Type details for Scottish County

Type:Scottish County
Identifier:SCO_CNTY
Number of units in system:
41
Geographical Level: 7 (County)
ADL Feature Type:countries, 2nd order divisions
May have as parts: Scottish Burgh/District , Scottish Poor Law Combination , Local Govt. Ward , New Town , 1841 Occupation reporting area , Scottish Parish
May have preceded: District/Unitary Authority
Possible status values: Scottish County of City (ScoCofC)

Full Description:

Counties were administrative areas in Scotland from later medieval times until 1975. Initially the unit was a judicial one, the sheriffdom. Sheriffs were local judges and crown officials appointed from the 12th century until the present day. A sheriffdom consisted of a group of parishes over which the sheriff had jurisdiction. In the mid-nineteenth century the boundaries of some counties and sheriffdoms were to diverge. Many important series of records in Scotland are arranged by county (SCAN).