US to UK Shoe Size Conversion Chart: Men, Women, Kids

The comparison table below maps US sizes to their UK and EU counterparts across major categories, based on retailer data from tier-2 sources.

What is US shoe size in the UK?

The short answer: US sizes run larger numerically than UK equivalents. Men’s and women’s categories use different offsets, so applying the wrong formula is the most common source of ordering errors.

Men’s sizes

For men’s footwear, subtract exactly one size from your US number to get UK. This means US men’s 9 becomes UK 8, according to Famous Footwear’s sizing chart. The two systems share the same barleycorn-based foundation—each UK increment equals one-third of an inch—but US sizing added an offset starting point.

• US 7 → UK 6 → EU 40-41
• US 9 → UK 8 → EU 43
• US 11 → UK 10 → EU 44-45

Half-sizes follow the same conversion. US 9.5 men’s lands at UK 8.5, giving you a reliable target when browsing UK retailer catalogs.

Women’s sizes

Women’s conversions require subtracting two full sizes from US to reach UK. Becks Shoes notes that this wider gap exists because US women’s sizing diverged further from the original UK system than men’s did. The result: US women’s 8 equals UK 6, while US women’s 6 lands at UK 4.

• US 5 → UK 3 → EU 35-36
• US 7 → UK 5 → EU 37-38
• US 9 → UK 7 → EU 39-40

This asymmetry catches many shoppers who’ve ordered men’s and women’s shoes from the same website without double-checking which conversion table applies.

Kids’ sizes

Kids’ sizing uses roughly a one-size difference between US and UK, similar to men’s. Famous Footwear’s children’s chart shows US kids’ 13 converting to UK 11.5–12. Big kids—which describes roughly ages 8–12—overlap with adult women’s sizing at the smaller end of the scale.

What is my US size in the UK?

Personal conversion starts with measuring your actual foot length in centimeters or inches—retailers like Clarks provide printable measuring guides for this purpose.

Measurement tips

Stand on a sheet of paper with your heel against a wall. Mark where your longest toe ends, then measure the distance in centimeters. Grivet Outdoors’ chart maps these measurements directly to sizes: 23.5 cm corresponds to US women’s 6, UK 5.5, and EU 39.

• Measure both feet—many people have slight asymmetry
• Measure at the end of the day when feet have expanded
• Use the larger foot’s measurement for ordering

Common pitfalls

Assuming your US half-size translates to an equivalent UK half-size is a mistake. RunRepeat’s analysis of 190+ brand charts found that EU intervals are smaller than US intervals—one US size may span two to three EU sizes. This creates a rounding effect where your exact equivalent doesn’t always exist in the target system.

What this means: always round up to the nearest available size in the target system rather than chasing a precise one-to-one match that may not exist.

What is a 39 in the UK?

EU size 39 is a common mid-range women’s size. In women’s, EU 39 converts to UK 6 and US 8.5, according to ShoeCity’s conversion chart. For men’s, EU 39 typically maps to a youth size or a very small adult rather than a standard men’s range.

EU to UK crossovers

EU sizing doesn’t separate men’s and women’s as dramatically as the US system does. This means a UK 6 means the same regardless of whether you’re shopping in the men’s or women’s section, whereas US women’s 6 ≠ US men’s 6.

US equivalents

For the EU 39 women’s example: UK 6 → US 8.5, and approximately UK 5.5 → US 8. This confirms that if you normally wear US women’s 8, EU 39 should fit correctly once you select the corresponding UK size.

The pattern: EU sizes provide a gender-neutral reference point that simplifies cross-shopping between UK retailers.

US to UK shoe size women’s

Women’s conversions deserve their own focused chart because the US-to-UK offset varies across size ranges, with smaller sizes showing a 1.5-size difference and larger sizes widening to a full 2-size difference in some retailer’s listings.

Detailed women’s chart

The women’s conversion matrix below shows how US women’s sizes align with UK and EU equivalents across the full adult range.

Fit differences

UK women’s shoes tend to run narrower in the forefoot than their US counterparts. Becks Shoes notes that UK brands often build narrower lasts, so a US women’s D-width may need a UK D or even EE to achieve the same volume.

The implication: women switching from US to UK brands should expect a narrower fit and may need to size up in width, not just length.

US to UK sizes shoes men’s

Men’s sizing follows a cleaner conversion path than women’s, with a consistent one-size offset. However, boot sizing and certain European brands introduce additional variables worth noting.

Men’s chart

The men’s conversion table below applies the one-size offset rule across standard adult ranges.

Wide fit options

US widths (B, D, EE) don’t have direct UK equivalents. UK width sizing uses different letter systems: F for narrow, G for standard, H for wide. Barefoot Run Review explains that UK brands typically describe width in the product name or description rather than assigning a separate width code.

The catch: men with wide feet should research individual UK brand width conventions before ordering, as there is no standardized crosswalk from US width letters.

Comparison table

The overview below synthesizes conversion rules, EU methods, and width variations across all gender categories.

Spec table

A reference grid mapping foot measurements to size ranges across all three systems.

Clarity section

Quotes section

One common mistake is assuming that all shoe sizes are universal. Always check the specific retailer’s size chart before purchasing.

— Becks Shoes (shoe retail guide)

The intervals between EU sizes are smaller than those in the US scheme. One US size may span two to three EU sizes.

— RunRepeat (research team, 190+ brand analysis)

We spent 250 hours researching various approaches to shoe sizing and compared 190+ brand size charts.

— RunRepeat (research team)

Summary

US to UK shoe size conversion isn’t guesswork—it follows consistent rules that vary by gender category. Men’s sizing subtracts one full size; women’s subtracts two. The complication comes from brand-specific rounding, width differences, and the EU system’s smaller increments. Shoppers who skip retailer chart verification before checking out leave themselves exposed to ordering errors, which is where most sizing mistakes occur, according to retailer guidance. Online shoppers who apply the correct offset and confirm against a retailer’s own chart avoid the returns process entirely.

Related reading: 16 Stone in KG Conversion Chart

Retailers like ASOS recommend pairing this overview with detailed US to UK charts that include EU equivalents and precise fitting tips for confident online shopping.

Frequently asked questions