The relationship between modern administrative areas and traditional or ceremonial counties is not always straightforward. Boundaries have shifted over time, some authorities span more than one historic county, and different organisations use different conventions. Because of this, any attempt to create a single, definitive mapping will inevitably involve judgement calls. This page summarises the main areas where our county list contains unavoidable ambiguities or where reasonable people may disagree on the “correct” answer. The aim here is not to take a position in long‑standing debates about county identity. Instead, the goal is to document known complexities openly and explain the reasoning behind the choices made. This is an emotive topic for many, and we recognise that no single approach will satisfy every perspective.
The borough of Stockton‑on‑Tees is split by the River Tees. The area south of the river lies in the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire, while the area north lies in County Durham. Because a dictionary cannot contain two identical keys, only one mapping can be represented directly. This is a technical limitation rather than a judgement about the county boundary itself.
Northern Ireland’s 11 local government districts do not align neatly with the six traditional counties. Several districts span more than one historic county, including:
In each case, the mapping selects the county most commonly associated with the district or the one that represents the largest share of its area. These decisions are pragmatic rather than definitive.
Belfast historically spans both County Antrim and County Down. The mapping assigns it to Antrim because this is the more widely used convention in contemporary datasets. However, the dual identity is well‑established and acknowledged.
Rutland has been its own ceremonial county since 1997, when it was re-established as a unitary authority. However, as England's smallest county it contains very few parkrun events. Listing it separately would create an isolated category that offers little practical value when planning which events to attend.
For this reason, Rutland is grouped with Leicestershire. This is a deliberate pragmatic choice rather than a denial of Rutland's county status, and we acknowledge that purists may reasonably disagree.
A small number of districts across the UK sit on historic boundaries or contain areas with different traditional affiliations. Examples include Strabane (historically Tyrone but now part of a Londonderry‑named district) and parts of the Tees Valley. In these cases, the mapping follows the most consistent ceremonial or lieutenancy interpretation available.
The primary goal of this dataset is consistency and practical usability. Where boundaries are contested or overlapping, the mapping favours:
These principles help maintain a stable and transparent approach, even where the underlying geography is complex.
We welcome feedback from users who have insights into specific areas or who can provide additional context on county identities. If you have information that could help refine the mappings or if you notice any errors, please get in touch through the contact page.