The colonial families of Maryland were the leading families in the Province of Maryland. Several also had interests in the Colony of Virginia, and the two are sometimes referred to as the Chesapeake Colonies.
Founders and scions
+Family nameRelatedFamily membersNotesAdams Charles CountyFrancis Adams(c. 1645 – 1698) early settlerJohn Adams(c. 1670 – 1740) early settlerFrancis Adams II(1680 – 1766) revolutionary, planter and gentlemanCharles Adams(c. 1672 – 1733) carpenterBowie Prince George's CountyJohn Bowie, Sr.(1688 – 1759) early settlerOden Bowie(1826 – 1894) 34th governor of the state of MarylandRobert Bowie(1750 – 1818) 11th governor of MarylandThomas Fielder Bowie(1808 – 1869) politician Walter Bowie(1748 – 1810) slave owner, racehorse owner and politicianCaptain William Bowie(c 1721 – c 1791) revolutionary, member of the Assembly of Freemen, and Annapolis Convention delegateWilliam Duckett Bowie(1803 – 1873) politicianBrent St. Mary's County, Queen Anne's County, Kent CountyMargaret Brent(c 1601 – c 1671) first woman in the English colonies to appear before courtMary Brentearly settler and plantation owner, sister of MargaretGiles Brent(c1600 – 1672) Catholic early settler, married Mary Kittamaquad, the daughter of the Piscataway TayacBrice Anne Arundel CountyBrice III(1738–1820) lawyer and mayor of AnnapolisJohn Brice Jr.(1705–1766) settler and Loyalist politicianJames Brice(1746–1801) governor of MarylandBrooke Old Charles County, Calvert County, Prince George's County, Montgomery CountyRobert Brooke, Sr.(1602–1655) early settler, planterThomas Brooke, Sr.(1632 – 1676) lawyer, planter, High Sheriff and Chief JusticeThomas Brooke, Jr.(1659 – 1730/31) politician, planterThomas Brooke III(1683 – 1744) politician, planterRichard Brooke(1736 – 1788) politician, planterBurgess Anne Arundel County, Frederick CountyWilliam Burgess(c 1622 – 1686/87) planter, merchant, politicianJohn Burgess (1696 – 1774) planterEdward Burgess(ca. 1733 – 1809) planter, captain, First Maryland Battalion of the Flying CampCalvert, Barons Baltimore St. Mary's County, Ann Arundel CountyCecilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore(1605 – 31675) politician, peer and lawyer, first proprietor of MarylandLeonard Calvert(1606 – 1647) first proprietary governor of the Province of MarylandPhillip Calvert (governor)(c. 1626 - c. 1682), fifth governor of Maryland Charles Calvert, 3rd Baron Baltimore(1637 – 1715) English peer and colonial administratorBenedict Calvert, 4th Baron Baltimore(1679 – 1715) English peer and politicianCharles Calvert Lazenby(c. 1688 – 1734) British Army officer, colonial administrator, planter and proprietary governor of MarylandCharles Calvert, 5th Baron Baltimore(1699 – 1751) British nobleman and proprietary governor of MarylandBenedict Leonard Calvert(1700 – 1732) 15th proprietary governor of MarylandBenedict Swingate Calvert(1722 – 1788) illegitimate son of Charles Calvert, 5th Baron Baltimore, planter, slave owner, politician and LoyalistHenry Harford(1758 – 1834), illegitimate son of Frederick Calvert, 6th Baron Baltimore, namesake of Harford County, last proprietary owner of the British colony of MarylandCarroll St. Mary's County, Anne Arundel County, Frederick County, Cecil CountyCharles Carroll the SettlerCharles Carroll of AnnapolisCharles Carroll (barrister)Charles Carroll of CarrolltonCarrollton Manor, Mount Clare Daniel CarrollJohn Carroll (bishop)Thomas King CarrollAnna Ella CarrollJames Carroll (Maryland politician)Chase Somerset County, Baltimore County, Anne Arundel CountySamuel Chase(1741 – 1811) signer of the Continental Association and Declaration of Independence Jeremiah Chase(1748 – 1828) lawyer, jurist, and land speculator Chew Anne Arundel County, Cecil CountySamuel Chew (I-V) early settlers of Herring Bay beginning in 1650, colonists and plantation ownersJohn Chew Thomas(1764 – 1836) politician, member of the House of Representatives for Maryland's 