Old Occupations Explained
from Dan Burrows
http://usgenweb.org/research/occupations.shtml
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Accomptant ––
Accountant |
Almoner -- Giver of charity to the
needy |
Amanuensis -- Secretary or
stenographer |
Artificer -- A soldier mechanic who
does repairs |
Bailie -- Bailiff |
Baxter -- Baker |
Bluestocking -- Female writer
|
Boniface -- Keeper of an inn
|
Brazier -- One who works with brass
|
Brewster -- Beer manufacturer
|
Brightsmith -- Metal Worker
|
Burgonmaster -- Mayor
|
Caulker -- One who filled up cracks
(in ships or windows or seems to them watertight by using tar or oakum-hemp
fiber produced by taking old ropes apart |
Chaisemaker -- Carriage maker
|
Chandler -- Dealer or trader; one
who makes or sells candles; retailer of groceries |
Chiffonnier -- Wig maker
|
Clark -- Clerk |
Clerk -- Clergyman, cleric
|
Clicker -- The servant of a
salesman who stood at the door to invite customers; one who received the
matter in the galley from the compositors and arranged it in due form ready
for printing; one who makes eyelet holes in boots using a machine which
clicked. |
Cohen -- Priest (descendant of
Levi) |
Collier -- Coal miner
|
Colporteur -- Peddler of books
|
Cooper -- One who makes or repairs
vessels made of staves and hoops, such as casks, barrels, tubs, etc.
|
Cordwainer -- Shoemaker, originally
any leather worker using leather from Cordova/Cordoba in Spain
|
Costermonger -- Peddler of fruits
and vegetables |
Crocker –––
Potter |
Crowner -- Coroner |
Currier -- One who dresses the coat
of a horse with a currycomb; one who tanned leather by incorporating oil or
grease |
Docker Stevedore, dock worker who
loads and unloads cargo |
Dowser -- One who finds water using
a rod or witching stick |
Draper -- A dealer in dry goods
|
Drayman -- One who drives a long
strong cart without fixed sides for carrying heavy loads |
Dresser -- A surgeon's assistant in
a hospital |
Drover -- One who drives cattle,
sheep, etc. to market; a dealer in cattle |
Duffer -- Peddler |
Factor -- Agent, commission
merchant; one who acts or transacts business for another; Scottish steward
or bailiff of an estate
Farrier -- A blacksmith, one who shoes horses |
Faulkner -- Falconer
|
Fell monger -- One who removes hair
or wool from hides in preparation for leather making |
Fletcher -- One who made bows and
arrows |
Fuller -- One who fulls cloth; one
who shrinks and thickens woolen cloth by moistening, heating, and pressing;
one who cleans and finishes cloth |
Gaoler -- A keeper of the goal, a
jailer |
Glazier -- Window glassman
|
Hacker -- Maker of hoes
|
Hatcheler -- One who combed out or
carded flax |
Haymonger -- Dealer in hay
|
Hayward -- Keeper of fences
|
Higgler -- Itinerant peddler
|
Hillier -- Roof tiler
|
Hind -- A farm laborer
|
Hostler -- A groom who took care of
horses, often at an inn |
Hooker -- Reaper |
Hooper -- One who made hoops for
casks and barrels |
Huckster -- Sells small wares
|
Husbandman -- A farmer who
cultivated the land |
Jagger -- Fish peddler
|
Journeyman -- One who had served
his apprenticeship and mastered his craft, not bound to serve a master, but
hired by the day |
Joyner/Joiner -- A skilled
carpenter |
Keeler -- Bargeman |
Kempster -- Wool comber
|
Lardner -- Keeper of the cupboard
|
Lavender -- Washer woman
|
Lederer -- Leather maker
|
Leech -- Physician |
Longshoreman -- Stevedore
|
Lormer -- Maker of horse gear
|
Malender -- Farmer |
Maltster -- Brewer |
Manciple -- A steward
|
Mason -- Bricklayer
|
Mintmaster -- One who issued local
currency |
Monger -- Seller of goods (ale,
fish) |
Muleskinner -- Teamster
|
Neatherder -- Herds cows
|
Ordinary Keeper -- Innkeeper with
fixed prices |
Pattern Maker -- A maker of a clog
shod with an iron ring. A clog was a wooden pole with a pattern cut into the
end |
Peregrinator Itinerant wanderer
|
Peruker -- A wig maker
|
Pettifogger -- A shyster lawyer
|
Pigman -- Crockery dealer
|
Plumber -- One who applied sheet
lead for roofing and set lead frames for plain or stained glass windows.
|
Porter -- Door keeper
|
Puddler -- Wrought iron worker
|
Quarrier -- Quarry worker
|
Rigger -- Hoist tackle worker
|
Ripper -- Seller of fish
|
Roper -- Maker of rope or nets
|
Saddler -- One who makes, repairs
or sells saddles or other furnishings for horses |
Sawbones -- Physician
|
Sawyer -- One who saws; carpenter
|
Schumacker -- Shoemaker
|
Scribler -- A minor or worthless
author |
Scrivener -- Professional or public
copyist or writer; notary public |
Scrutiner -- Election judge
|
Shrieve -- Sheriff |
Slater -- Roofer |
Slopseller -- Seller of ready-made
clothes in a slop shop |
Snobscat/Snob -- One who repaired
shoes |
Sorter -- Tailor |
Spinster -- A woman who spins or an
unmarried woman |
Spurrer -- Maker of spurs
|
Squire -- Country gentleman; farm
owner; justice of peace |
Stuff gown -- Junior barrister
|
Stuff gownsman -- Junior barrister
|
Supercargo -- Officer on merchant
ship who is in charge of cargo and the commercial concerns of the ship
|
Tanner -- One who tans (cures)
animal hides into leather |
Tapley -- One who puts the tap in
an ale cask |
Tasker -- Reaper |
Teamster -- One who drives a team
for hauling |
Thatcher -- Roofer |
Tide waiter -- Customs inspector
|
Tinker -- An itinerant tin pot and
pan seller and repairman |
Tipstaff -- Policeman
|
Travers -- Toll bridge collection
|
Tucker -- Cleaner of cloth goods
|
Turner -- A person who turns wood
on a lathe into spindles |
Victualer -- A tavern keeper, or
one who provides an army, navy, or ship with food |
Vulcan -- Blacksmith
|
Wagoner -- Teamster not for hire
|
Wainwright -- Wagon maker
|
Waiter -- Customs officer or tide
waiter; one who waited on the tide to collect duty on goods brought in
|
Waterman -- Boatman who plies for
hire |
Webster -- Operator of looms
|
Wharfinger -- Owner of a wharf
|
Wheelwright -- One who made or
repaired wheels; wheeled carriages, etc. |
Whitesmith -- Tinsmith; worker of
iron who finishes or polishes the work |
Whitewing -- Street sweeper
|
Whitster -- Bleach of cloth
|
Wright -- Workman, especially a
construction worker |
Yeoman -- Farmer who owns his own
land |
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