Mamsell was a historical Swedish honorific

Honorific

An honorific is a word or expression with connotations conveying esteem or respect when used in addressing or referring to a person. Sometimes, the term is used not quite correctly to refer to an honorary title...

 used for unmarried women from about the mid 18th-century until 1866. The title was primarily used for middle class women and women in the cities.

History

The first title used for unmarried women in Sweden was Jungfru. In the 18th century, Mamsell became common; although unmarried noblewomen were called "Fröken" (Miss). Similarly, the title "Fru" (Mrs) was used only for married noblewomen, and married middle-class women were called "Madam" (from French: Madame). After the parliamentary reform which abolished the Riksdag of the Estates

Riksdag of the Estates

The Riksdag of the Estates , was the name used for the Estates of the Swedish realm when they were assembled. Until its dissolution in 1866, the institution was the highest authority in Sweden next to the King...

 in 1866, the title "Fröken" was allowed for all unmarried women, and the title Mamsell - as well as the married equivalent Madam - ceased to be used.

The reform was mentioned in the 1866/67 New Year

New Year

The New Year is the day that marks the time of the beginning of a new calendar year, and is the day on which the year count of the specific calendar used is incremented. For many cultures, the event is celebrated in some manner....

's show at the Royal Dramatic Theatre

Royal Dramatic Theatre

The Royal Dramatic Theatre is Sweden's national stage for "spoken drama", founded in 1788. Around one thousand shows are put on annually on the theatre's eight running stages....

 in Stockholm

Stockholm

Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...

 in the satirical song (which rhymes in Swedish):

Away with the old ghost

Ghost

In traditional belief and fiction, a ghost is the soul or spirit of a deceased person or animal that can appear, in visible form or other manifestation, to the living. Descriptions of the apparition of ghosts vary widely from an invisible presence to translucent or barely visible wispy shapes, to...

s mamsell'es!

Now every girl can be a Miss,

Unless she prefers to be a Mrs

In 1867

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