The problem of fast computing the QR factorization of row or column symmetric matrix isconsidered. We address two new algorithms based on a correspondence of Q and R matrices between the rowor column symmetric matrix and its mother matrix. Theoretical analysis and numerical evidence show that, fora class of row or column symmetric matrices, the QR factorization using the mother matrix rather than therow or column symmetric matrix per se can save dramatically the CPU time and memory without loss of anynumerical precision.