Jump to content

List of cities in the United Kingdom

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Examples of cities in the United Kingdom; Liverpool, Edinburgh, Worcester; and London.

This is a list of cities in the United Kingdom that are officially designated as such as of 12 November 2022.[1][2] It lists those places that have been granted city status by letters patent or royal charter.[3][4]

There are currently 76 such cities in the United Kingdom: 55 in England, eight in Scotland, seven in Wales, and six in Northern Ireland.[3] Of these, 24 in England, two in Wales, and two in Northern Ireland have Lord Mayors; four in Scotland have Lord Provosts.[a] In some cases, the area holding city status does not coincide with the built up area or conurbation of which it forms part. In Greater London, for example, the Cities of London and Westminster hold city status separately, but no other local authority in the London Region has been granted city status, nor has the Greater London Authority.

In other cases, such as the cities of Canterbury and Lancaster, the status applies to a local government district which extends over a number of towns and rural areas outside the main settlement proper.[5] In England, city status sometimes applies to civil parishes, such as with Ripon; though the status may not apply to the local government district which share their name. For example, the civil parishes of Lichfield and Chichester each hold city status, but Lichfield District and Chichester District in which they are situated do not.

As of 2022, there are currently five ceremonial counties which contain three cities – Cambridgeshire (Ely, Cambridge and Peterborough[b]), Essex, Hampshire, West Midlands and West Yorkshire. Outside the UK within British overseas cities of the British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies, there are currently five. The number increased as part of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations by the addition of Stanley in the Falkland Islands and Douglas in the Isle of Man.

History

[edit]

The earliest cities (Latin: civitas) in Britain were the fortified settlements organised by the Romans as capitals of the Celtic tribes under Roman rule. The British clerics of the early Middle Ages later preserved a traditional list of the "28 Cities" (Old Welsh: cair) which was mentioned in De Excidio Britanniae [c] and Historia Brittonum.[7]

The title of city was initially informal and, into the 20th century, royal charters were considered to recognise city status rather than grant it.[d] The usual criterion in early modern Britain was the presence of a cathedral, particularly after King Henry VIII granted letters patent establishing six new cities when he established a series of new dioceses of the Church of England in the 1540s as part of the English Reformation.[9] No new cities were created between the 16th and 19th centuries, but following the Industrial Revolution and the accompanying population boom and growth in urbanisation, new sees were established at Ripon (1836) and Manchester (1847); their councils began to style them cities immediately. Inverness in Scotland was refused a charter at the time of the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria honours of 1897, in part because it would have drawn more attention to the other traditional "cities" still not formally chartered as such.[5][page needed]

Beginning in the mid-19th century, however, the process became more formal. After a visit by Queen Victoria in 1851, Manchester petitioned Parliament for recognition of its status. Ripon followed in the 1860s, and a series of hitherto informal "cities" were formally recognised in the 1880s and 1890s. On the basis of its size, importance, and regular government, Belfast was elevated in spite of its lack of a cathedral in 1888; other large municipalities followed, while smaller applicants began to be rejected. King Edward VII and the Home Office established three criteria for future applicants in 1907: a minimum population of 300,000, a good record of local government, and a "local metropolitan character".[5][page needed] These criteria were not made public, however, and following Leicester's successful elevation in 1919, a series of exceptions were made. The Local Government Act 1972 effectively eliminated all authorities holding city status outside Greater London on 1 April 1974; most of their replacements were confirmed in their predecessor's status—even in cases such as the 1974–2023 City of Carlisle district, where much of the local authority area was undeveloped countryside—but the Borough of Medway was not permitted to continue Rochester's title. In recent times there have been competitions for new grants of city status. Towns or councils that claim city status or add "city" to their name have been rebuked by the Advertising Standards Authority.[10]

The cities of the Kingdom of Scotland and Kingdom of Ireland were treated separately. Scottish towns irregularly applied the description to themselves, but were formally organised as royal burghs; the special rights of these were preserved by Article XXI of the Treaty of Union which established the single state of the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707.[11] Edinburgh and Glasgow were confirmed as cities "by ancient usage" in the 18th century,[5][page needed] as was Aberdeen,[12] and this was later reconfirmed in the Act enlarging the burgh in 1891. Dundee was granted letters patent in 1889 and Elgin and Perth were recognised as cities by the Home Office in 1972, before the privilege was removed by the Scottish Local Government Act of 1973.[13] In Northern Ireland, only the seat of the Primate of All Ireland at Armagh was accorded city status by ancient usage, and this status was abolished by the Municipal Corporations (Ireland) Act 1840. All other cities have been those explicitly recognised as such.

