 Meschansky District acquired its name earlier, in the second half of 17th century, through the Ukrainians and Belarusians abducted from their hometowns in the course of Russo-Polish War (1654–1667).These people settled north from present-day Garden Ring, reaching 692 households by 1682 (Sytin, p. 296).In their languages, "meshchane" meant simply "town people", "the locals", without negative connotation; the name of Meshchanskaya sloboda persists to date.