Daily AncestorOld occupations
Jobs your ancestors listed in the census.
A
B
BBarber surgeonBarber who also bled patients and pulled teethBBlockmakerMade wooden pulley blocks for shipsBBoatsteererHarpooned whales from the whaleboatBBobbin boyBoy who carried bobbins in a textile millBBootblackShined shoes for payBBrakemanSet brakes and coupled railroad carsBBrazierWorked in brassBBreaker boyBoy who picked rock out of coalBBullwhackerDrove an ox team hauling freight
C
CCanallerWorked on canal boatsCCapitalist1900 census: lived on interest, stocks, bondsCCarderCombed fiber before spinningCCarterHauled goods by cart, often farm to marketCCartwrightBuilt two-wheeled cartsCCash boyRan money between store counters and cashierCCaulkerSealed ship seams to keep out waterCChandlerMade or sold candlesCChapmanOld word for a trader or dealerCCharcoal burnerMade charcoal from woodCCharwomanDay cleaner, not a live-in servantCChimney sweepCleaned soot from chimneysCCigar makerRolled cigars by handCClerk of courtKept a court's records and filingsCClothierMade or sold cloth or clothingCCoachmakerBuilt carriages and coachesCCobblerRepaired worn shoes and bootsCCollierCoal minerCColporteurTraveling seller of Bibles and tractsCCommercial travelerOfficial census name for a drummerCCompositorSet metal type for printingCCooperMade wooden barrels and casksCCoppersmithHammered copper into kettles and potsCCordwainerMade new shoes from new leatherCCorsetiereMade or fitted corsetsCCullerInspected and graded goods for marketCCurrierFinished and softened tanned leatherCCutlerMade or sold knives and other cutting tools
D
DDaguerreotypistMade early photographs on silvered platesDDay laborerWorked for daily wages at odd jobsDDofferSwapped full spinning bobbins for empty onesDDomestic servantPaid household worker in a private homeDDraymanDrove a heavy cart hauling goods in townDDressmakerMade women's dresses to measureDDroverDrove livestock on foot to marketDDruggistSold medicines; a pharmacistDDrummerTook store orders on the road for a wholesalerDDyerColored yarn or cloth with dyes
E
F
FFactorAgent selling goods for others on commissionFFarm laborerWorked on a farm but did not run itFFarrierShod horses and cared for hoovesFFence viewerInspected fences and settled fence disputesFFire bossChecked a mine for dangerous gas before shiftsFFlagmanSignaled with flags to warn trainsFForgemanHammered iron at a large forgeFFounderCast molten metal in moldsFFullerCleaned and thickened new woolen clothFFurrierMade or sold fur garments
G
GGaugerMeasured the contents of casks for taxesGGentlemanMan of means who did not do manual workGGilderCovered objects with gold leafGGinnerRan a cotton ginGGlazierCut and fitted window glassGGloverMade or sold glovesGGoldbeaterHammered gold into thin gold leafGGovernessTaught children in the family's home
H
HHacklerCombed flax or hemp fibers straightHHackmanDrove a horse-drawn cab for hireHHarness makerMade leather gear to hitch horses to wagonsHHatterMade or sold men's hatsHHawkerCried goods for sale in the streetHHello girlWoman telephone operator at a switchboardHHerb doctorTreated illness with plant remediesHHired manFarm worker who lived with the familyHHod carrierCarried bricks and mortar for masonsHHog reeveTown officer who rounded up loose pigsHHome farmWorked on the family's own farmHHostlerStableman who cared for horsesHHousekeeperPaid to run a household (not a wife)HHousewrightBuilt wooden-framed housesHHucksterStreet or cart seller, often of produceHHusbandmanSmall farmer, below a yeoman in rank
I
J
K
L
