How to count specific items in column?

Question

I just started using Google Spreadsheets.

I have a question concerning "counting" a specific word/item in cells.

Example:

Column A

 1. HAT
 2. HAT
 3. SHOE
 4. CANE
 5. SHOE
 6. HAT
 7. -
 8. -
 9. = A1 to A6 = 3 Hats
 10.= A1 to A6 = 2 shoes
 11.= A1 to A6 = 1 cane

See what I mean? How do I make it count the specific items in that specific column?

Answer 1

Try:

=query({A:A, A:A}, "Select Col1, count(Col2) where Col1 <>''group by Col1")

or if you don't want the header 'count':

=query({A:A, A:A}, "Select Col1, count(Col2) where Col1 <>''group by Col1 label count(Col2)''")

An alternative way would be:

=ArrayFormula({unique(A1:A6),countif(A1:A6, unique(A1:A6))})