South Yorkshire was created on 1 April 1974, when 32 local government districts from the now-defunct West Riding of Yorkshire were amalgamated with small areas from Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. 

What Areas Are In South Yorkshire?

South Yorkshire is a metropolitan county with four boroughs: 

• Barnsley
• Doncaster
• Rotherham
• City of Sheffield

What part of England is Yorkshire?

Yorkshire is in a region of England called Yorkshire and the Humber, which consists of all the Yorkshire counties and two unitary authorities that cover part of Lincolnshire, being:

• South Yorkshire
• West Yorkshire
• East Riding of Yorkshire
• North Lincolnshire
• North East Lincolnshire

South Yorkshire is the southernmost part of the region, meeting the East Midlands regional counties of  Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire at its southern border.

Is South Yorkshire a city?

South Yorkshire is a metropolitan county with an area of 1,552 square kilometres (599 square miles), which contains the City of Sheffield and numerous towns and villages.

Is Leeds in South Yorkshire? 

Leeds is in the nearby county of West Yorkshire and not South Yorkshire. However, Leeds and nearly all other communities in North Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire and the East Riding of Yorkshire are in the historic county of Yorkshire.

Cities and Towns of South Yorkshire

South Yorkshire has just one city in its territory, the City of Sheffield which boasts a university, art galleries and museums, and easy access to the Peak District National Park.

The towns and market towns of South Yorkshire include:

• Askern‎
• Barnsley‎ 
• Bawtry‎ 
• Brierley‎ 
• Conisbrough‎ 
• Dinnington
• Doncaster‎ 
• Edlington
• Hatfield
• Hoyland‎ 
• Maltby
• Mexborough‎ 
• Penistone‎ 
• Rotherham‎ 
• Stainforth
• Stocksbridge‎ 
• Swinton
• Thorne 
• Tickhill‎ 
• Wath upon Dearne‎ 
• Wombwell

In addition, the county is home to numerous large and small villages and hamlets.

Local History On Facebook

Using Facebook groups to share old photos, videos, memories and research is a great way to get more people involved and hear new stories from local families. 

The Facebook groups dedicated to discussing the local history of South Yorkshire include:

• Cudworth Local History Group
• Forum group – Chapeltown, High Green, Ecclesfield and Grenoside
• HIGH GREEN IS MY HOME AND/OR WHERE MY HEART IS
• Stainforth Old Photos
• Thorne Old Photos

Local History Resources

There are extensive UK resources to help anyone researching their local history or family history, and many of them will provide information and evidence about Yorkshire.

In addition, the following places, societies and organisations are based in, or focus upon, South Yorkshire and its immediate neighbours:

• Abbeydale Industrial Hamlet
• Acomb History Society
• Alfred Denny Museum
• Barnsley Archives
• Barwick-in Elmet Historical Society
• Battle of Stamford Bridge Heritage Group
• Bedale Archaeology & History Society
• Beeston & District Local History Society
• Bilton Historical Society
• Bingley & District Local History Society    
• Bishops’ House
• Bishopthorpe Local History Group
• Bolsterstone Archaeology & Heritage Group
• Bordley Township Project
• Boston Spa Archaeology & Heritage Group
• Bradford Historical & Archaeological Society
• Brodsworth Community Archaeology Group
• Brodsworth Hall
• Bronte Society
• Calderdale Industrial Museum Association
• Cannon Hall Museum, Park & Gardens
• Castleford & District Historical Society
• Castleford Heritage Trust
• Cawood Castle Garth Group
• Cawthorne Victoria Jubilee Museum
• Claro Community Archaeology Group
• Clements Hall Local History Group 
• Clifton Park and Museum
• Conisbrough Castle
• Cooper Gallery
• Cottingley Village History Society
• Cullingworth Local History Group
• Cusworth Hall
• Derwent Archaeology Group
• Dig Sheffield    
• Doncaster Archives
• Doncaster Museum & Art Gallery
• Dringhouses Local History Group
• East Keswick Local History Group
• East Leeds History & Archaeology Society
• East Riding Archaeological Society
• East Yorkshire Local History Society
• Elsecar Heritage Centre
• Experience Barnsley
• Featherstone Historical Society
• Fishergate, Fulford and Heslington Local History Group
• Forest of Galtres Society
• Friargate Community Archaeology Project
• Friends of Hagg Wood
• Friends of Hob Moor
• Friends of Nidderdale AONB
• Friends of Roman Aldborough
• Friends of Skipwith Common
• Friends of Wincobank Hill
• Friends of York Walls
• Garforth Historical Society
• Graves Art Gallery
• Greenhow Local History Group
• Halifax Antiquarian Society
• Halliwell Local History Society
• Harrogate Archaeological Society
• Haxby Local History Group
• Hebden Bridge Local History Society
• Helmsley Archaeology and Historical Society
• High Wolds Heritage Group 
• Holgate Windmill Preservation Society
• Holme-on-Spalding Moor Local History Society
• Horbury & District Historical Society
• Huddersfield & District Archaeological Society
• Huddersfield Local History Society
• Hunter Archaeological Society
• Ingleborough Archaeology Group
• Iron Age Nidderdale Project
• John Wheelwright Archaeology Society
• Keighley Local History Society
• Kelham Island Museum
• Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry Museum
• Kirkby, Gt. Broughton & Ingleby Greenhow Local History Group
• Leeds Civic Trust
• Linton on Ouse History Group
• Magna Science Adventure Centre
• Malhamdale Local History Group
• Maurice Dobson Museum
• Millennium Gallery
• Monk Fryston Time Team
• Naburn Local History Society
• National Emergency Services Museum
• Nidderdale Chase Heritage Group
• North Craven Heritage Trust
• North Craven Historical Research Group
• North Duffield Conservation & Local History Society
• North East Lincolnshire Archaeological and Local History Society
• Northallerton & District Local History Society
• Northern Mine Research Society
• Olicana Historical Society
• Ossett Historical Society
• Pennine Heritage
• People, Landscape & Cultural Environment of Yorkshire
• Pocklington & District Local History Group
• Pocklington History
• Pontefract & District Archaeological Society
• Pontefract & District Local History Society
• Pontefract Civic Society
• Pontefract Heritage Group
• Poppleton History Society, Archaeology Group 
• Prehistoric Nidderdale Project
• Pudsey & District Civic Society
• Ripon History & Museums
• Rothwell & District Historical Society
• Saddleworth Historical Society
• Scarborough Archaeological and Historical Society 
• Sedbergh & District History Society
• Sessay Archive
• Sheffield Archives
• Sheffield Institute of Arts Gallery
• Shepherd Wheel
• Sherriff Hutton History Group
• Skipton & Craven Historical Society 
• Snaith & District Historical Society
• South Ainsty Archaeological Society
• South Bradford Local History Alliance
• South Leeds Archaeology Group
• South Yorkshire Aircraft Museum
• South Yorkshire Industrial History Society
• South Yorkshire Trades Historical Trust
• South Yorkshire Transport Museum
• Stamford Bridge Tapestry Project
• Stockton and Hopgrove Local History Group
• Strensall Local History Group
• Swaledale and Arkengarthdale Archaeology Group
• Tadcaster Historical Society
• Tang Hall Local History Group
• Tees Archaeological Society
• Thoresby Society (Leeds Historical Society)
• Thornborough Heritage Trust
• Thorner & District Historical Society
• Thornton-le-Street History Group
• Tickhill & District Local History Society
• Time Travellers (Sheffield)
• Todmorden Antiquarian Society
• Towton Battlefield Society
• Turner Museum of Glass
• Upper Wharfedale Field Society
• Upper Wharfedale Heritage Group
• Upper Worth Valley History Group
• Wakefield Historical Society
• Wentworth Castle
• Westfield History Group (South Elmsall)
• Weston Park Museum
• West Yorkshire Heritage Forum 
• Whitby Literary and Philosophical Society 
• Whitby Naturalists Club
• Wiggington Local History Group
• Worsbrough Mill Museum and Country Park
• Wortley Top Forge
• York Archaeological Trust
• Yorkshire Architectural and York Archaeological Society
• Yorkshire Dales Landscape Research Trust
• Yorkshire Dales Society
• Yorkshire Philosophical Society
• Yorkshire Vernacular Buildings Study Group

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Thanks to  Gary Butterfield  for use of the image shown at the top of this page.