LLamplighterLit and tended the street lampsLLandwaiterCustoms officer at the unloading of cargoLLasterPulled shoe leather over the foot-shaped lastLLaundressWashed and ironed clothes for payLLightermanMoved cargo by barge in a harborLLime burnerBurned limestone in a kiln to make limeLLimnerTraveling portrait painterLLivery stable keeperRented horses and rigs, boarded horsesLLock tenderWorked canal locks to raise and lower boatsLLocomotive firemanFed coal to a steam locomotiveLLoom fixerMill mechanic who repaired weaving loomsLLumbermanWorked in logging or the lumber tradeLLumperExtra hand hired to load and unload cargo
M
MMaid of all workServant doing every kind of houseworkMMaltsterMade malt from grain for brewingMMantua makerDressmaker (named after an old style of gown)MMarket gardenerGrew produce on a small plot for local saleMMateShip's officer below the captainMMidwifeWoman who delivered babiesMMillinerMade and trimmed women's hatsMMillwrightBuilt and repaired mill machineryMMolderPacked sand molds and poured metal castingsMMule spinnerSkilled hand who ran a spinning mule machineMMuleskinnerDrove a team of mules
N
O
P
PPaperhangerHung wallpaperPPattern makerMade wooden models for metal castingPPeddlerTraveling seller of small goodsPPewtererMade dishes and mugs of pewterPPhrenologistRead character from bumps on the skullPPilotGuided ships through local watersPPlanterOwned or ran a Southern plantationPPoor farm keeperRan a county or town poor farmPPound keeperKept stray livestock in the town poundPPressmanOperated a printing pressPPublicanKept a pub (public house)PPuddlerStirred molten iron to make wrought ironPPullman porterAttended passengers on railroad sleeping cars
Q
R
S
SSaddlerMade and repaired saddles and bridlesSSailmakerMade and repaired ships' sailsSSaloon keeperRan a saloon or barSSawyerSawed logs into lumberSSchoolmistressWoman who taught or kept a schoolSScrivenerWrote out deeds, wills and letters for a feeSScutcherBeat flax or cotton to remove woody bits and seedsSSealer of weights and measuresTested and stamped merchants' scalesSSeamstressSewed clothes for paySSection handMaintained a stretch of railroad trackSSelectmanMember of a New England town's governing boardSSextonChurch caretaker and gravediggerSSharecropperWorked land for a crop share; owner gave house, toolsSShip chandlerSold supplies and gear to shipsSShipwrightBuilt and repaired wooden shipsSSilversmithMade silver spoons, cups and other waresSSpinnerTended machines that twisted fiber into yarnSSpoolerWound yarn onto spools in a millSStage driverDrove a stagecoachSStationary engineerRan a factory or building's steam enginesSStevedoreLoaded and unloaded shipsSStonecutterCut and carved stone into shapesSSutlerSold goods to soldiers in campSSwitchmanThrew track switches in a rail yard
T
TTailoressWoman who worked as a tailorTTallymanKept count of goods as they were movedTTannerTurned raw animal hides into leatherTTapsterDrew and served drinks in a tavernTTeamsterDrove a team hauling freight wagonsTTelegrapherSent messages by telegraphTTenant farmerRented a farm, often with own tools and stockTTide waiterCustoms officer who boarded arriving shipsTTinkerTraveling mender of pots and pansTTinnerShop tinsmith making tinware and stovepipeTTithingmanKept order in church and on the SabbathTToll gathererCollected tolls at a gate or bridgeTTown crierCalled out public announcementsTTruck farmerGrew vegetables to sell in city marketsTTurnerShaped wood on a latheTTurnkeyJailer who kept the prison keysTTypewriterA typist (the person, not the machine)
V
W
WWainwrightBuilt large farm wagons (wains)WWarperSet up the lengthwise threads for weavingWWatermanBoatman ferrying people or goodsWWeaverMade cloth on a loomWWet nurseWoman hired to breastfeed another's babyWWhalerHunted whales at seaWWharfingerOwned or managed a wharfWWheelsmanSteered a ship or steamboatWWheelwrightBuilt and repaired wooden wheelsWWhitesmithFiled and polished iron; also worked pewterWWigmakerMade and sold wigsWWithout occupationNo paid work and no income of their ownWWorking outWorked on another person's farm for wagesWWreckerSalvaged cargo from wrecked ships
Y