Names of Old Time Occupations
Compiled by Daniel H. Burrows
Reprinted courtesy of Genealogy Records Service

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

Bootblack               Polisher of boots

Borer                   Traveling Salesman or Peddler

Brazier		        One who works with brass

Brewster		Beer manufacturer

Brightsmith		Metal Worker

Burgonmaster            Mayor

Buttnermeister          Button Maker??

Caulker		        One who filled up cracks 

                        (in ships or windows)

Chaisemaker	        Carriage maker

Chandler	        Dealer or trader; one who makes or 

                        sells candles

Chiffonnier		Wig maker

Chimmey Sweep           Often employed small boys to climb inside

Circuit Rider           Traveling Preacher

Clark			Clerk

Clerk			Clergyman, cleric

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

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 

                        curry comb

Docker		        Stevedore, dock worker who loads & 

                        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 loads

Dresser		        A surgeon's assistant in a hospital

Drover		        One who drives cattle, sheep, etc. to market

Drummer                 Traveling salesman

Duffer		        Peddler

Expressman              One who delivered mail

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

Footman                 One who opened the doors for passengers

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 gaol, a jailer

Glazier	                Window glassman

Hacker            	Maker of hoes

Hatcheler        	One who combed out flax

Hackmann                One who drove a carriage

Hawker                  Peddler

Haymonger	        Dealer in hay

Hayward	                Keeper of fences

Higgler	                Itinerant peddler

Hillier	                Roof tiler

Hind            	A farm laborer

Hog Reeve               One who rounded up the stray hogs on city streets

Holster	                A groomer of horses

Hooker	                Reaper

Hooper	                One who made hoops for casks and barrels

Hoslter                 Horse groomer

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

Joyner/Joiner      	A skilled carpenter

Keeler	                Bargeman

Kempster	        Wood comber

Knacker                 One who brought old or dead livestock

Lardner	                Keeper of the cupboard

Lavender	        Washer woman

Lederer         	Leather maker

Leech	                Physician

Liverymann              Cared for horses for a fee

Longshoreman    	Stevedore

Lorner          	Maker of horse gear

Malender	        Farmer

Maltster	        Brewer

Manciple	        A steward

Mason           	Bricklayer

Matchgirl               Sold matches on the street (Six for a fip)

Miller                  One who operated a grinding mill (grain)

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

Runner                  One who solicited business for a hotel,steamship, etc

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

Sexton                  Worked for a church and did odd jobs

Shrieve	                Sheriff

Slater            	Roofer

Slopseller      	Seller of ready-made clothes in a slop shop

Snobscat/snob	        One who repaired shoes

Snow Warden             Ordered to keep the snow flat

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

Town Crier              Announced the news on the street

Travers	                Toll bridge collector

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 supplies.

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

Webster	                Operator of looms

Wharfinger       	Owner of a wharf

Wheelwright       	One who made or repaired wheels; 

                        wheeled carriages

Whitesmith       	Tinsmith; worker of iron who finishes 

                        or polishes the work

Wright          	Workman, especially a construction worker

Yeoman	                Farmer who owns his own land





Hello,



I was searching your site to find a ship Napier from Bremen to NY in 1849.

I wanted to see what the ship would be like and found your occupations and

your request for old out of date ones.



My husband's grandfather's father Herman Schuerman came from Bramsche,

Hannover, Germany at age of 26 to NY.  His occupation was listed in the

German Immigrants, Lists of Passengers Bound From Bremen to NY, 1847-54,

With Places of Origin, Gary J. Zimmerman & Marion Wolfert.  Genealogical

Publishing Co., Inc. 1985.  His occupatioon is listed Copersmidt.  In the

1860 AND 1870 census it is spelled coppersmith, (one who works with

copper).  He worked for the rail road in Terre Haute and I imagine he

received his skills in Germany before he left.



I hope this information is welcome.



Have a great month!

Judi Schuerman