The London Borough of Barnet is a North London borough (North London sub-region) forming part of Outer London, which itself is part of the Ceremonial County of Greater London. The borough was formed 1st April 1965 by merging the Municipal Borough of Finchley, Municipal Borough of Hendon and the Friern Barnet Urban District of Middlesex, and the East Barnet Urban District and Barnet Urban District of Hertfordshire. The borough's administrative headquarters are at the North London Business Park and local postcodes include EN, HA, N & NW. The London Borough of Barnet is one of the largest London boroughs covering about 33 square miles and housing 300,000 inhabitants.
The name 'Barnet' comes from the Old English meaning 'Land cleared by burning'. In 1471, the Battle of Barnet was fought and the hill mentioned in the nursery rhyme 'The Grand Old Duke of York' is thought to be Barnet Hill. In 1588, Queen Elizabeth I granted a charter for a twice-yearly fair to be held. This horse fair, in more modern times, lent its name to rhyming slang for 'hair'.
Hendon forms part of the London Borough of Barnet in Greater London. Hendon was originally part of Middlesex and the name 'Hendun' meaning 'at the highest hill', goes back to before the Domesday Book of 1086.