How Did Maryland Get Its Name? Discover the Origin and Meaning

The United States of America is made up of 50 different states, all with their own unique names and origin stories. Based on the name of each state, you can learn a lot about it. Some details you can learn include who established the state and what it was known for in terms of the economy. Some states have an interesting story associated with their name and that includes the state of Maryland. The state of Maryland is one of the oldest states and offers an abundance of historical sites to visit. So, how did Maryland get its name? Below we’ll go over the Maryland name origins of the name including other fascinating facts about the state. 

Maryland also has a few nicknames associated with it as well. We’ll take a look at the nicknames, The Maryland name origins, and more about this fascinating state.

The Indigenous Peoples of the Americas

Before the 16th century, the coastline of Maryland was inhabited by several Native American tribes. The main indigenous tribe that lived along the coastline were the Algonquian peoples. However, the Iroquoian and Siouan groups were also noted to have been present in the area as well, but to a lesser extent. Since they were coastal tribes, they mainly used the warmer months to hunt and fish in the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. However, by the 1700s, most of the Algonquian tribes left the area.

When Did European Settlers Come to Maryland?

As we mentioned above, there were already several indigenous tribes that lived in the Chesapeake Bay area. It was during the 16th century that many European explorations began in the Mid-Atlantic region of Eastern America. In fact, before these European settlers came to the region, the indigenous communities had been living in Maryland for over 12,000 years. By the time the 19th century rolled around, Maryland’s indigenous populations left the area or migrated to join other tribes. 

It was on June 20, 1632, that the state of Maryland was first founded. It was founded after King Charles I gave his permission to establish the colony to Cecil Calvert, who was an English politician and lawyer. The initial idea to establish the colony was proposed by Cecil Calvert’s father, George Calvert (1st Baron Baltimore). The colony was meant to be a province where the Catholic English people could practice their religion without interference. In fact, it was the state of Maryland that was the first to pass a law that encouraged religious tolerance with The Maryland Toleration Act of 1649. Therefore, the first settlers of the area were a mix of Catholics and Protestants that were looking for religious freedom.

What Is the Origin of Maryland’s Name?

So how did Maryland get its name? The state of Maryland was named after Henrietta Maria, the French-born Queen of England, Scotland, and Ireland. She was the wife of King Charles I and was known informally as “Mary” throughout England. The queen, unlike the rest of the country, was a devout Catholic. Although there were many public outcries about this, her husband allowed her to freely practice Catholicism. It was also in 1625 when George Calvert, an English House of Commons member, came out publicly as a Catholic. Since he was a member of politics, he promptly resigned and created Baron Baltimore in Ireland. 

However, Calvert had dreams of a land where others could freely practice their religion without any persecution. This was when he began to look at the Americas as a potential area where Catholics could establish themselves. He began to beg King Charles I to allow him to establish the land around the Chesapeake Bay as a colony. However, he passed away before given permission to do so. This left the task to his son, Cecil, who was granted permission in 1632. The land was called “Terra Mariae” which in Latin translates to “Mary’s Land”. As we mentioned above, the area quickly became a refuge for religious freedom.

How Did Maryland Get Its Nicknames?

Outside of simply being called Maryland, the state also has various nicknames that it has earned over the years. 

The most popular nicknames associated with Maryland include: 

• America in Miniature
• Old Line State 
• Free State 
• Monumental State 
• Cockade State 
• Terrapin State 
• Oyster State 
• Chesapeake State

Some of the history behind these nicknames is quite fascinating as well. For example, did you know that, according to many historians, the nickname “Old Line State” was given to Maryland by General George Washington? The story behind this nickname is associated with the Maryland Line, which was an infantry that fought a British force of 10,000 soldiers. The Maryland Line helped Washington flee and continued to be essential in the war against the British Army. In order to honor these patriots, the nickname was established. 

Another interesting nickname origin is that of “America in Miniature”. This nickname was given to the state because of how stunningly diverse the landscape of this very small state is. Throughout the state of Maryland, you can find almost every kind of terrain excluding desert. 

Statehood of Maryland

As one of the original 13 colonies, Maryland signed the Declaration of Independence to join the other colonies in their declaration of freedom from Great Britain. Thus, when the American Revolutionary War finally came to an end in 1783, these colonies were able to create their own constitution. Then in April 1788, Maryland ratified the U.S. Constitution and became the seventh state to join the Union.

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