Thirty-two cities have a Lord Provost (in Scotland) or a Lord Mayor (in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland), see List of lord mayoralties and lord provostships in the United Kingdom. The six cities where the Lord Mayor or Lord Provost has the right to the style The Right Honourable are York, the City of London, Edinburgh, Glasgow (since 1912), Belfast (since 1923), and Cardiff (since 1956).

Statistical role

[edit]

City status has little statistical significance in UK because it is not a measure of a city's size and only holds a ceremonial status. Historic cities, such as St Davids (a cathedral city in Wales) can be quite small, however newer cities, such as those conferred in 2022, can range in size from anywhere between 50,000 to over 200,000. Populous towns, such as Luton, Northampton and Reading, do not have city status.

Conurbations

[edit]

The term "city" is sometimes loosely applied to conurbations in the UK. The government tends to recognise these as primary urban areas for statistical and economic purposes, though greater urban areas are what most people determine to be a city region.[14] Large cities other than London, such as Manchester or Birmingham, are often confused with these conurbations. Manchester has a significantly lower population than Birmingham, though the Greater Manchester Built-up Area is more populous than the West Midlands conurbation.[15] This question of definition has provoked a second city debate in the United Kingdom.[citation needed]

Conversely, many official cities in the UK contain a substantial rural area encompassing settlements which are physically separated from the core urban area. The City of Milton Keynes (a unitary authority) and City of Colchester (non-metropolitan district) received letters patent which covered an area substantially larger than that of their respective core urban areas; this meant that extra-urban settlements such as the towns of Olney[16] and West Mersea fall within de jure cities.[17][18]

List of cities

[edit]
De facto[e] De jure[f]
City Statistical region Year granted
or confirmed
City[3][1] City council status Population
London London "time immemorial"[g] City of London[h] Sui generis and ceremonial county 8,799,800 (2021)
Westminster London 1540 City of Westminster[i] London borough [20] 213,119 (2023)[21]
Birmingham West Midlands 1889[22] City of Birmingham[j] Metropolitan borough 1,171,467 (2023)[21]
Leeds Yorkshire and the Humber 1893 City of Leeds[k] Metropolitan borough 829,417 (2023)[21]
Glasgow32
(Scots: Glesga)
(Scottish Gaelic: Glaschu)
Scotland mid-18th century[12]
(Burgh: 1492)
Glasgow Council area 620,700 (2022)[25]
Manchester North West England 1853[26] City of Manchester[k] Metropolitan borough 585,057 (2023)[27]
Sheffield Yorkshire and the Humber 1893 City of Sheffield[l] Metropolitan borough 579,082 (2023)[29]
Bradford Yorkshire and the Humber 1897 City of Bradford[k] Metropolitan borough 556,880 (2023)[30]
Edinburgh32
(Scottish Gaelic: Dùn Èideann)
Scotland mid-18th century[12]
(Burgh: 1329)
Edinburgh Council area 512,700 (2022)[25]
Liverpool North West England 1880 City of Liverpool[j] Metropolitan borough 504,932 (2023)[21]
Bristol South West England 1542 City of Bristol[k] Unitary authority and ceremonial county 482,815 (2023)[21]
Cardiff[m]
(Welsh: Caerdydd)
Wales 1905[n] Cardiff Principal area 381,759 (2023)[21]
Leicester East Midlands 1919[o] City of Leicester[k] Unitary authority 379,963 (2023)[36]
Coventry West Midlands 1102

("time immemorial")

