Catonsville is a census-designated place (CDP) in Baltimore County, Maryland, United States. The community lies to the west of Baltimore along the city’s border. Catonsville contains the majority of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), a major public research university with close to 14,000 students. The first European settlement in present-day Catonsville was Johnnycake Town, settled in 1729. It was named after its tavern, popular for baking and selling johnnycakes to travelers every morning. It was known for being a stopping place for travelers, where they would rest their horses.