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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