City of Coventry[k] Metropolitan borough 368,483 (2023)[36]
Wakefield Yorkshire and the Humber 1888 City of Wakefield[l] Metropolitan borough 362,355 (2023)[36]
Belfast
(Irish: Béal Feirste)
(Ulster-Scots dialect: Bilfawst)
Northern Ireland 1888 Belfast 345,418 (2021)[37]
Nottingham East Midlands 1897 City of Nottingham[k] Unitary authority 330,949 (2023)[38]
Newcastle upon Tyne[k] North East England 1882 City of Newcastle upon Tyne[k] Metropolitan borough 315,110 (2023)[39]
Doncaster Yorkshire and the Humber 2022[40] City of Doncaster Metropolitan borough 314,252 (2023)[41]
Milton Keynes South East England 2022[42] City of Milton Keynes Unitary authority 297,180 (2023)[43]
Salford North West England 1926[44] City of Salford[k] Metropolitan borough 282,487 (2023)[43]
Sunderland North East England 1992 City of Sunderland[45] Metropolitan borough 279,556 (2023)[43]
Brighton and Hove South East England 2001 Brighton and Hove[46] Unitary authority 278,455 (2023)[47]
Wolverhampton West Midlands 2001 City of Wolverhampton[46] Metropolitan borough 271,173 (2023)[47]
Kingston upon Hull Yorkshire and the Humber 1897 City of Kingston upon Hull[p] Unitary authority 271,095 (2023)[47]
Plymouth South West England 1928[49] City of Plymouth[k] Unitary authority 267,888 (2023)[50]
Derby East Midlands 1977 City of Derby[51] Unitary authority 265,082 (2023)[50]
Stoke-on-Trent West Midlands 1925[52] City of Stoke-on-Trent[l] Unitary authority 261,867 (2023)[50]
Southampton South East England 1964 City of Southampton[k] Unitary authority 257,160 (2023)[50]
Swansea[m]
(Welsh: Abertawe)
Wales 1969[53] Swansea Principal area 245,440 (2023)[50]
Aberdeen32
(Scots: Aiberdeen)
(Scottish Gaelic: Obar Dheathain)
Scotland 1891[q]
(Burgh: 1179)
Aberdeen Council area 224,000 (2022)[54]
Peterborough East of England 1541 City of Peterborough[j] Unitary authority 218,179 (2023)[55]
Portsmouth South East England 192624 City of Portsmouth[k] Unitary authority 209,171 (2023)[56]
York Yorkshire and the Humber "time immemorial" City of York[k][r] Unitary authority 206,825 (2023)[56]
Colchester East of England 2022[57] City of Colchester Non-metropolitan borough 196,808 (2023)[56]
Chelmsford East of England 2012 City of Chelmsford[s] Non-metropolitan borough 185,288 (2023)[59]
Southend-on-Sea East of England 2022[60] City of Southend-on-Sea Unitary authority 182,278 (2023)[59]
Oxford South East England 1542 City of Oxford[k] Non-metropolitan borough 165,257 (2023)[21]
Newport
(Welsh: Casnewydd)
Wales 2002 Newport[61] Principal area 163,547 (2023)[62]
Canterbury South East England "time immemorial" City of Canterbury[l] Non-metropolitan borough 160,351 (2023)[63]
Preston North West England 2002 City of Preston[64] Non-metropolitan borough 155,634 (2023)[63]
Dundee[t]
(Scottish Gaelic: Dùn Dèagh)
Scotland 1889[u]
(Burgh: 1191)
Dundee Council area 148,100 (2022)[66]
Cambridge East of England 1951[67] City of Cambridge[l] Non-metropolitan borough 147,797 (2023)[68]
St Albans East of England 1877[69] St Albans City and District[v] Non-metropolitan borough 147,410 (2023)[68]
Lancaster North West, England 1937[71] City of Lancaster[k] Non-metropolitan borough 145,346 (2023)[68]
Norwich East of England 1094

("time immemorial")

