Daily AncestorWebster
A webster was an old word for a weaver, originally a woman weaver; it survives today mainly as the surname Webster.
Webster comes from Old English webbestre, the feminine form of webba, weaver, with the same ending as other -ster words. Dictionaries define it as a weaver, originally specifically a female one, and mark it as historical.
Today it is best known as an English occupational surname meaning weaver. In wills and parish records of the 1500s and 1600s it can still be a person's trade.
As seen in a recordEnglish wills and parish records, 1500s and 1600s
Jno. Hardy of the same, webster
How to cite this page
Daily Ancestor. "Webster." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/occupations/webster. Last checked 2026-10-10.