List of rural and urban districts in Northern Ireland

The urban and rural districts of Northern Ireland were created in 1899 when the Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898 came into effect. They were based on the system of district councils introduced in England and Wales four years earlier. (See List of Irish local government areas 1898–1921 for a historical list of districts in all of Ireland.)

At the time of Northern Ireland's creation in 1921, Ireland as a whole was divided into thirty-three administrative counties and six county boroughs; the administrative counties were in turn subdivided into several boroughs, urban districts, and rural districts. Each district was divided into a number of district electoral divisions (DEDs). Northern Ireland received a total of six administrative counties, together with the county boroughs of Belfast and Derry. The six administrative counties all included a number of urban and rural districts in 1921, but no boroughs.

As of 1923, when the DEDs were created ahead of the 1924 local elections, there were 653 DEDs, across 64 local authorities (including the 2 county boroughs, 31 rural districts and 31 urban districts).

In rural and urban districts, each DED would elect a certain number of councillors by first past the post (in single-member DEDs) or block vote (in multi-member DEDs). Except where otherwise stated in the below tables, all DEDs were coterminous with wards. Groups of DEDs also formed county electoral divisions (CEDs), which elected councillors to the county councils, forming an upper tier of government above the urban and rural district councils. By contrast, county boroughs were single-tier bodies, independent of the county councils. The council, whose members were elected by their DEDs, had powers of both a district council and a county council.

Evolution and reform Urban District Councils could petition for a charter of incorporation, changing the status of the urban district to that of a Borough. The following districts became boroughs in this way: Bangor by letters patent dated 30 December 1927, taking effect on 23 January 1928; Coleraine by letters patent dated 29 December 1928, taking effect on 23 January 1929; Newtownards by letters patent dated 8 November 1937, taking effect on 23 May 1938; Ballymena by letters patent dated 21 December 1937, taking effect on 23 May 1939; Larne by letters patent dated 15 November 1938, taking effect on 23 May 1939; Portadown by letters patent dated 24 July 1947, taking effect on 2 October 1947; Enniskillen by letters patent dated 29 April 1949, taking effect on 30 May 1949; Carrickfergus by letters patent dated 27 May 1949, taking effect on 1 July 1949; Lurgan by letters patent dated 27 May 1949, taking effect on 7 July 1949; and Lisburn by letters patent dated 24 March 1964, taking effect on 2 June 1964.

A small number of districts were abolished or created after 1921.

The entire system of local government in Northern Ireland was overhauled by the Local Government Act (Northern Ireland) 1972, which replaced the county boroughs, administrative counties, urban districts, and rural districts with 26 local government districts. The new system came into effect on 1 October 1973.

County boroughs +Name of county boroughDistrict Electoral Divisions (1923)Changes between 1921 and 1973Successor district(s) in 1973Belfast15 - Clifton, Court, Cromac, Dock, Duncairn, Falls, Ormeau, Pottinger, St. Anne's, St. George's, Shankill, Smithfield, Victoria, Windsor, WoodvaleBelfastLondonderry5 - Londonderry No. 1 Urban (North ward), Londonderry No. 2 Urban (South ward), Londonderry No. 3 Urban (East ward), Londonderry No. 4 Urban (West ward), Londonderry No. 5 Urban (Waterside ward)Londonderry

