The state motto, "Fatti maschii, parole femine" (), has its origin in the archaic Italian and translates as "Manly deeds, womanly words", or more generally, "Strong deeds, gentle words", which is the translation the government of Maryland cites officially. Maryland is the only state with a motto in Italian. The saying is the motto of the Calvert family (the Barons Baltimore), who first founded the Colony of Maryland. George Calvert, 1st Baron Baltimore (1579-1632), made it his family's motto in 1622 and it appears that the saying was well known in 17th-century England.