Sometimes we will find an article about an ancestor where the occupation was listed. Unless the article is about a person from the recent past, we may not recognize the occupation. Of course, we can Google it and probably find the definition, but not always. There are many articles on the internet that provide lists. I have included a list of links.
The following list was copied from the web – listed as an open-source article.
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 Chaisemaker – Carriage maker Chandler – Dealer or trader; one who makes or sells candles; retailer of groceries Chiffonnier – Wig maker Clark – 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(Rabbi) 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, 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 makes 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 keep 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 – 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 horsegear
Malender – Farmer Maltster – Brewer Manciple – a steward Mason – Bricklayer Milliner – a person who makes or sells women’s hats Mintmaster – One who issued local currency Monger – Seller of goods (ale, fish) Moss Picker – In southern Louisiana, moss pickers were individuals who picked Spanish moss from trees along the bayous and swamps. The moss was sold to mattress factories where the moss was debugged and stuffed into mattresses. Muleskinner – Teamster
Neatherder – Herd cows
Ordinary Keeper – Innkeeper with fixed prices
Pattern Maker – A maker of a clog shod with an iron ring. A clog with a wooden pole with a pattern cut into the end
Peeler – Policeman Peregrinator – Itinerant wanderer Peruker – a wig maker Pettifogger – a shyster lawyer Pigman – Crockery dealer Pile Doctor – Anyone know what this one is? Plumber – One who applied sheet lead for roofing and set lead frames for plain or stained glass windows Plume Maker – Makes feathered plumes for hats/helmets Porter – Door keeper Pottery mold carrier – “Jiggerman” – what one might call a ceramic “batcher” today Puddler – Wrought iron worker
Quarrier – Quarry worker
Rigger – Hoist tackle worker– One who rigs sails on ships 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 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 – a construction worker Yeoman – Farmer who owns his own land
