Many times in our genealogy research we run across occupations.
This list will help answer questions you may have encountered
while doing research.
Some are old terms while we still use many of them.

ACCOMPTANT-- Accountant
ALMONER - - Giver of charity to the needy
AMANUENSIS--Secretary or stenographer
ARTIFICER--A soldier mechanic who does repairs
BAILIE--Bailiff
BARRISTER--lawyer
BAXTER-- Baker

BEST FRIEND- -a learned person who appeared in court for the plaintiff or defendant to help them with paper work

BLUESTOCKING-- Female writer
BOBBIN MAKER--makes bobbins for woolen mills
BONIFACE--Keeper of an inn
BRAZIER- One who works with brass
BREWSTER--Beer manufacturer
BRIGHTSMITH--Metal Worker
BURGONMASTER--Mayor
CARDER--One who cards wool
CAULKER--One who filled up cracks (in ships or windows or seams
to make 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, 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

FARMER--tiller of the soil... the backbone of our nation

FARRIER--A blacksmith, one who shoes horses
FAULKNER--Falconer who trains falcons

FELL MONGER--One who removes hair or wool from hides in preparation
for leather making

FISH MONGER--one who buys and sells fish
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
HIDER--one who deals in cattle, sheep and horse hides
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
MALSTER--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
SHUMAKER--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
SMITTY--blacksmith
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
STEVEDORE--longshoreman
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
TINSMITH--worker of tin who forms and finishes objects
TIPSTAFF--Policeman
TRAVERS--Toll bridge collection
TUCKER--Cleaner of cloth goods
TURNER--A person who turns wood on a lathe into spindles

VICTUALER-- An 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

This list was sent to me over the Internet by a friend.
Author unknown

Evelyn Flood
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Drop me an E-mail:
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