Messenger
An occupational surname for a bearer of messages or official errand-runner.
The #5,752 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 51,270 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Messenger comes from Middle English and Anglo-French messager, meaning a person who carries a message. That word goes back to French message and Late Latin missaticum, ultimately from Latin missus, the past participle of mittere, “to send.” The surname therefore began as an occupational name for someone employed to carry dispatches or act as an official courier.
History
Historical dictionaries note Messenger as a surname formed from the common medieval occupation of message-bearing. In England it could refer especially to a servant or official courier attached to a court, noble household, or government office, such as the king’s messengers. The form also appears in related spellings and variants such as Messinger and Messager.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The office behind the name was important enough that historical records mention “Messengers of the King” and “Messengers of the Exchequer.”
From the historical record
“MESNY r ^''^"'^^ forms of Mennie, q.v. MESSENGER 1 (A.-Fr.-Lat.) Message-Bear- MESSINQER J ERiFoRERUNNERfwithintrus. » : M.E. and Fr. messager; f. Fri message, L.Lat. missaticum, message ; Lat. missus, p.p. of mittere, to send] MESSENT, app. the mod. French messeant,”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)