City of Norwich[k] Non-metropolitan borough 144,251 (2023)[72]
Chester North West England 1541 (Cheshire West and Chester does not hold status)[l] Charter trustees[w] 138,873 (2021)[75]
Exeter South West England "time immemorial" City of Exeter[k] Non-metropolitan borough 137,462 (2023)[72]
Wrexham
(Welsh: Wrecsam)
Wales 2022[76] Wrexham County Borough Principal area 137,341 (2023)[21]
Gloucester South West, England 1541 City of Gloucester[k] Non-metropolitan borough 133,998 (2023)[77]
Winchester South East, England "time immemorial" City of Winchester[k] Non-metropolitan borough 132,341 (2023)[77]
Durham[k] North East, England "time immemorial" (County Durham does not hold status)[k] Charter trustees[w] 126,486 (2021)[78]
Carlisle North West, England 1133 ("time immemorial") (Cumberland does not hold status)[k] Charter trustees 110,024 (2021)[79]
Worcester West Midlands "time immemorial" City of Worcester[l] Non-metropolitan borough 104,589 (2023)[80]
Lincoln East Midlands 1072 ("time immemorial") City of Lincoln[l] Non-metropolitan borough 102,392 (2023)[80]
Bath South West, England 1090 ("time immemorial") (Bath and North East Somerset does not hold status)[k] Charter trustees 95,043 (2021)[81][82]
Derry[x]
(Irish: Doire)
(Ulster-Scots: Derrie)
Northern Ireland 1604[84] None Represented on Derry City and Strabane District Council 85,279 (2021)[85]
Dunfermline Scotland 2022[86] None None 76,210 (2020)[87]
Bangor
(Irish: Beannchar)
Northern Ireland 2022[88] None Represented on Ards and North Down Borough Council 64,596 (2021)[85]
Inverness
(Scots: Inerness)
(Scottish Gaelic: Inbhir Nis)
Scotland 2001 None None 63,730 (2020)[87]
Hereford West Midlands "time immemorial" Hereford parish[k][y] Civil parish 53,113 (2021)[89]
Lisburn
(Irish: Lios na gCearrbhach)
Northern Ireland 2002 None Represented on Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council 51,447 (2021)[90]
Stirling
(Scots: Stirlin)
(Scottish Gaelic: Sruighlea)
Scotland 2002 None None 49,950 (2020)[91]
Perth
(Scots: Pairth)
(Scottish Gaelic: Peairt)
Scotland 2012[92]
(Burgh: 12th century)[94]
None None 47,350 (2020)[95]
Salisbury South West England 1227 Salisbury parish[z] Civil parish[w] 41,552 (2021)[97]
Lichfield West Midlands "time immemorial" Lichfield parish[aa] Civil parish 32,580 (2021)[100]
Chichester South East England 1075
("time immemorial")
Chichester parish[k] Civil parish 29,407 (2021)[101]
Newry
(Irish: Iúr Cinn Trá)
(Ulster-Scots: Newrie)
Northern Ireland 2002 None Represented on Newry, Mourne and Down District Council 28,530 (2021)[102]
Truro
(Cornish: Truru)
South West England 1877 Truro parish[k] Civil parish 21,046 (2021)[103]
Ely East of England 1109[104]
("time immemorial")
Ely parish[k] Civil parish 20,574 (2021)[105]
Ripon Yorkshire and the Humber 1865 Ripon parish[k] Civil parish 16,590 (2021)[106]
Armagh[ab]
(Irish: Ard Mhacha)
(Ulster-Scots: Airmagh)
Northern Ireland 1994 None Represented on Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council 16,310 (2021)[107]
Bangor Wales "time immemorial" Bangor community[k] Community 15,060 (2021)[108]
Wells South West England "time immemorial" Wells parish[k] Civil parish 11,145 (2021)[109]
St Asaph
(Welsh: Llanelwy)
Wales 2012 St Asaph community[s] Community 3,485 (2021)[110]
St Davids
(Welsh: Tyddewi)
Wales 1994 St Davids and the Cathedral Close[ac] Community 1,751 (2021)[114]

Map of the cities

[edit]

The map shows the 76 cities in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and one Crown Dependency, Douglas in the Isle of Man.

Map of cities and their local government boundaries
Map Key
Map

Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies

[edit]

The British Overseas Territories and the Crown Dependencies do not form part of the United Kingdom but are part of its sovereign territory. Association of city status with cathedrals ended in 1865.[115] There are presently five cities in Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies.[116]

City Territory and region Year granted
or confirmed
Population
(census date)
Gibraltar Gibraltar
Southwestern Europe
1842[117][118] 32,194 (2012)
Douglas
(Manx: Doolish)
Isle of Man
Irish Sea
2022[119] 27,938 (2011)
Stanley Falkland Islands
South Atlantic Ocean
2022[120] 2,460 (2016)
Hamilton Bermuda
North Atlantic Ocean
1897 854 (2016)
Jamestown, St Helena St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha
South Atlantic Ocean
1859 629 (2016)

