G.B.

[zabado]

If Yorkshire is the shire of York,Worcestershire is the shire of Worcester & Lincolnshire is the shire of Lincoln. Where the hell is Hamp & Berk ?

[heathfield]

Old English ''Hamm'' or ''Homm'' = water meadow, so Hampshire is the shire of the water meadows.
Berkshire, supposedly from a 9th century town within the present county named Berocsire.
Simples!

[Jonathan-Joe]

Hampshire was originally Southamptonshire, named after, would you believe, Southampton. http://www.visionofbr...ge.jsp?text_id=929180

[Jonathan-Joe]

I've looked at a couple of reference books and discovered that the county may have been called "Hamptonshire" rather that "Southamptonshire" but that city was the source of the name.

[zabado]

Thanks heathfield & jonathan-joe for your answers.Knowledge is a wonderful thing and I love learning. Ta!.