originally, a knight's shield bearer, who would probably himself in due course be dubbed a knight; the word is derived from the Old French esquier and earlier from the Latin scutarius.

In England in the later Middle Ages, the term esquire (armiger) was used to denote holders of knights' estates who had not taken up their knighthood, and from this practice it became usual to entitle the principal landowner in a parish “the squire.” In Britain, the title esquire—properly held only by the eldest sons of younger sons of peers, by the eldest sons of baronets and knights, and by certain officials (including justices of the peace, mayors, sheriffs, and senior service officers)—is by courtesy extended to all professional men and is used, abbreviated as Esq., as a form of address appended to surnames in place of the title Dr. or Mr.