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ See List of lord mayoralties and lord provostships in the United Kingdom.
  2. ^ Peterborough was in Northamptonshire from the middle ages until 1974
  3. ^ De Excidio Britanniae, §3. (in Latin) Cited in the "Civitas" entry of Celtic Culture.[6]
  4. ^ The 11th edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica, for instance, listed St Asaph and Southwell as cities on the basis of their cathedrals despite their lack of charters or, in Southwell's case, local government.[8][page needed]
  5. ^ De facto - named city settlement
  6. ^ De jure - entity with city status
  7. ^ meaning before 1189, the official start of English common law
  8. ^ the City of London covers only the "square mile", and is usually just referred to as "the City". The larger conurbation of Greater London has no city charter, and consists of the City of London, the City of Westminster and 31 other London boroughs.
  9. ^ The title of City was used "by courtesy" after 1550 when Westminster ceased to be the see of a bishop. By Letters Patent dated 27 October 1900 city status was conferred on the newly created Metropolitan Borough of Westminster from 1 November.[19] This status was continued on the creation of the City of Westminster as a London borough in 1965.
  10. ^ a b c City status confirmed by Letters Patent issued under the Great Seal dated 25 June 1974.[23]
  11. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae City status confirmed by Letters Patent issued under the Great Seal dated 1 April 1974.[24]
  12. ^ a b c d e f g h City status confirmed by Letters Patent issued under the Great Seal dated 28 May 1974.[28]
  13. ^ a b Letters Patent under the Great Seal were issued on 29 March 1996 ordaining that the counties of Swansea and Cardiff should have the status of cities from 1 April 1996. The counties replaced the previous district councils which had enjoyed city status.[31]
  14. ^ The Letters Patent also granted the title of Lord Mayor.[32]
  15. ^ A letter from the Home Secretary to the Mayor of Leicester dated 14 June 1919, confirming that the city status would be bestowed, noted that this was a "restoration to your ancient town of its former status of a city".[33][34][35]
  16. ^ City Status confirmed by Letters Patent issued under the Great Seal dated 18 March 1975.[48]
  17. ^ Burghs of Old Aberdeen and Woodside and the district of Torry incorporated as the City and Royal Burgh of Aberdeen by the Aberdeen Corporation Act 1891 (54 & 55 Vict. c. cxxiv).
  18. ^ Letters Patent under the Great Seal conferring City Status were issued to the unitary authority of York on 1 April 1996, confirming the right of the Lord Mayor to be styled "Right Honourable", in continuation to those granted to the previous City Council abolished 31 March 1996.[31]
  19. ^ a b Letters Patent dated 1 June 2012 "to ordain that the Town of Chelmsford in the County of Essex and the Town of St Asaph in the County of Denbighshire shall have the status of a City".[58]
  20. ^ The present council areas are designated "cities" by virtue of the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994, which also reserves the post of Lord Provost for the convener of the four councils. The previous local government districts and district councils created by the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 enjoyed the same privileges
  21. ^ Warrant issued 28 January 1889 that Letters Patent be issued under the Seal appointed by the treaty of union to be used in place of the Great Seal of Scotland, ordaining and declaring that the Burgh of Dundee shall be a City, and shall be called and styled "The City of Dundee".[65]
  22. ^ City status was confirmed by Letters Patent dated 9 July 1974.[70] The city status extends to the entire district, although the district council calls itself "St Albans District Council" or "St Albans City and District"
  23. ^ a b c The status of these cities changed on 1 April 2009 due to local government reforms. Salisbury became a civil parish, while charter trustees were formed for the former district council areas of Chester and Durham in the new unitary authorities of Cheshire West and Chester and County Durham respectively.[73][74]
  24. ^ Legally, the city and county are called "Londonderry", while the local government district is called "Derry". See Derry/Londonderry name dispute.[83]
  25. ^ City status was conferred on Hereford Town Council 11 October 2000.[76] The status had previously been confirmed to the district council formed in 1974. When that council was abolished in 1996 charter trustees were formed for the City of Hereford. On the formation of a town council for Hereford in April 2000 the charter trustees were dissolved, and the city status temporarily lapsed.
  26. ^ Letters Patent 1 April 2009[96] City status had been held prior to this date and, since 1974, by the Charter Trustees of the City of New Sarum (The city of Salisbury's formal name was New Sarum c.f. Old Sarum from 1227 until 2009)
  27. ^ Letters Patent dated 4 November 1980. A town council had been constituted in 1980 leading to the dissolution of the Charter Trustees of the City of Lichfield.[98][99]
  28. ^ Armagh had previously enjoyed city status, with St Patrick's Cathedral the seat of the metropolitan primate of all Ireland. The city status was lost in 1840 when the city corporation was abolished. However, the successor urban district council and district council frequently used the title of city without official sanction prior to 1994.
