Early American Occupations

Accomptant- Accountant Almoner - Giver of charity to the need 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