Wyoming Business and Occupations

Occupation names have changed over the years. Here is a list that may be helpful in identifying an ancestor's occupation. Many early settlers were farmers or ranchers but other occupations such as a blacksmith could help identify the correct ancestor, especially for those ancestors with a common name.

Old Occupations Explained

Accomptant -- Accountant Almoner -- Giver of charity to the needy Amanuensis -- Secretary or stenographer Artificer -- A soldier mechanic who does repairs Bailie -- Bailiff Baxter -- Baker Bluestocking -- Female writer Boniface -- Keeper of an inn Brazier -- One who works with brass Brewster -- Beer manufacturer Brightsmith -- Metal Worker Burgonmaster -- Mayor Caulker -- One who filled up cracks (in ships or windows or seems to them watertight by using tar or oakum-hemp fiber produced by taking old ropes apart Chaisemaker -- Carriage maker Chandler -- Dealer or trader; one who makes or sells candles; retailer of groceries Chiffonnier -- Wig maker Clark -- Clerk Clerk -- Clergyman, cleric Clicker -- The servant of a salesman who stood at the door to invite customers; one who received the matter in the galley from the compositors and arranged it in due form ready for printing; one who makes eyelet holes in boots using a machine which clicked. Cohen -- Priest (descendant of Levi) Collier -- Coal miner Colporteur -- Peddler of books Cooper -- One who makes or repairs vessels made of staves and hoops, such as casks, barrels, tubs, etc. Cordwainer -- Shoemaker, originally any leather worker using leather from Cordova/Cordoba in Spain Costermonger -- Peddler of fruits and vegetables Crocker -- Potter Crowner -- Coroner Currier -- One who dresses the coat of a horse with a currycomb; one who tanned leather by incorporating oil or grease Docker Stevedore, dock worker who loads and unloads cargo Dowser -- One who finds water using a rod or witching stick Draper -- A dealer in dry goods Drayman -- One who drives a long strong cart without fixed sides for carrying heavy loads Dresser -- A surgeon's assistant in a hospital Drover -- One who drives cattle, sheep, etc. to market; a dealer in cattle Duffer -- Peddler Factor -- Agent, commission merchant; one who acts or transacts business for another; Scottish steward or bailiff of an estate Farrier A blacksmith, one who shoes horses Faulkner -- Falconer Fell monger -- One who removes hair or wool from hides in preparation for leather making Fletcher -- One who made bows and arrows Fuller -- One who fulls cloth;one who shrinks and thickens woolen cloth by moistening, heating, and pressing; one who cleans and finishes cloth Gaoler -- A keeper of the goal, a jailer Glazier -- Window glassman Hacker -- Maker of hoes Hatcheler -- One who combed out or carded flax Haymonger -- Dealer in hay Hayward -- Keeper of fences Higgler -- Itinerant peddler Hillier -- Roof tiler Hind -- A farm laborer Hostler -- A groom who took care of horses, often at an inn Hooker -- Reaper Hooper -- One who made hoops for casks and barrels Huckster -- Sells small wares Husbandman -- A farmer who cultivated the land Jagger -- Fish peddler Journeyman -- One who had served his apprenticeship and mastered his craft, not bound to serve a master, but hired by the day Joyner / Joiner A skilled carpenter Keeler -- Bargeman Kempster -- Wool comber Lardner -- Keeper of the cupboard Lavender -- Washer woman Lederer -- Leather maker Leech -- Physician Longshoreman -- Stevedore Lormer -- Maker of horse gear Malender -- Farmer Maltster -- Brewer Manciple -- A steward Mason -- Bricklayer Mintmaster -- One who issued local currency Monger -- Seller of goods (ale, fish) Muleskinner -- Teamster Neatherder -- Herds cows Ordinary Keeper -- Innkeeper with fixed prices Pattern Maker -- A maker of a clog shod with an iron ring. A clog was a wooden pole with a pattern cut into the end Peregrinator Itinerant wanderer Peruker -- A wig maker Pettifogger -- A shyster lawyer Pigman -- Crockery dealer Plumber -- One who applied sheet lead for roofing and set lead frames for plain or stained glass windows. Porter -- Door keeper Puddler -- Wrought iron worker Quarrier -- Quarry worker Rigger -- Hoist tackle worker Ripper -- Seller of fish Roper -- Maker of rope or nets Saddler -- One who makes, repairs or sells saddles or other furnishings for horses Sawbones -- Physician Sawyer -- One who saws; carpenter Schumacker -- Shoemaker Scribler -- A minor or worthless author Scrivener -- Professional or public copyist or writer; notary public Scrutiner -- Election judge Shrieve -- Sheriff Slater -- Roofer Slopseller -- Seller of ready-made clothes in a slop shop Snobscat/Snob -- One who repaired shoes Sorter -- Tailor Spinster -- A woman who spins or an unmarried woman Spurrer -- Maker of spurs Squire -- Country gentleman; farm owner; justice of peace Stuff gown -- Junior barrister Stuff gownsman -- Junior barrister Supercargo -- Officer on merchant ship who is in charge of cargo and the commercial concerns of the ship Tanner -- One who tans (cures) animal hides into leather Tapley -- One who puts the tap in an ale cask Tasker -- Reaper Teamster -- One who drives a team for hauling Thatcher -- Roofer Tide waiter -- Customs inspector Tinker -- An itinerant tin pot and pan seller and repairman Tipstaff -- Policeman Travers -- Toll bridge collection Tucker -- Cleaner of cloth goods Turner -- A person who turns wood on a lathe into spindles Victualer -- A tavern keeper, or one who provides an army, navy, or ship with food Vulcan -- Blacksmith Wagoner -- Teamster not for hire Wainwright -- Wagon maker Waiter -- Customs officer or tide waiter; one who waited on the tide to collect duty on goods brought in Waterman -- Boatman who plies for hire Webster -- Operator of looms Wharfinger -- Owner of a wharf Wheelwright -- One who made or repaired wheels; wheeled carriages, etc. Whitesmith -- Tinsmith; worker of iron who finishes or polishes the work Whitewing -- Street sweeper Whitster -- Bleach of cloth Wright -- Workman, especially a construction worker Yeoman -- Farmer who owns his own land