  29. ^ St David's historically had city status because of the presence of St David's Cathedral. In 1849 it was noted that the city had no municipal corporation: There was however a recognised "city" in which a mayor had limited jurisdiction.[111] A Royal Commission appointed in 1876 reported that the corporation had long been extinct, and the city was formally abolished in 1886 under the provisions of the Municipal Corporations Act 1883.[112] Letters Patent dated 16 September 1994 ordained that the "Town of St. David's shall have the status of a City".[113]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Weaver, Matthew (1 March 2022). "'I will tell my grandchildren': Southend celebrates city status". The Guardian.
  2. ^ West, Robby; McMenemy, Rachael (1 March 2022). "Southend ready to celebrate city status granted by Queen". BBC News.
  3. ^ a b c "UK Government Web Archive". webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk. Retrieved 26 December 2023.
  4. ^ McClatchey, Caroline (22 June 2011). "Why do towns want to become cities?". BBC News. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
  5. ^ a b c d e Beckett (2005).
  6. ^ John T Koch, ed. (2006). "Civitas". Celtic Culture: A Historical Encyclopedia. Vol. I. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO. p. 451. ISBN 978-1-85109-440-0.
  7. ^ Nennius (Traditional attribution) (1898) [Composed after AD 830], "VI. Civitates Britanniae", in Mommsen, Theodore (ed.), Chronica Minora, Monumenta Germaniae Historica, Auctorum Antiquissimi xiii (in Latin), Berlin: Weidmann – via Latin Wikisource
  8. ^ Encyclopædia Britannica, 11th ed. 1911.
  9. ^ Beckett (2005), p. 22.
  10. ^ "ASA Adjudication on Medway Council". Asa.org.uk. 16 March 2011. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  11. ^ ""Act of Union", §XXI". Kingdoms of England and Scotland. Archived from the original on 26 February 2015.. 16 January 1707.
  12. ^ a b c Beckett (2005), p. 16.
  13. ^ Clark, M. Lynda & al. "Committee on Privileges Second Report", Appendix 3, ss58. Parliament of the United Kingdom (London), 1999.
  14. ^ Swinney, Paul (12 July 2021). "Does how we define cities change our understanding of them?". The Centre for Cities.
  15. ^ "2011 Census: KS101EW Usual resident population, local authorities in England and Wales". Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 8 January 2013.
  16. ^ "Milton Keynes celebrates City status". The Royal Family. 23 February 2023.
  17. ^ Milton Keynes City Council (December 2021). "Milton Keynes city status application" (PDF).
  18. ^ Colchester City Council (November 2022). "Colchester City Status".
  19. ^ "No. 27242". The London Gazette. 30 October 1900. p. 6613.
  20. ^ Though Westminster technically became part of Greater London in the 1960’s, Westminster has not lost its own separate city status, thus making Westminster a city within a city.
  21. ^ a b c d e f g h "Admin-based population estimates for local authorities in England and Wales". Office for National Statistics. 18 December 2023. Retrieved 29 December 2023. Admin-based population estimates are official statistics in development while we refine methods and data sources. They do not replace our official mid-year population estimates and should not be used for decision making.
  22. ^ From the London Gazette, 18 January 1889, The Times, 19 January 1889
  23. ^ "No. 46303". The London Gazette. 28 June 1974. pp. 6485–6486.
  24. ^ "No. 46255". The London Gazette. 4 April 1974. pp. 4400–4401.
  25. ^ a b "Scotland's Census 2022 – Rounded population estimates – data". Scotland's Census. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
  26. ^ "No. 21426". The London Gazette. 1 April 1853. p. 950.
  27. ^ "Admin-based population estimates for local authorities in England and Wales". Office for National Statistics. 18 December 2023. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  28. ^ "No. 46303". The London Gazette. 31 May 1974. p. 6485.
  29. ^ "Admin-based population estimates for local authorities in England and Wales". Office for National Statistics. 18 December 2023. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  30. ^ "2011 Census: KS101EW Usual resident population, local authorities in England and Wales". Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 8 January 2013.
  31. ^ a b "No. 54363". The London Gazette. 4 April 1996. p. 4925.
  32. ^ "No. 27849". The London Gazette. 31 October 1905. p. 7249.
  33. ^ "Leicester, a City: Sequel to the Recent Royal Visit". The Times. 17 June 1919.
  34. ^ "Civic history: The making of a City". Leicester City Council. Archived from the original on 23 March 2008. Retrieved 14 February 2008.
  35. ^ Williams, Daniel. "Leicester: The Dignity of a City 655–1926, Leicester's city status, its loss and its regaining over thirteen centuries".
  36. ^ a b c "Admin-based population estimates for local authorities in England and Wales". Office for National Statistics. 18 December 2023. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  37. ^ "Census 2021 main statistics demography tables – age and sex". Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency. 7 September 2022. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
  38. ^ "Admin-based population estimates for local authorities in England and Wales". Office for National Statistics. 18 December 2023. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  39. ^ "Admin-based population estimates for local authorities in England and Wales". Office for National Statistics. 18 December 2023. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  40. ^ @LieutenancySY (9 November 2022). "'Honoured to host Their Majesties King Charles III and The Queen Consort Camilla in #Doncaster today for the letters patent ceremony to grant City status.'" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  41. ^ "Admin-based population estimates for local authorities in England and Wales". Office for National Statistics. 18 December 2023. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  42. ^ "No. 63791". The London Gazette. 18 August 2022. p. 15822.
