DISCOVERING FAMILY HISTORIES - USA - Colonial Occupations


Discovering Family Histories - USA
Colonial Occupations

Compiled by Dan Burrows at E-Mail

A B C F G H J K L M
N O P Q R S T V W Y

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A
Accomptant - Accountant
Almoner- Giver of charity to the needy
Amanuensis - Secretary or stenographer
Artificer - A soldier mechanic who does repairs

B
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

C
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

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D
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

F
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
Fellmonger - 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

G
Gaoler - A keeper of the goal, a jailer
Glazier - Window glassmanHacker - Maker of hoes

H
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

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J
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

K
Keeler - Bargeman
Kempster - Wool comber

L
Lardner - Keeper of the cupboard
Lavender - Washer woman
Lederer - Leather maker
Leech - Physician
Longshoreman - Stevedore
Lormer - Maker of horse gear

M
Malender - Farmer
Maltster - Brewer
Manciple - A steward
Mason - Bricklayer
Mintmaster - One who issued local currency
Monger - Seller of goods (ale, fish)
Muleskinner - Teamster

N
Neatherder - Herds cows

O
Ordinary Keeper- Innkeeper with fixed prices

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P
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

Q
Quarrier- Quarry worker

R
Rigger - Hoist tackle worker
Ripper - Seller of fish
Roper - Maker of rope or nets

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S
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 - SheriffSlater - 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 J- unior barrister
Supercargo - Officer on merchant ship who is in charge of cargo and the commercial concerns of the ship

T
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

V
Victualer - A tavern keeper, or one who provides an army,navy, or ship with food
Vulcan - Blacksmith

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W
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

Y
Yeoman - Farmer who owns his own land

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RELATED LINKS on Current Directory

GoTo: [History - USA] [Genealogy Words]
[
Languages on Misc Resources]

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03Jan2000 Site Started

Discovering Family Histories
©2000 by Flo. Day, Webmaster
USA Colonial Occupations
Updated 12 Sep 2005