commons has media related to: England Travel guide to England from Wikitravel English language English law English (people) List of monarchs of England – Kings of England family tree List of English people Angeln (region in northern Germany, presumably the origin of the Angles for whom England is named) UK... National motto: Cymru am byth (Welsh: Wales for ever) Waless location relative to the some of the British Isles (other parts of the UK shown on the map are in pink). ... An administrative county is an administrative area in the British Isles. ... Ross-shire (Siorrachd Rois in Gaelic), or simply Ross, is a traditional county of Scotland bordering on Sutherland, Cromartyshire (of which it contains many enclaves), Inverness-shire and on an exclave of Nairnshire. ... Cromartyshire (Siorrachd Chromba in Gaelic) is a traditional county in the north of Scotland, consisting of a series of enclaves within Ross-shire. ... Ross and Cromarty: administrative county (1889-1975) Image:RossCromDistrict. ... D is Bs exclave, but is not an enclave. ... Dunbartonshire is one of the Traditional counties of Scotland, in that part of the country formerly called Lennox (which was a title of nobility). ... Stirlingshire (Siorrachd Sruighlea in Gaelic) is a traditional county of Scotland, based around Stirling, the traditional county town. ... Lanarkshire (Siorrachd Lannraig in Gaelic) is a traditional county of Scotland. ...

The administrative counties excluded from their area the four 'counties of cities' in Scotland - Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow. These are not shown on the map below as separate entities. ... Aberdeens location in Scotland Aberdeen (Scottish Gaelic: Obar Dheathain) is Scotlands third largest city, with a population of 212,125, and the greatest part of the unitary council area named the City of Aberdeen, which is surrounded by, but not within, the Aberdeenshire council area. ... The Royal Burgh of Dundee (Dùn Dèagh in Scots Gaelic) is Scotlands fourth largest city, population 154,674 (2001), situated on the north bank of the Firth of Tay. ... Edinburgh (pronounced ), Dùn Èideann () in Scottish Gaelic, is the second-largest city in Scotland and its capital city. ... Glasgow (or Glaschu in Gaelic) is Scotlands largest city and unitary council, situated on the River Clyde in the countrys west central lowlands. ...

The Local Government (Scotland) Act 1929 created two joint county councils covering Perthshire and Kinross-shire, and Morayshire and Nairnshire, but retained residual Nairnshire and Kinross-shire county councils. [2] Under the same act parish councils throughout Scotland were abolished in 1930. The Local Government (Scotland) Act 1929 created two joint county councils covering Perthshire and Kinross-shire, and Morayshire and Nairnshire, but retained residual Nairnshire and Kinross-shire county councils. ... Perthshire is an traditional county in central Scotland, which extends from Strathmore in the east, to the Pass of Drumochter in the north, Rannoch Moor and Ben Lui in the west, and Aberfoyle in the south. ... Kinross-shire is a small traditional county of Scotland. ... Morayshire or Elginshire (Siorrachd Mhoireibh in Gaelic) is one of the traditional counties of Scotland, bordering Nairnshire to the west, Inverness-shire to the south, and Banffshire to the east. ... Nairnshire (Siorrachd Inbhir Narann in Gaelic) is a small traditional county of Scotland, centred around Nairn, the traditional county town. ...

See also

• List of burghs in Scotland
• Regions of Scotland
• Lieutenancy areas of Scotland
• Subdivisions of Scotland
• List of places in Scotland

A burgh (pronounced burruh) is the Scots language equivalent of the English language borough. ... The nine Regions of Scotland were established under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 as the uppermost tier of local government in Scotland. ... The Lieutenancy areas of Scotland are the areas used for ceremonial purposes such as Lord Lieutenancy. ... The 32 council areas of Scotland form the local government areas of Scotland, all of them unitary authorities. ... List of burghs in Scotland List of cities in the United Kingdom Lists of places within Scottish regions List of places in Orkney List of places in Shetland List of places in the Borders region of Scotland List of places in the Central region of Scotland List of places in...

External links

• Website with information on the Counties
• Association of British Counties
• Family history links to traditional counties of Scotland
• Map of [Administrative] Counties of England Scotland & Wales prior to the 1974 changes
• Administrative Areas of Scotland