  43. ^ a b c "Admin-based population estimates for local authorities in England and Wales". Office for National Statistics. 18 December 2023. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  44. ^ "No. 33154". The London Gazette. 23 April 1926. pp. 2776–2777.
  45. ^ "No. 52874". The London Gazette. 26 March 1992. p. 5413.
  46. ^ a b "No. 56109". The London Gazette. 2 May 2001. p. 1431.
  47. ^ a b c "Admin-based population estimates for local authorities in England and Wales". Office for National Statistics. 18 December 2023. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  48. ^ "No. 46522". The London Gazette. 20 March 1975. p. 3729.
  49. ^ "No. 33433". The London Gazette. 26 October 1928. p. 6850.
  50. ^ a b c d e "Admin-based population estimates for local authorities in England and Wales". Office for National Statistics. 18 December 2023. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  51. ^ "No. 47246". The London Gazette. 14 June 1977. p. 7656.
  52. ^ "No. 33063". The London Gazette. 3 July 1925. p. 4449.
  53. ^ "No. 44986". The London Gazette. 12 December 1969. p. 12450.
  54. ^ "Scotland's Census 2022 – Rounded population estimates – data". Scotland's Census. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
  55. ^ "Admin-based population estimates for local authorities in England and Wales". Office for National Statistics. 18 December 2023. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  56. ^ a b c "Admin-based population estimates for local authorities in England and Wales". Office for National Statistics. 18 December 2023. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  57. ^ "Crown Office – The Gazette". 29 September 2022. The Late Queen was pleased by Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the Realm dated 5 September 2022 to ordain that the Borough of Colchester shall have the status of a City.
  58. ^ "No. 60167". The London Gazette. 11 June 2012. p. 11125.
  59. ^ a b "Admin-based population estimates for local authorities in England and Wales". Office for National Statistics. 18 December 2023. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  60. ^ @RoyalFamily (1 March 2022). "Today The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall were in Southend to celebrate its new city status, which was made official after the formal presentation of 'Letters Patent' on behalf of The Queen" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  61. ^ "No. 56573". The London Gazette. 21 May 2002. p. 6160.
  62. ^ "Admin-based population estimates for local authorities in England and Wales". Office for National Statistics. 18 December 2023. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  63. ^ a b "Admin-based population estimates for local authorities in England and Wales". Office for National Statistics. 18 December 2023. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  64. ^ "No. 56573". The London Gazette. 21 May 2002. p. 6160.
  65. ^ London Gazette, 29 January 1889
  66. ^ "Scotland's Census 2022 – Rounded population estimates – data". Scotland's Census. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
  67. ^ "No. 39201". The London Gazette. 13 April 1951. p. 2067.
  68. ^ a b c "Admin-based population estimates for local authorities in England and Wales". Office for National Statistics. 18 December 2023. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  69. ^ "No. 24502". The London Gazette. 11 September 1877. p. 5185. to ordain and declare that the Borough of Saint Albans, in the county of Hertford, shall be a City, and shall be called and styled 'The City of Saint Albans, in the county of Hertford.'
  70. ^ "No. 46352". The London Gazette. 24 September 1974. p. 7920.
  71. ^ "No. 34400". The London Gazette. 21 May 1937. p. 3296.
  72. ^ a b "Admin-based population estimates for local authorities in England and Wales". Office for National Statistics. 18 December 2023. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  73. ^ "Local Government (Structural Changes) (Miscellaneous Amendments and Other Provision) Order 2009". Tow. Office of Public Sector Information. 2009. Retrieved 27 February 2009.
  74. ^ "New Parish Council for the City of Salisbury". Towards One Council. Wiltshire County Council. Retrieved 11 August 2021.
  75. ^ "City of Chester Charter Trustees – City status extends to the area of the wards for the trustees". The Lord Mayor of Chester. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
  76. ^ "Crown Office". 5 September 2022.
  77. ^ a b "Admin-based population estimates for local authorities in England and Wales". Office for National Statistics. 18 December 2023. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  78. ^ "Charter Trust and Mayor for Durham City – Durham County Council – City status extends to the area of the electoral divisions for the trustees". durham.gov.uk. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
  79. ^ UK Census (2021). "2021 Census Area Profile – Carlisle district (E07000028)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 10 March 2024.
  80. ^ a b "Admin-based population estimates for local authorities in England and Wales". Office for National Statistics. 18 December 2023. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  81. ^ "BANES 2021 Census Ward Profiles – (Combined populations of the 14 wards that make-up the city.)". app.powerbi.com. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
  82. ^ "City Map showing Ward Boundaries" (PDF).
  83. ^ Application by Derry City Council for judicial review [2007] NIQB 5 Ref WEAF5707
