Hi Pam, The terms Mr. and Esq. originally held meanings in the social order. These are the definitions from a genealogical dictionary that I have: Mr. An abbreviation for Master,and originally so pronounced. Harrison in his Description of Britain(1577) refers to 'Master,which is the title that men give to esquires and gentlemen'. In the seventeenth century it was a courtesy title for any man of respectable status. I presume that this would not have included manual workers or trades people. Esq. In the Middle Ages a squire(escutifer) carried the shield and other armour for the lord or knight that he served,but this duty passed later to pages. Squires in this sense were of gentle family. By the sixteenth century,Esquire was a title acquired by holding an office under the Crown, and so was not necessarily superior to 'gentleman', but in practice such office holding carried distinction. Esquires proper held Crown commissions as Justices of the Peace,army officers,Royal navy commanders (but not junior naval officers),the common hangman, etc. The modern courtesy use of the style became common in the nineteenth century. The squire in a country parish was the colloquial designation for the lord of the manor or chief landowner. In modern times these fine distinctions have been lost by the general use of the terms. Regards, Ray.