Feb 14, 2022 · According to the History Learning Site, in Medieval England, the guilds of stonemasons were sometimes called "Free Masons," since "free" stone was the name of the stone that the masons most often since it was soft and able to be intricately carved.

Word Origin Middle English (originally meaning to appoint someone to a position): from Latin institut-‘established’, from the verb instituere, from in-‘in, towards’ + statuere ‘set up’. The noun is from Latin institutum ‘something designed, precept’, neuter past participle of instituere; the current sense dates from the early 19th cent.