Daily AncestorMaster mariner
A master mariner was a seaman qualified to command a merchant ship as its captain, or master.
Master is the formal title of the captain of a merchant vessel, and a master mariner held the highest grade of qualification for that job. Later the qualification became a license issued by national authorities after sea time and examinations.
In a census or a death record, master mariner tells you the man commanded ships, not just served on them. Compare mate, the officer below him, and mariner, a broad word for any seaman.
As seen in a recordOccupation column of the 1850 to 1880 census
Capt. Nathl. Doane, 58, Master mariner, Maine
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Daily Ancestor. "Master mariner." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/occupations/master-mariner. Last checked 2026-10-10.