Old Occupations

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                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, especially a construction worker
Yeoman            Farmer who owns his own land
compiled by Dan Burrows
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