A List of OCCUPATIONS from Older Records
taken from the "DECATUR GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY" May/June 2000:
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-hemp fiber produced by taking old ropes apart
CHAISEMAKER: Carriage maker
CHANDLER: Dealer or trader; one who makes/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
COLLLIER: 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: Bleacher of cloth
WRIGHT: Workman, especially a construction worker
YEOMAN: Farmer who owns his own land