This is a name of French Huguenot refugee origins, found in England from the early 17th Century. The derivation is from the original German "Mesner", through the French "Mesnier", and is medieval job descriptive for a church warden, sexton, or verger. There are several spelling forms, however; in England the name seems to have become confused with "Meynard", another name of Germanic origins, and one associated with the Normans of 1066 and the later Huguenots. The link spellings are however Mesnier and Maznier to Mesnards, as shown in the following recordings: Johes Mesnier (see first recording) of London, in 1612, Martin Maznier, who married Ada DeWoght at St. Margaret's Church, Westminster, on February 9th 1649, and Isacq Mesnard, the son of Isacq and the former Magdalene Jolly, who was christened at Leicester Fields French Huguenot Church on September 23rd 1694. On November 27th 1726, another Isacq Mesnard, the son of Pierre and the former Marie Mariage, was christened at La Patente Huguenot Church, Spitalfields. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Jonas Mesnier, which was dated March 15th 1612, christened at Threadneedle Street Huguenot Church, London, during the reign of King James 1 of England and V1 of Scotland, 1603 - 1625. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

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