Wales Jurisdictions

Jurisdictions

 * Hamlet: is a small village or collection of houses in a parish. It has no separate jurisdiction or administrative functions.
 * Township: is an ancient jurisdiction in Wales and parishes were formed from them as the Normans, over several hundred years, conquered Wales. Townships are divisions of a parish. They were units of local administration and levied a separate poor rate and appointed a constable.
 * Parish: an area of varying size under the responsibility of a clergyman of the Church of England/Church in Wales
 * Hundred: an administrative subdivision of a county, usually a group of two or more parishes
 * Sub-district: comprised of more than one civil parish
 * Registration District
 * Poor Law Union: Under the Poor Law Amendment Act 1834 all parishes in Wales and England were grouped together into Poor Law Unions. Each Poor Law Union had to provide a place where people who were unable to support themselves could live and work, known as the workhouse.
 * Archdeaconry: is a subdivision of a diocese with proscribed boundaries. It is presided over by an archdeacon. An Archdeaconry is composed of parishes.
 * Diocese: Represents an area of land with designated boundaries, whose population is presided over by a Bishop. Diocese vary in size, and are usually divided into one or more archdeaconries.
 * County: Administratively, the county is the next jurisdiction below the national government. There were thirteen historic counties in Wales before 1974. The authority and responsibilities of the county are varied and diverse.