Definition
A county in the East of England, known for its agricultural land and as the location of Luton Airport.
Etymology
Named after Bedford, its county town, which comes from Old English 'Bedanford' meaning 'Beda's ford'. The suffix '-shire' derives from Old English 'scir' meaning 'division' or 'district', indicating administrative territory. The county has existed as a distinct region since Anglo-Saxon times.
Kelly Says
Bedfordshire perfectly exemplifies how English place names preserve ancient history - the county name literally means 'the district around Beda's river crossing'. Despite being one of England's smaller counties, it's home to Woburn Safari Park and the famous Dunstable Downs, showing how geography shapes both naming and development over centuries.
Translations
ARالعربية
بيدفوردشير
baydufordshayr
BNবাংলা
বেডফোর্ডশায়ার
bedfordshayr
CSČeština
Bedfordshire
beh-ford-sheer
DADansk
Bedfordshire
beh-ford-sheer
DEDeutsch
Bedfordshire
beh-ford-sheer
ELΕλληνικά
Μπεντφορντσάιρ
mpentfordtsair
ESEspañol
Bedfordshire
beh-ford-sheer
FISuomi
Bedfordshire
beh-ford-sheer
FRFrançais
Bedfordshire
beh-ford-sheer
HEעברית
בדפורדשייר
bedfordshayr
HIहिन्दी
बेडफोर्डशायर
bedfordshayr
HUMagyar
Bedfordshire
beh-ford-sheer
IDBahasa Indonesia
Bedfordshire
beh-ford-sheer
ITItaliano
Bedfordshire
beh-ford-sheer
JA日本語
ベッドフォードシャー
beddofōdoshā
KO한국어
베드퍼드셔
bedeupeodeusyeo
NLNederlands
Bedfordshire
beh-ford-sheer
NONorsk
Bedfordshire
beh-ford-sheer
PLPolski
Bedfordshire
beh-ford-sheer
PTPortuguês
Bedfordshire
beh-ford-sheer
RORomână
Bedfordshire
beh-ford-sheer
RUРусский
Бедфордшир
bed-ford-sheer
SVSvenska
Bedfordshire
beh-ford-sheer
TAதமிழ்
பெட்ஃபோர்ட்ஷயர்
peṭfōrṭṣayr
THไทย
เบดฟอร์ดเชียร์
beh-ford-chee-ah
TRTürkçe
Bedfordshire
beh-ford-sheer
UKУкраїнська
Бедфордшир
bed-ford-sheer
VITiếng Việt
Bedfordshire
beh-ford-sheer
ZH中文
贝德福德郡
bèi dé fú dé jùn