Mamsell

File:Mamsell 1905.jpg

(from the French ) was a historical Swedish honorific used for unmarried middle class women from about the mid 18th-century until 1866. The title was primarily used for women in the burgher and the clergy classes. The word was replaced after the middle of the 19th century by , which had previously been a title used only for unmarried noblewomen.

History

An earlier title for unmarried women in Sweden was . Previously, the title had also been reserved for noblewomen, but it began to also be used for people outside the nobility much earlier than . Until 1719, when the Swedish court system was reformed, unmarried noblewomen were called instead of .

In the 18th century, became common, although unmarried noblewomen were called ('miss'). Similarly, the title ('Mrs') was used only for married noblewomen, and married middle-class women were called (from French ). After the parliamentary reform which abolished the Riksdag of the Estates in 1866, the title was allowed for all unmarried women, and the title – as well as the married equivalent – ceased to be used.

The reform was mentioned in the 1866–1867 New Year's show at the Royal Dramatic Theatre in Stockholm in the satirical song (which rhymes in Swedish):

At the Royal Dramatic Theatre, however, the reform was not introduced until after director Edholm was replaced in 1881.

References

• Johan Flodmark: Stenborgska skådebanorna
• Trygve Byström: Svenska komedien 1737-1754