Things Worth Knowing ~ Occupations - Part 1

A List of Occupations

This is a list of some occupations of which many are archaic although surnames usually originated from someone's occupation.

 ◦ACATER - supplied food provisions, e.g. a ships chandler

◦ACCIPITRARY - falconer

◦ACCOMPTANT - accountant

◦ACCOUCHEUR / ACCOUCHEUS - one who assisted women in childbirth

◦ACCOUTREMENT MAKER / ACCOUTRE - supplier of military accessories

◦ACKERMAN / ACREMAN - ploughman, an oxherder

◦ACTUARY - kept public accounts of business

◦ADMINISTRATOR - directed the affairs of another

◦ADVERTISEMENT CONVEYANCER - sandwich board man

◦ADVOCATE DEPUTE - Scottish law officer who could act a public prosecutor

◦ADVOWEE - normally a nobleman, who had the right to present a clergyman to a benefice

◦AERONAUT - balloonist or a trapeze artist in the circus or music halls

◦AFFEEROR - official in the manorial courts who assessed the monetary penalty and also collected taxes and dues and were also called Assessor

◦AGISTER - official of the Royal Forests or in the New Forest it is the title for the one in charge of the ponies

◦ALABASTERER - worked with alabaster

◦ALBLASTERE - crossbow man

◦ALCHEMIST - medieval chemist who claimed to be able to turn base metals into gold

◦ALDERMAN - senior councillor one position down from Mayor in the local council

◦ALE-CONNER / ALE FOUNDER - official who tested quality and measure of ale served in public houses

◦ALE DRAPER - seller of ale

◦ALE TASTER - tested ale and beer for quality first recored in 1377 in London. Appointed by the Manor and forerunner of the Inspector for Weights & Measures

◦ALE TUNNER - employed by the brewery to fill ale casks (tuns} with ale

◦ALEWIFE - woman who keeps an alehouse or tavern

◦ALL SPICE - name for a grocer

◦ALMANAC MAN - official appointed by the Court of Sewers who warned the inhabitants of the Trent River area of higher than normal tides

◦ALMONER - gave out alms or charity to the poor on behalf of the parish

◦ALMSMAN - received alms

◦ALNAGER - official who examined the quality of woolen goods and stamped them with the town seal of approval

◦AMANUENSIS - secretary or stenographer

◦AMBER CUTTER - cut ambergris

◦AMBER & JET CUTTER - cut and polished amber for jewelry

◦AMBLER - officer of the Royal Stable who broke in horses

◦AMEN MAN - parish clerk

◦ANCHOR SMITH - made anchors

◦ANCHORESS - female hermit or religious recluse

◦ANCHORITE - male hermit or religious recluse

◦ANILEPMAN - smallholder (tenant of the manor)

◦ANGLE IRON SMITH - made angle iron ie. flat iron bars bent at right angles lengthways

◦ANKLE BEATER - young person who helped to drive the cattle to market

◦ANNATTO MAKER - worked in the manufacture of dyes for paint or printing

◦ANTIGROPELOS MAKER - made waterproof leggings

◦ANVIL SMITH - made anvils and hammers for blacksmiths

◦APIARIAN - beekeeper

◦APOTHECARY - prepared and sold medicines or drugs; pharmacist

◦APPARITOR - official who summoned witnesses in the ecclesiastical courts

◦APPRENTICE - was bound to a skilled worker for a specified time to learn a trade

◦APRONEER - term used in London for a shopkeeper

◦APRONMAN - mechanic

◦AQUARIUS (EWAR) - waterman

◦AQUAVITA SELLER - sold alcohol

◦ARCHIATOR - physician

◦ARCHIL MAKER - made a violet dye from lichens, used in the textile industry

◦ARKWRIGHT - skilled craftsman who produced "arks" (wooden chests or coffers)

◦ARMIGER - squire who carried the armour of a knight

◦ARMOURER - made suits of armour or plates of armour for buildings or ships etc.

◦ARTIFICER - soldier mechanic who does repairs

◦ASHMAN - dustman

◦ASSAYER - determined the proportions of metal in ore

◦ASSAY MASTER - determined the amount of gold or silver to go in coins

◦AUGER MAKER - made the carpenters augers (used for boring holes in wood)

◦AULNAGER - see Alnager

◦AURIFABER - goldsmith

◦AVENATOR (PLANTIFENE) - hay and forage merchant

◦AVOWRY - term for the lord of the manor

◦AXEL TREE MAKER / AXEL TREE TURNER - made axels for coaches and wagons