Daily AncestorChauffeur
A chauffeur was a paid driver of a motor car, at first usually a private employee who also kept the owner's car running.
The word is French and comes from heating: early French cars had engines with hot-tube ignition that had to be heated before starting. From about 1900 cars became practical, and owners employed chauffeurs to drive, maintain and repair them, including fixing punctures.
The 1930 and 1940 census examples include chauffeur, private family and chauffeur, taxicab company, showing both private and hired drivers.
As seen in a recordOccupation and industry columns of the 1910 to 1940 census
Albert Moss, 28, Chauffeur, Private family
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Daily Ancestor. "Chauffeur." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/occupations/chauffeur. Last checked 2026-10-10.