Jim Walton wrote: > Unfortunately, most of my English ancestors came to America in the 16 > and 1700s. I guess I may have to do some digging when I start > researching there seriously so that I can find the original locations. > That is the way I feel they should appear in a genealogical document. > It is history, not current events. I will sometimes put a note in that > indicates that there were no counties at the time and then give the > current location. > > On Mon, Jan 25, 2010 at 9:43 AM, Rick Bowden <[email protected]> > wrote: >> Jim, >> The information you had was correct. Southampton was the county >> name. Hampshire is an abbreviation for Southamptonshire , it's such a >> mouthful to say , unlike Northamptonshire which is much easier. On >> BMD certificates it would be written as the county of Southampton. >> Ron's county of Lancashire is written as the county of Lancaster and >> many shire counties take their names from the county town or seat of >> administration. The problem with many modern publications is that >> they show the situation as it is today. I think it was about 1961 >> that Southampton became a unitary authority and thus was removed >> from the county structure and now the county seat for Hampshire is >> Winchester , the old capital of England.
Jim, If you are referring to England, then we did have counties at that time. I wouldn't know about America though. Indeed there are references to what may have started the counties, frequently earldoms, such as the Earldom of Cheshire mentioned in the Domesday Book cir 1086. The Hundreds and Wapentakes were subdivisions of the counties, although their boundaries may not have been exactly coterminous. Rick referred to my own county of Lancashire of Which Lancaster is the county town, although Preston is now the administrative centre. Lancashire is in fact one of the three (four if Cornwall is counted) remaining County Palatines, ruled by a count palatine, or in the case of Lancashire a Duke - our Queen Elizabeth. The county palatines were established in the 11 century, so our counties do go back a fair bit! Ron Ferguson _____________________________________________________ Create your Website with Legacy, see Tutorials at: http://www.fergys.co.uk Includes the family tree for Alan J Grimshaw http://www.fergys.co.uk/Grimshaw/ For The Fergusons of N.W. England http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/fergys/ ____________________________________________________ Legacy User Group guidelines: http://www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/Etiquette.asp Archived messages after Nov. 21 2009: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ Archived messages from old mail server - before Nov. 21 2009: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ Online technical support: http://www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/Help.asp To unsubscribe: http://www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/LegacyLists.asp
