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					                   Names of Old Time Occupations
                             Compiled by Daniel H. Burrows
                          Reprinted coutesy of Genealogy Records Service
                            More information available FREE online

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


Description: Business Accounting