What does it mean when a man has "esquire" as a part of his name?

Question

"Esquire" always sounded snooty to me but I have an attorney whose name has esq. as an extension. He is a very humble man. I'm too shy to ask him its meaning.

Answer 1

1- A man or boy who is a member of the gentry in England ranking directly below a knight.
2 - (Abbr. Esq.) Used as an honorific usually in its abbreviated form, especially after the name of an attorney or a consular officer: Jane Doe, Esq.; John Doe, Esq.
3 - In medieval times, a candidate for knighthood who served a knight as an attendant and a shield bearer.
Archaic. An English country gentleman; a squire.

Answer 2

chellek is correct.
However, in the recent past, 'esquire' was used in business as an alternative to 'Mr'. So one could say
"Bill Gates, Esq." or "Mr Bill Gates".

But it's out of fashion now - except for a few die-hards like your attorney.
.

Answer 3

Esquire today is used in the USA to indicate an attorney of law. I have clients both male and female that are attorneys and that is how they indicate their profession, just as I use CPA after my name to indicate that I am a CPA.

Answer 4

Bill in "Bill & Ted's most Excellent Adventure"'s name was Bill S. Preston Esquire. You've asked a good question, I wonder what it means too.