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List of United Kingdom county nicknames

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This is a list of nicknames for counties of the United Kingdom. This includes the counties of England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales. Counties are only included if they have a nickname.

List

County Nickname Origins and notes
Bedfordshire Clangers From Bedfordshire clangers
Berkshire Berks
The Royal County
Shortening of Berkshire
Due to Windsor Castle being in the county
Berwickshire Duns-shire Due to Duns being the county town
Buckinghamshire Bucks Shortening of Buckinghamshire
Cambridgeshire Cambs Shortening of Cambridgeshire
Carmarthenshire Carms / Sir Gar Shortening of Carmarthenshire / Welsh for Carmarthenshire
Ceredigion Cardiganshire Ceredigion is from the ancient kingdom but Cardiganshire is sometimes colloquially used instead
Clackmannanshire Clacks Shortening of Clackmannanshire
Cornwall Kernow Cornish name for Cornwall
County Antrim The Glenmen From the Glens of Antrim
County Armagh The Orchard County
The Cathedral County
Due to large number of orchards
Due to the Primate of All Ireland being based in the county
County Down The Mourne County From the Mourne Mountains
County Fermanagh The Maguire County From the Medieval Lord, Baron Maguire
County Londonderry The Oak-Leaf County Derry, an anglicisation of Doire, is Irish for oak grove, leading to an oak leaf being used on the county crest
County Tyrone The Red Hand County From the Red Hand of Ulster on the county's GAA crest
Derbyshire Derbys Shortening of Derbyshire
Denbighshire / Sir Ddinbych Denbs / Ddinbych Shortening of Denbighshire / Shorthand from Welsh
Fife Kingdom of Fife Referring to the old Kingdom of Fife
Flintshire / Sir y Fflint Flints / Fflint Shortening of Flintshire / Shorthand from Welsh
Gloucestershire Glos Shortening of Gloucestershire
Hampshire Hants Shortening of Hampshire
Hertfordshire Herts Shortening of Hertfordshire
Isle of Anglesey / Ynys Môn Môn Shortened from the Welsh name for Anglesey
Kent The Garden of England From the county's produce of fruit and agricultural crops
Kincardineshire The Mearns From the Anglicisation of the Scots Gaelic word for The Stewartry
Lancashire The Red Rose County From the red rose symbol of the Duchy of Lancaster
Leicestershire Leics Shortening of Leicestershire
Lincolnshire Lincs Shortening of Lincolnshire
Middlesex Middx Shortening of Middlesex
Monmouthshire / Sir Fynwy Mons / Fynwy Shortening of Monmouthshire / Shorthand from Welsh
Northamptonshire Northants Shortening of Northamptonshire
Northumberland Northd Shortening of Northumberland
Nottinghamshire Notts Shortening of Nottinghamshire
Oxfordshire Oxon Shortening of Oxfordshire
Peeblesshire Tweeddale Due to being part of the district of Tweeddale
Pembrokeshire / Sir Benfro Pembs / Benfro Shortening of Pembrokeshire / Shorthand from Welsh
Shetland Zetland From the archaic spelling for Shetland
Shropshire Salop From old abbreviations for Shropshire
Staffordshire Staffs Shortening of Staffordshire
Sussex Sx Shortening of Sussex
Warwickshire Warks Abbreviation for Warwickshire
Wiltshire Wilts Shortening of Wiltshire
Worcestershire Worcs Shortening of Worcestershire
Yorkshire God's Own County Self-proclaimed

See also