Daily AncestorAccountant
An accountant kept, checked and adjusted the financial accounts of a business, a person or a public office.
Wiktionary defines an accountant as one skilled in keeping or adjusting accounts, or an officer of a public office in charge of its accounts. A related older word, accomptant, has its own entry in this dictionary.
The 1900 census instructions asked for the kind of service, as accountant-insurance. The 1910 instructions said an accountant, bookkeeper or cashier should be reported as such and not as a clerk.
As seen in a recordOccupation and industry columns of the 1910 to 1940 census
Harold Brenvik, 41, Accountant, Insurance company
Sources
How to cite this page
Daily Ancestor. "Accountant." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/occupations/accountant. Last checked 2026-10-12.