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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.
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|| 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.