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2010
Census Information
Maryland Counties in 1790 How the
Counties Began
Brief History of
the Counties
Around the State:
Size & Population

Click on the map below or use the links below the map to find information on each county.

Garrett County Allegany County Washington County Frederick County Montgomery County Prince George's County Calvert County Charles County St. Mary's County Cecil County Caroline County Dorchester County Wicomico County Somerset County Worcester County Carroll County Baltimore County Howard County Baltimore City Harford County Anne Arundel County Kent County Talbot County Queen Anne's County

|| Allegany || Anne Arundel || Baltimore City || Baltimore || Calvert || Caroline || Carroll || Cecil || Charles ||
||
Dorchester || Frederick || Garrett || Harford || Howard || Kent || Montgomery || Prince George's ||
||
Queen Anne's || St. Mary's || Somerset || Talbot || Washington || Wicomico || Worcester ||


Click image to take a look at the Maryland counties in 1790

Formation & County Seats of Maryland Counties
County Name
(click link for County homepage)
Date Formed County Seat Formed From
Allegany 1789 Cumberland Washington
Anne Arundel 1650 Annapolis Original County
Baltimore City 1729 Baltimore Baltimore
Baltimore County 1659 Towson Original County
Calvert 1654 Prince Frederick Original County
Caroline 1773 Denton Dorchester, Queen Anne's
Carroll 1837 Westminister Baltimore, Frederick
Cecil 1674 Elkton Kent
Charles 1658 La Plata Original County
Dorchester 1668 Cambridge Original County
Frederick 1748 Frederick Prince George's
Garrett 1872 Oakland Allegany
Harford 1773 Bel Air Baltimore
Howard 1851 Ellicott City Baltimore, Anne Arundel
Kent 1642 Chestertown Original County
Montgomery 1776 Rockville Frederick
Prince George's 1695 Upper Marlboro Charles, Calvert
Queen Anne's 1706 Centreville Talbot
St. Mary's 1637 Leonardtown Original County
Somerset 1666 Princess Anne Original County
Talbot 1662 Easton Kent
Washington 1776 Hagerstown Frederick
Wicomico 1867 Salisbury Somerset
Worcester 1742 Snow Hill Somerset

A Brief History of the Maryland Counties

1637 - St. Mary's created as original colony. Covered both sides of Chesapeake Bay.

1642 - Kent created from St. Mary's east of the bay.

1650 - Anne Arundel and Charles Counties are created from St. Mary's.

1654 - Patuxent is created from St. Mary's; Charles (old), non-county area. Charles (old) abolished. Anne Arundel name changed to Providence. St. Mary's name changed to Potomac.

1658 - Charles is created from Potomac. Patuxent name changed to Calvert. Potomac name changed back to St. Mary's. Providence name changed back to Anne Arundel.

1659 - Baltimore is created from Anne Arundel, Kent and non-county area.

1662 - Talbot is taken from Kent.

1666 - Somerset is taken from non-county area and extends to Atlantic.

1669 - Dorchester is created from non-county area; Durham and an unnamed county are created from Somerset in an area that is now Delaware.

1671 - Kent gained from Talbot but still appears smallest of counties.

1672 - Worcester is created from Durham and the unnamed county in the area that is now Delaware.

1674 - Cecil County is created from Baltimore.

1685 - There was a royal decision dividing peninsula between Maryland and Delaware Colony but the boundary was not established. Worcester County, Md., was effectively eliminated.

1695 - Prince George's was created from Charles, Calvert and non-county area effective 1696.

1696 - Prince George's organized. Charles and St. Mary's gained from Calvert. Kent exchanged land with Talbot.

1698 - Anne Arundel exchanged land with Baltimore.

1706 - Queen Anne's was created from Kent, Talbot and Dorchester, effective 1707.

1707 - Kent gained from Cecil (but lost to QA).

1727 - Anne Arundel gained from Baltimore.

1742 - Worcester was created from Somerset.

1748 - Frederick was created from Prince George's and non-county area. Charles gained from Prince George's on the Potomac.

1750 - Frederick gained from Baltimore.

1773 - Harford was created from Baltimore effective 1774 and Caroline was created from Dorchester and Queen Anne's effective 1774.

1776 - Montgomery and Washington were created from Frederick.