Urban and rural districts by administrative county Administrative county of Antrim Name of districtDistrict Electoral Divisions (1923)Changes between 1921 and 1973Successor district(s) in 1973Antrim Rural District20 - Antrim Rural, Antrim Urban, Ballyclare Rural, Ballylinny, Ballynadrentagh, Ballyrobin, Cargin, Connor, Craigarogan, Cranfield, Crumlin, Donegore, Dundesert, Kilbride, Randalstown, Rashee, Seacash, Sharvogues, Shilvodan, TemplepatrickAntrim, Ballymena, Belfast, Lisburn, NewtownabbeyBallycastle Rural District15 - Armoy, Ballintoy, Ballycastle Rural, Croagh, Cushendall, Cushleake, Drumtullagh, Dunseverick, Glendun, Glenmakeeran, Glenshesk, Ramoan, Rathlin, Red Bay, The Fair HeadMoyleBallycastle Urban District2 - Ballycastle North, Ballycastle SouthMoyleBallyclare Urban District1 - Ballyclare UrbanNewtownabbeyBallymena Rural District22 - Ahoghill, Ballyclug, Ballyconnelly, Ballyscullion, Broughshane, Clogh, Cloghogue, Drumanaway, Dundermot, Dunminning, Galgorm, Glenbuck, Glenravill, Glenwhirry, Kells, Kirkinriola, Lisnagarran, Longmore, Newtown Crommelin, Portglenone, Slemish, ToomeAntrim, Ballymena, BallymoneyBallymena Urban District3 - Ballymena No. 1 Urban (Market Ward), Ballymena No. 2 Urban (Town Ward), Ballymena No. 3 Urban (Harryville Ward)Reconstituted as a borough in 1939BallymenaBallymoney Rural District20 - Ballycregagh, Ballyhoe, Beardiville, Benvardin, Bushmills, Carnmoon, Castlequarter, Corkey, Dervock, Dirraw, Dunloy, Enagh, Killagan, Killoquin Lower, Killoquin Upper, Kilraghts, Portrush Rural, Seacon, Stranocum, The VowBallymoney, Coleraine, MoyleBallymoney Urban District1 - BallymoneyBallymoneyBelfast Rural District6 - Ballygomartin, Ballysillan, Carnmoney, Monkstown, Whiteabbey, WhitehouseAbolished 1 April 1958; divided between Newtownabbey UD and Antrim, Larne and Lisburn RDsCarrickfergus Urban District1 - Carrickfergus UrbanReconstituted as a borough in 1949Carrickfergus Larne Rural District13 - Ardclinis, Ballycor, Ballynure, Carncastle, Carrickfergus Rural, Eden, Glenarm, Glencloy, Glynn, Islandmagee, Kilwaughter, Raloo, TemplecorranCarrickfergus, Larne, Moyle, NewtownabbeyLarne Urban District5 - Central, Curran, Gardenmore, Inver, TownparksReconstituted as a borough in 1939LarneLisburn Rural District14 - Aghagallon, Aghalee, Ballinderry, Ballyscolly, Derryaghy, Glenavy, Island Kelly, Knockadona, Legatirriff, Lissue, Magheragall, Magheramesk, Malone and TullyruskBelfast, Craigavon, LisburnLisburn Urban District3 - Lisburn Central, Lisburn North, Lisburn SouthReconstituted as a borough in 1964Lisburn Newtownabbey Urban District(from 1958) 7 - Carnmoney, Cavehill, Glengormley, Jordanstown, Whiteabbey, Whitehouse, WhitewellCreated 1 April 1958Belfast, NewtownabbeyPortrush Urban District1 - Portrush UrbanColeraineWhitehead Urban District(from 1927) 1 - Whitehead UrbanEstablished on 1 April 1927 from part of Larne RD, by virtue of the Whitehead Urban District Order, 1926CarrickfergusTotals as of 1923127 District Electoral DivisionsAntrim, Ballymena, Belfast, Lisburn, Newtownabbey, Carrickfergus, Coleraine, Craigavon, Moyle, Ballymoney, Larne15 districts (including 7 rural districts and 8 urban districts)

County Armagh Name of districtDistrict Electoral Divisions (1923)Changes between 1921 and 1973Successor district(s) in 1973Armagh Rural District27 - Aghory, Annaghmore, Armaghbrague, Armagh Rural, Ballyards, Ballymartrun, Brootally, Charlemont, Clady, Crossmore, Derrynoose, Glenanne, Glenaul, Grange, Hamiltons Bawn, Hockley, Keady Rural, Killeen, Killyman, Kilmore, Lisnadill, Loughgall, Markethill, Middletown, Rich Hill, Tullyroan, TynanArmagh, Craigavon, DungannonArmagh Urban District3 - Armagh East, Armagh North, Armagh SouthArmaghCraigavon Urban District(from 1967) 10 - Breagh, Brownlows Derry, Carrowbrack, Cornakinnegar, Drumcree, Kernan, Lurgan Rural, Montiaghs, Portadown Rural, TartaraghanCreated in 1967§. All DEDs are identical to those that were in Lurgan Rural District, except for Lurgan Rural DED, part of which was added to Lurgan Urban DED in Lurgan Urban District.CraigavonKeady Urban District1 - Keady UrbanArmaghLurgan Rural District10 - Breagh, Brownlows Derry, Carrowbrack, Cornakinnegar, Drumcree, Kernan, Lurgan Rural, Montiaghs, Portadown Rural, TartaraghanAbolished in 1967§Lurgan Urban District1 - Lurgan UrbanReconstituted as a borough in 1949CraigavonNewry No. 2 Rural District21 - Ballybot, Ballymyre, Belleek, Camlough, Camly, Cloghoge, Creggan Lower, Crossmaglen, Cullyhanna, Dorsy, Forkhill, Jonesborough, Killevy, Lathbirget, Lisleitrim, Mountnorris, Moybane, Mullaghglass, Newtownhamilton, Poyntz Pass, TullyhappyArmagh, Newry and MournePortadown Urban District3 - Portadown North, Portadown South East, Portadown South WestReconstituted as a borough in 1947Craigavon Tanderagee Rural District4 - Ballysheil, Mullaghbrack, Mullahead, Tanderagee RuralArmagh, CraigavonTanderagee Urban District1 - Tanderagee UrbanArmaghTotals as of 192371 District Electoral DivisionsArmagh, Newry and Mourne, Craigavon, Dungannon9 districts (including 4 rural districts and 5 urban districts)

§ Lurgan Rural District was abolished on 1 April 1967, and a small part transferred to Lurgan Borough. The rest was assigned to the new Craigavon Urban District, but Craigavon Development Commission rather than Lurgan Rural District Council became Craigavon Urban District Council.

Administrative county of Down