  84. ^ City commemorates the 400th Anniversary of the City's first charter, Derry City Council press release dated 7 July 2004, (accessed 15 December 2007) Archived 2 June 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  85. ^ a b "Census 2021 main statistics demography tables – age and sex". Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency. 7 September 2022. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
  86. ^ @RoyalFamily (3 October 2022). "'We gather to celebrate this great occasion but also to commemorate the life of Her late Majesty , whose deep love for Scotland was one of the foundations of her life.'" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  87. ^ a b Team, National Records of Scotland Web (31 March 2022). "National Records of Scotland – Mid-2020 Population Estimates for Settlements and Localities in Scotland". National Records of Scotland. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
  88. ^ "Bangor receives city status in Princess Anne visit". BBC News. 2 December 2022. Retrieved 3 December 2022.
  89. ^ UK Census (2021). "2021 Census Area Profile – Hereford parish (E04000921)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
  90. ^ "Census 2021 main statistics demography tables – age and sex". Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency. 7 September 2022. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
  91. ^ Team, National Records of Scotland Web (31 March 2022). "National Records of Scotland – Mid-2020 Population Estimates for Settlements and Localities in Scotland". National Records of Scotland. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
  92. ^ Letters Patent dated 21 May 2012 "News: The National Records of Scotland seals Perth's city status". National Archives of Scotland. 6 July 2012. "'We really feel part of history being made' — Letters Patent makes Perth's city status official". The Courier (Dundee). 5 July 2012. Archived from the original on 9 July 2012. Retrieved 5 July 2012.
  93. ^ Duncan, A. A. M. (24 March 1973). "Perth. The First Century of the Burgh" (PDF). Transactions of the Perthshire Society of Natural Science. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 December 2013.
  94. ^ Created a royal burgh at some point under King David I (1124–53) although the earliest surviving charters date to 1209 or 1210; the status was abolished in 1975.[5][page needed][93]
  95. ^ Team, National Records of Scotland Web (31 March 2022). "National Records of Scotland – Mid-2020 Population Estimates for Settlements and Localities in Scotland". National Records of Scotland. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
  96. ^ "No. 59250". The London Gazette. 24 November 2009. p. 20329.
  97. ^ UK Census (2021). "2021 Census Area Profile – Salisbury parish (E04013046)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
  98. ^ "No. 48364". The London Gazette. 7 November 1980. p. 15451.
  99. ^ "Lichfield City Council website". Archived from the original on 27 September 2011.
  100. ^ UK Census (2021). "2021 Census Area Profile – Lichfield civil parish (E04008932)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
  101. ^ UK Census (2021). "2021 Census Area Profile – Chichester civil parish (E04009888)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
  102. ^ "Census 2021 main statistics demography tables – age and sex". Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency. 7 September 2022. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
  103. ^ UK Census (2021). "2021 Census Area Profile – Truro civil parish (E04013097)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
  104. ^ Cathedral, Ely. "The Story of Ely – About". Ely Cathedral. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
  105. ^ UK Census (2021). "2021 Census Area Profile – Ely (East Cambridgeshire) civil parish (E04012829)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
  106. ^ UK Census (2021). "2021 Census Area Profile – Ripon civil parish (E04007409)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
  107. ^ "Census 2021 main statistics demography tables – age and sex". Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency. 7 September 2022. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
  108. ^ UK Census (2021). "2021 Census Area Profile – Bangor community (W04000046)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
  109. ^ UK Census (2021). "2021 Census Area Profile – Wells civil parish (E04008595)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
  110. ^ UK Census (2021). "2021 Census Area Profile – St. Asaph community (W04000175)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
  111. ^ Lewis, Samuel (1849). ""Dale – St. David's"". A Topographical Dictionary of Wales. London: British History Online. pp. 278–288. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
  112. ^ 46 & 47 Vict. c. 18, s.3 and Sch. II (Part I)
  113. ^ "No. 53798". The London Gazette. 23 September 1994. p. 13403.
  114. ^ UK Census (2021). "2021 Census Area Profile – St. David's and the Cathedral Close community (W04000466)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
  115. ^ Beckett (2005), p. 24.
  116. ^ O'Connor, Mary (20 May 2022). "Platinum Jubilee: Eight new cities created in Queen's honour". BBC News. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  117. ^ "No. 20146". The London Gazette. 30 September 1842. p. 2632.
  118. ^ "Government re-affirms city status of Gibraltar".
  119. ^ "Douglas Letters Patent" (PDF). Ministry of Justice. 27 June 2023. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
  120. ^ "No. 63732". The London Gazette. 17 June 2022. p. 11466.


  • Beckett, J. V. (2005). City Status in the British Isles, 1830–2002. Aldershot: Ashgate Publishing. ISBN 0-7546-5067-7.