Old Occupations Explained
from Dan Burrows
http://usgenweb.org/research/occupations.shtml
|
| 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 |
| |
| |
