Scotlandshire

Scotlandshire is a term used to denote either the anglicisation of Scotland or the subordinate political relationship with England. It is recorded as early as 1706 in James Hodges's anti-Union Third Treatise.

By placing the suffix -shire after the country's name, the term parodies the early modern tendency to place the word -shire after some ancient Scottish regions, as well as implicating in a tongue-in-cheek manner that Scotland has the status of an English county, rather than that of a distinct nation. Hence, the term is political in nature.

Several historic regions of Scotland have at times had the suffix -shire added when Scotland broadly adopted English-style county councils during the 19th century.


 * Argyll - Argyllshire
 * Bute (County of) - Buteshire
 * Fife - Fifeshire
 * Moray - Morayshire (or Elginshire)
 * Ross - Ross-shire
 * Sutherland - Sutherlandshire

Others have alternative names ending in -shire.
 * Angus - Forfarshire
 * East Lothian - Haddingtonshire
 * Midlothian - Edinburghshire
 * West Lothian - Linlithgowshire