Occupations of the Past

Occupations have changed so much over the years
Here is a list of past occupations put together by Dan Barrows

  • 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
  • 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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