Objective To investigate the on-set features of maternally inherited essential hypertension (MIEH) in central district of Jiangsu Province in China, in order to provide consideration for the prevention and treatment of the disease. Methods A total of 1000 cases with essential hypertension (EH) who met the diagnostic standard of WHO Hypertension Guideline in Subei People￠s Hospital were subjected in this study. Their general data (sex, age, onset age, and family history) were collected. Among them, 276 cases with MIEH were taken as the indicative cases and the other 276 healthy adults who took physical examination during same period served as normal controls. A comparative analysis was carried out on waist circumference, abdominal circumference, body mass index (BMI), blood biochemical parameters between the indicative and control cases. Results MIEH patients developed hypertension at earlier ages than those who were paternally inherited or had no family history of hypertension (P＜0.05), with obvious familial aggregation. The values of waist circumference, abdominal circumference, BMI, serum triglyceride, blood low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), blood glucose, serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen and uric acid were significantly higher in MIEH patients than in normal controls (P<0.05). There were significant correlations of MIEH with obesity, blood LDL-C, blood glucose, serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen and uric acid. Conclusions MIEH develops hypertension at earlier ages, and has a tendency of familial aggregation and more target organ damage. MIEH is associated with obesity, blood LDL-C, blood glucose, serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen and uric acid in central district of Jiangsu Province in China.