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Old Occupations

Various Sources


Carpenter
Clergymen
Coopers
Clerks
Doctors
Farmers
Grist Mill
House of Burgesses
Judges
Lawyers
Lock Tender
Merchants
Miller
Ordinaries
Politicians
Sheriffs
Stone Mason
Wheelwright

"I put these 130 items together from many sources and used it as a handout for our local Orange County (NY) Genealogical Society. I was asked by many recipients if the CHART could be forwarded to other lists or used in local newsletters. The answer is yes -- please share this information." compiled by Dan Burrows
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, 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
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

Last Updated: April 2020