Daily Ancestorfaber
Faber is Latin for a craftsman or artisan, most often a smith or metalworker, though the word could also cover a carpenter or other maker.
Faber is a general Latin word for a man who made things with his hands. Dictionaries give artisan, craftsman and smith, and it could also mean a carpenter or builder.
In a register you will often see it in another case, such as fabri (of the smith) after a father's name. Because the word is broad, look for a second word or a later record in the local language to learn exactly what trade your ancestor followed.
As seen in a recordLatin baptism register, Galicia, 1790s
Joannes, filius legitimus Martini Kowal, fabri, et Annae
How to cite this page
Daily Ancestor. "faber." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/latin/faber. Last checked 2026-10-10.