Messor Surname History

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Messor

What does the name Messor mean?

The ancestors of the Messor family migrated to England following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The surname Messor is for a person employed in reaping or harvesting. The name can be traced to the Old French word messier, which meant harvester.

Early Origins of the Messor family

The surname Messor was first found in Lincolnshire where they were one of the noted families of the area. Roger Messer was the first on record in Lincolnshire, in 1172, a little over a century after the Conquest. In 1180 Erkenbald Messer was recorded in the same county. At about the same time Jacobus Mesoart was registered in Normandy. Early in their history a branch of this family moved to Scotland.

Early History of the Messor family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Messor research. Another 73 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1200, 1273, 1296 and 1663 are included under the topic Early Messor History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Messor Spelling Variations

Before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Sound was what guided spelling in the Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Messor family name include Messer, Mesher, Messor, Mersser, Masar, Messier, Meisser, Measure and many more.

Early Notables of the Messor family

More information is included under the topic Early Messor Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Messor family

To escape the political and religious chaos of this era, thousands of English families began to migrate to the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. The passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe; however, those who made the voyage safely were encountered opportunities that were not available to them in their homeland. Many of the families that reached the New World at this time went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of the United States and Canada. Research into various historical records has revealed some of first members of the Messor family to immigrate North America: James Messer arrived in Virginia in 1653; Sylvester Messer arrived in America from England in 1701 with his wife, 2 sons and 2 daughters; Carolina Messer arrived in Quebec in 1850.

Contemporary Notables of the name Messor (post 1700) +

William R. Messor, American Republican politician, Candidate for West Virginia State House of Delegates 7th District, 1984