Is bounded, North by Berkshire, East by Surrey and Sussex, South by the English Channel, and West by Dorsetshire and Wiltshire. About 42 miles long, and 38 broad. It is in ten divisions; Alton (North and South), Andover, Basingstoke, Fawley, Kingsclere, New-Forest (East and West), Portsdown, and the Isle-of- Wight, which comprise 39 small hundreds. Rivers: the Anton, the Avon, Boldre Water, Exe, Itcltin, and the Tese or Test. It has 26 Market- Towns. Area, 1628 square miles, or 1,041,920 acres. Population, 355,004. It is in the Province of Canterbury, in the Diocese of Winchester, and in the Western Circuit.
Source: Leonard’s Gazetteer of England and Wales; Second Edition; C. W. Leonard, London; 1850
The ancient shire county, along with its associated assizes, was also known as the County of Southampton or Southamptonshire. This was officially changed to Hampshire in 1959 although the county had been commonly known as Hampshire or Hantscire for centuries.