UK Counties with the Most Villages

Based on available administrative and geographic data, the following historic/ceremonial counties have the highest counts of villages (settlements typically smaller than towns, often with a church but no market charter):

England

• Lincolnshire – ~635 villages
• Essex – ~601 villages
• Devon – ~577 villages

Scotland

• Highland – ~298 villages
• Dumfries and Galloway – ~227 villages
• Moray – ~151 villages

Wales

• Powys – ~370 villages
• Gwynedd – ~255 villages
• Ceredigion – ~151 villages

Northern Ireland

• County Fermanagh – ~121 villages
• County Tyrone – ~111 villages
• County Antrim – ~106 villages

Note: Definitions of "village" vary; counts are approximate from OS/OpenData/ONS sources. Civil parish counts differ. Urbanization has reclassified some villages as towns.