Old Names for Trades
| Ackerman | Oxherd |
| Ale Draper | Innkeeper or Publican |
| Backster/Baxter | Baker, occasionally a female |
| Badger | Peddler of food; corn dealer; miller |
| Barker | Tanner |
| Blaxter | Bleacher |
| Bowyer | Maker of and dealer in bows |
| Bunter | Rag and bone dealer |
| Cadger | Carrier; peddler of small wares |
| Carfender | Carpenter |
| Caffler | Rag and bone dealer |
| Carman | Driver of small carts |
| Carter | Wagoner; stable headman |
| Cashmarie | Fish peddler |
| Chambermaster | Boot and Shoemaker |
| Chapman | Peddler; dealer in small wares |
| Collier | Charcoal seller |
| Copeman | Dealer; in the 18th century it came to mean receiver of stolen goods |
| Cordwainer | Shoemaker |
| Costermonger | Originally an apple seller |
| Couper | Dealer in Cattle and horses |
| Currier | A leather dresser or colourer |
| Cursitor | A clerk in the Court Chancery who drew up writs |
| Dexter | Dyer |
| Eggler | An egg dealer |
| Elliman | An oil dealer |
| Farandman | An itinerant* merchant |
| Fellmonger | A dealer in hides |
| Flesher | Butcher |
| Fletcher | Maker of and dealer in bows and arrows |
| Fogger | Peddler; headman on a farm; groom; manservant |
| Frobisher | Armour polisher |
| Furner | Baker |
| Gaffman | Bailiff |
| Garthman | Yardman; herdsman |
| Grieve/Greave | Bailiff; foreman |
| Hacker | Maker of hoes, mattocks, etc. |
| Haymonger | Hay dealer |
| Higgler | An itinerant* dealer, generally with a horse and cart |
| Hillier | Slater; tiler of rooves |
| Hind | Farm labourer |
| Hooker | Reaper |
| Jagger | Itinerant* fish peddler |
| Kempster | A comber of wool (usually a woman) |
| Lavender | Washerwoman |
| Leightonward | Gardener |
| Lifster | Dyer |
| Lorimer/Loriner | Maker of bits and spurs for horses |
| Lotseller | Street-seller |
| Malender | Farmer |
| Navigator | A labourer who dug canals and then railways. Nowadays called a Navvy |
| Neatherd | Cowher |
| Pigman | Crockery dealer |
| Pikeman | Assistant to a miller |
| Ripper | Fishmonger |
| Scrivener | A clerk specialising in drawing up bonds |
| Swaller/Swealler | Miller; dealer in corn |
| Tasker | Reaper; thresher |
| Tucker | Fuller |
| Webster | Weaver |
| Wetglover | Maker of leather gloves |
| Whig | Scottish horse drover |
| Whitesmith | A worker in "white iron"; tinsmith or one who polishes & finishes metal goods as distinguished from one who forges them. Sometimes called a Whitster |
| Whitster | Bleacher of clothes. Alternative name for Whitesmith |
| Whittawer | Saddler |
| Wood Collier | Charcoal burner |
| Wright | Constructor |
* Itinerant = Travelling; moving from place to place.
If your ancestor was one of the above, you now know what he/she did
Written by : Kerrie Metcalfe, Member WFHG, TOL June 2003
Updated : 1 Oct 2007