Addition

The title or description of a person in law proceedings, given in addition to his name, for the purpose of more accurate designation, and showing his estate, degree, mystery and place of residence. Termes de la ley.

Cowell.

In English law, there are four kinds of additions: additions of estate, such as yeoman, gentleman, esquire; additions of degree, or names of dignity, as knight, earl, marquess, duke; additions of trade, mystery or occupation, as scrivener, painter, mason, carpenter; and additions of place of residence, as London, Chester, &c. Id. ibid. The only additions recognised in American law are those of mystery, and residence. The object of giving additions to the names of persons is very clearly stated in the statute of 1 Hen. V., c. 5, by which the practice was introduced, and which ordained that, in actions where process of outlawry lay, such additions should be to the name of the defendant, to show his estate, mystery and place of residence, in order that one man might not be vexed or troubled by the outlawry of another; [as where there were several of the same name,] but that by reason of the certain addition, every person might be known, and bear his own burden.

Cowell. 2 Inst. 665.

A like provision was applied by the same statute to indictments, in order to identify the person of the offender.

4 Bl. Com. 306.