2nd district Contee Prince George's CountyThomas Contee(c. 1729–1811) militia man, politician and planterBenjamin Contee(1755 – 1815) priest and member of the House of RepresentativesKey Cecil County, Montgomery CountyPhilip Barton Key(1757 – 1815), loyalist and judgePhilip Key(1750 – 1820) congressional representativeBarnes Compton(1830 – 1898) politician and Treasurer of MarylandFrancis Scott Key(1779 – 1843) lawyer and author of author of the national anthemCresap Allegany CountyThomas Cresap(c.1702—c.1790) settler and trader, served Lord Baltimore as an agent in Cresap's WarMichael Cresap(1742 – 1775) frontiersman immortalized in Logan's Lament, owned the Michael Cresap HouseDarnall Prince George's County, Calvert CountyHenry Darnall(1645 – 1711) planter, military officer and politician, proprietary agent for Lord BaltimoreHenry Darnall II(1682–1759) planter and landownerDigges Prince George's CountyWilliam Digges(c. 1651— 1697) planter, soldier and politician Dent St. Mary's County, Charles CountyThomas Dent Sr.(1630–1676), justice, sheriff, and member of the Maryland General AssemblyGeorge Dent(1756 – 1813) planter, served in the House of RepresentativesDorsey Anne Arundel County, Calvert CountyEdward Dorsey(c. 1615 – 1659) boat-wright and patriarchHon. John Dorsey(before 1646 – 1714) colonial settlerWhite, John T. The National encyclopaedia of American biography, Volume 9, 1899. pg 299.Major Edward Dorsey(before 1646 – 1705) colonial settlerJoshua Dorsey Warfield. The Founders of Anne Arundel and Howard Counties, Maryland: A genealogical and biographical review from wills, deeds and church records. Kohn & Pollock. 1905.Dulany Anne Arundel County, Baltimore CountyDaniel Dulany the Elder(1685–1753) lawyer and land-developerDaniel Dulany the Younger(1722 – 1797) loyalist politician, mayor of Annapolis and lawyer Walter Dulany(died 1773) politician and mayor of Annapolis Duvall Prince George's County, Anne Arundel CountyMareen Duvall(1625–1694) French Huguenot and early settlerGabriel Duvall(1752 – 1844) politician and juristEden baronets St. Mary's County, Anne Arundel CountySir Robert Eden, 1st Baronet, of Maryland(1741 – 1784) colonial administrator and last colonial governor of MarylandCaroline Calvert Eden(c. 1737 – c.1773) namesake of Caroline CountyFendall Charles County, Prince George's CountyJosias Fendall(c. 1628 – c. 1687) colonial administrator, planter and proprietary governorGoldsborough Dorchester County, Talbot CountyRobert Goldsborough(1711 – 1788) lawyer, Burgess, statesman and delegate to the Continental CongressNicholas Goldsborugh(1732 – 1750) Justice of Talbot County, Burgess, Ferry managerJohn Goldsborough(1742 – 1770) Managed a ferry, Freeman, General Assembly of state Talbot CountyColonel Nicholas Goldsborough(c 1787 – c 1858) plantation owner, politicianCharles Goldsborough(1765 – 1834) 16th governor and federalist politicianWilliam Goldsborough(1750–1801) plantation owner, politicianGreenberry Anne Arundel County, Baltimore CountyNicholas Greenberry(c.1627 – 1697) 4th royal governor and military commanderGreene St. Mary's County, Charles CountyGovernor Thomas Greene(1610 – 1652) early settler and second provincial governorHammond Anne Arundel County, Howard CountyMajor Philip Hammond(1697–1760) planter, politician and landownerMathias Hammond(1740–1786) revolutionaryRezin Hammond(1745–1809) revolutionary, patriot and planterJohn Hammond Maj.Gen.Tombstone from 'Mountain Neck' plantation to St.Anne's, Church Circle, AnnapolisHanson Charles County, Prince George's CountyJohn Hanson(1721 – 1783) merchant, politician and delegate to the Continental CongressAlexander Contee Hanson(1786 – 1819) lawyer, publisher, and statesmanAlexander Contee Hanson Sr.