Daily AncestorMrs.
Mrs. comes from Mistress and before the 1800s could be used for any woman of standing, married or not.
Mrs. began as a short form of Mistress, the feminine of Master. Into the 1700s it marked a woman of social standing and could be given to an unmarried woman as well as a wife. The split into Mrs. for wives and Miss for single women came slowly.
So in early records Mrs. Ann Hart is not proof that Ann was married. Look for a husband's name or a marriage record before you assume it.
As seen in a recordEntry in an 1740s church register
Mrs. Ann Hart, spinster, of this parish
How to cite this page
Daily Ancestor. "Mrs.." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/relationships/mrs. Last checked 2026-10-01.