Recorded as Mistry and Mistrey, this is a surname of probably French origins of which it may have two. Apparently first recorded in the surviving church registers of the city of London on August 29th 1634, when Maria, the daughter of Wilm and Joannae Mistry was christened at the famous church of St Martins in the Field, Westminster, we believe that it is either topographical or occupational. There is no logical explanation for the spelling in English, however the French 'Dictionnaire des noms de famille' suggests that the origination is from the ancient surname Mestre, which no doubt sounded like Mistry to a 17th century English cleric or registrar. Mestre itself derives from the word 'mistral' meaning a wind, or from Maestre or Maitre meaning 'Master'. This could be master as in the sense of head of a household, or it could refer to a school master or a master of music. The probable explanation is that as the surname as Mestre otr Maitre was popular on the west coast of France which was also the centre of the Protestant church, that the name in England has a Huguenot background, being brought over by refugees from Catholic France.

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