(1749 – 1806) attorney and Chancellor of MarylandHatton St. Marys CountyThomas Hatton Sr. (d 1655) early settler, secretary, provincial justiceThomas Hatton(1642 – 1675) early settlerHoward Baltimore County, Howard CountyMatthew Howard Srearly settlerJohn Eager Howard(1752 – 1827) soldier, plantation owner and politician, Howard County is named after himGeorge Howard (Governor of Maryland)(1789 – 1846) 22nd governor of MarylandBenjamin Chew Howard(1791 – 1872) politician and lawyerWilliam Howard (1793–1834) engineer who worked for the Baltimore and Ohio RailroadJenifer Charles County, Anne Arundel CountyDaniel of St. Thomas Jenifer(1723 – 1790) politician and Constitution signerDaniel Jenifer(1791 – 1855) lawyer and statesman Lee Prince George's County, Frederick CountyPhilip Lee(1681–1744), planter, naval officer and member of the Maryland General AssemblyThomas Sim Lee(1745 – 1819) American planter, patriot, and politician who served as Maryland governor LloydEdward Lloyd (Colonial Governor of Maryland)Edward Lloyd (delegate)Edward Lloyd (Governor of Maryland)Henry Lloyd (governor)James Lloyd (Maryland)(1756 – 1830) politicianOgle Prince George's County, Anne Arundel CountySamuel Ogle(c. 1694 – 1752) 16th, 18th and 20th proprietary governor of MarylandBenjamin Ogle(1749 – 1809) ninth governor of Maryland Paca Queen Anne's County, Anne Arundel CountyWilliam Paca(1740 – 1799) signatory to Continental Association and Declaration of IndependencePealeCharles Willson PealeJames PealeRaphaelle PealeRembrandt PealeRubens PealeTitian PealeAnna Claypoole PealeCharles Peale PolkMargaretta Angelica PealeSarah Miriam PealeRidgely Howard County, Baltimore CountyHenry Ridgely(1640–1710)Henry Ridgely III (1690–1749)Charles Ridgely II(1702–1772) planter, politician, justice, merchantCharles Ridgely III(1733–1790) planter, iron monger, builder of Hampton MansionCharles Carnan Ridgely(1760 – 1829) politician, 15th governor of MarylandRiggin Somerset CountyTeague RigginFounder; Planter, Golden Lyon Plantation, Pocomoke SoundDarby RigginFounder; Planter, Annemessex, later moved to Accomack County, VirginiaJohn RigginPlanter, Marumsco, Pocomoke SoundJohn RigginPlanter, AnnemessexIsaac RigginCorporal, Maryland Militia, War of 1812.Elisha RigginshipbuilderJohn RigginDeputy clerk of the court, Worcester County; father of Brig. Gen. John Riggin, Jr.Rodgers Cecil County, Harford CountyColonel John Rodgers Sr.(b 1726) early settler, naval officerCommodore John Rodgers (1772 – 1838) naval officerAdmiral John Rodgers III(1812 – 1882) naval officerGeorge Washington Rodgers (1787–1832) naval officerSaffell Frederick County Montgomery CountySamuel Saffell(1712–1777) early settler, landowner, second probated will in Montgomery CountyWill of Samuel Saffell, 1777, Montgomery County Register of Wills, Estate Record, Liber A, p. 3 [MSA C1138-2, 1/17/8/2]; Inventory of Samuel Saffell, 1778, Estate Record, Liber A, p. 136; Land Office, Debt Books, Frederick County, 1773, vol. 26, 163 [MSA S12-115, 1/24/2/28]Joshua Saffellrevolutionary soldierSewall St. Mary's County, Dorchester County, Queen Anne's CountyHenry Sewall(d 1665) early settler, founder of Mattapany, My Lady Sewall's ManorNicholas Lewis Sewallplanter, slave ownerCharles S. Sewall(1779 – 1848) politician, served in the Maryland State Senate, House of Delegates and House of RepresentativesSmallwood Anne Arundel County, Charles CountyGovernor William Smallwoodplanter, soldier and politician, fourth governor of Maryland Sparrow Anne Arundel CountyThomas Sparrow(1746–1784) Goldsmith, engraver jeweler, created the dies for the 1788 Chalmers shilling, the first coin minted in the RepublicSteuart Anne Arundel County, Baltimore CountyGeorge H. Steuart (planter)PlanterGeorge H. Steuart (politician)(1700–1784) physician, tobacco planter, and Loyalist politicianGeorge Steuart HumeGeorge H. Steuart (Major General)Richard Sprigg Steuart(1797–1876) physician and pioneer of the treatment of mental illnessGeorge H. Steuart (Brigadier General)(1828 – 1903) planter and Confederate military officerWilliam Steuart (Mayor of Baltimore)(1780 – 1839) stonemason and mayor of BaltimoreStone