File contributed by Dan Burrows - dburrows1@juno.com

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
		    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

Old Occupations List compiled by Dan Burrows - dburrows1@juno.com
"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."