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"TIDBITS" - OLD
OCCUPATIONS...
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Here is a list of
old occupations, and some of the words have evolved to mean other things
in modern times. Hope they are of help, especially when reading census
records or wills...
- 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 make them watertight by
using tar or oakum-hem fiber produced by taking old ropes
apart
- Chaisemaker-- Carriage maker
- Chandler-- Dealer or trader; one
who makes or sells candles; retailer of groceries, ship
supplier
- 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
- Collier-- Coal miner
- Colporteur-- Peddler of books
- Cooper-- One who makes or repairs
vessels made of staves & 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
- Holster-- 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-- Am 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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