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ORIGIN OF NAME. 103
ORIGIN OF THE NAMES OF COUNTIES, WITH DATE OF FORMATION
AND AREA.
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Counties.
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Origin of Name.
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Date of
Formation.
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Area in
Sq. Miles.
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St. Mary's1........
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In honor of the Virgin Mary, the
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landing having been made on
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the Feast of the Annunciation.
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1637
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372
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Kent2...............
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After the English County............
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1642
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281
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Anne Arundel3...
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After the Lady Anne Arundel,
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wife of Caecilius, second Lord
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Baltimore ................. ...........
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1650
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425
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Calvert4............
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After the family name of the pro-
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Charles5............
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prietary ..................................
After Charles, Lord Baltimore.....
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1654
1658
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222
451
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Baltimore6..........
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Frora the Proprietary's Irish Bar-
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ony, (Celtic bilte mor; i. e. the
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large town)..............................
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1659
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656
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Talbot7..............
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After Grace Talbot, daughter of
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George, first Lord Baltimore.....
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1661
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286
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Somerset8 ........
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After Mary Somerset, sister of
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Lord Baltimore........................
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1666
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362
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Dorchester9.......
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After Earl Dorset, a family friend
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of the Calverts........................
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1668
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618
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Cecil10...............
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After the forename of the second
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Lord Baltimore.......................
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1674
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360
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1There is great difficulty in assigning exact dates to the erection of Counties in the
early years of the Province, from the fact that considerable confusion exists between the
county and the hundred, sheriffs being commissioned for the latter as well as the former,
and because Counties were erected sometimes by order in Council, proclamation or by
Act of Assembly. A series of interesting historical maps has been prepared by Dr-
Edward B. Mathews, Assistant State Geologist, which, when published, will shed con-
siderable light on the subject,
A commission was issued to Tames Baldridge as sheriff of St. Mary's county, Jane
29th, 1837, (Archiv, of Md., 3;61), and the courts were put in operation by Acts of Assem-
bly. 1838-9, (Archiv. 1:46-57).
2A. commission was issued to John Langford as sheriff of the Isle of Kent, February
9th, 1637. (Archiv. 3:81), and on Aug. 2d, 1642, a commission was issued to Giles Brent, for
the county of Kent (Archiv. 3;105). County government was evidently organized in that
year at the expenses of the Assembly were assessed on the counties of St. Mary's and
Kent.
3Erected by Act of Assembly, 1850, ch. 8. Name changed to Providence by Act of
1654, ch. 17. Name restored in 1668.
4Erected by order in Council July 3d. 1654, (Archiv, 3:308). In October of the same
year the name was changed to Patuxent under the Cromwell administration, (Archiv.
1:341). Name restored, 1658.
5Erected by order in Council, April 13th, 1658 (Archiv. 3:341). An earlier Charles
county was erected by order in Council, October 3d, 1650, from part of the territory now
included in St. Mary's, Charles and prince George's counties. This order was repealed
by order of July 3d, 1654, supra.
6Frected by order in Council. No full record, but writ of election was issued to
sheriff January 12th, 1659, (Archiv. 1:381)
7No record. Writ of election issued to sheriff February 18th, 1861, (Archiv, 1:436 and
3:448).
8Erected by order In Council August 28d, 1866, (Archiv. 3:553).
9No record. Writ issued to sheriff February 16,1868, (Archiv. 8:165).
10Erected by proclamation of Governor Charles Calvert June 6th, 1674, (Archiv.
15:39-41). Delegates are named as present at Assembly from Cecil county February 12th,
1674. (Archiv. 3:431).
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