Daily AncestorHostler
A hostler, or ostler, was a stableman who cared for horses at an inn or stable; on railroads it meant a worker who tended locomotives.
Travelers at an inn left their horses with the hostler, who fed, watered and groomed them. Livery stables and wealthy households also employed hostlers.
On railroads the word was borrowed for a worker who moved and serviced locomotives in the yard. The industry column after 1910, or words like R.R., tell you which kind you have.
As seen in a recordOccupation column of the 1880 to 1920 census
Wm. Kerr, 23, Hostler, Penn.
How to cite this page
Daily Ancestor. "Hostler." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/occupations/hostler. Last checked 2026-10-01.