Quote Originally Posted by Februs View Post
I'm pretty sure it's also a conjugation in Spanish and French as well. I'm really rusty on my French, but I'm almost positive it has a French form. All of the "romantic languages" find their roots in Latin, <snip>, Ser does not have any linguistic relation. Still, you are most certainly correct. I am impressed you pointed it out.
Ser is a verb in Spanish - to be/have (permanent status). For example, you would say Soy Ingles - I am English, rather than use Tener (to be/have - impermanent) which is used thusly Tengo hambre - I am hungry.

Ser in the honourific is not related to Ser the verb. It's, to all intents and purposes, just the Italian way of saying Esquire as it's aimed at notaries and lawyers. In America I know many lawyers still use Esquire as an honourific whereas it has pretty much died out in the UK. Possibly it remains in the USA due to a large Italian diaspora.