Daily AncestorSalesman
A salesman sold goods, usually behind the counter of a store; census takers were told to call a store worker who mainly sold goods a salesman, not a clerk.
Salesman, saleswoman and saleslady all name a person whose job was selling. Census instructions from 1900 on tried to keep them apart from clerks: a store employee wholly or mainly engaged in selling was to be called a salesman, with the line of goods added, as in salesman, groceries.
A salesman who traveled to take orders for a firm was a different case. From 1910 the instructions said a traveling salesman should preferably be reported as a commercial traveler.
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Daily Ancestor. "Salesman." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/occupations/salesman. Last checked 2026-10-10.