The polycrystalline samples of Pb0.88La0.12(Ti1-xMnx)(0.97)O-3 (x = 0.0, 0.04, 0.07, 0.10) (PLMT) were prepared using a mechano-thermal method. Preliminary structural analysis of the above samples, carried out using X-ray diffraction data, shows tetragonal structure. This study also shows that the basic compound PLT (Pb0.88La0.12TiO3) retains its tetragonal structure even up to 10% of Mn substitution at the Ti-site. The transmission electron micrographs (TEM) of PLMT samples exhibit that materials prepared by the above method are found to be of nano-size. The temperature-frequency dependence of dielectric studies exhibits increase in relative permittivity with rise in Mn-concentration in PLMT, and hence it can make the materials useful for device applications. The temperature dependence of ac conductivity shows presence of different types of charge species. It is also observed that oxygen vacancies play a significant role in the high-temperature conduction-mechanism and dynamics of polarization of the system. Piezoelectric charge coefficient (d(33)) increases with increase in the Mn content in PLMT. (c) 2013 Published by Elsevier Ltd.