Occupations
      Of Our Colonial Ancestors

Occupations Beginning With The Letter   ~   T

Tabellion A notary publick or scrivener allowed by authority to ingross and register writings, &c. [According to A New Law Dictionary, by Giles Jacob, 1744]
Taberner A variation in the spelling of the name: taverner.
Tabler One who boards persons. In this case the word boards refers to providing food. It does not necessarily refer to 'room' and board; therefore a tabler did not necessarily run a boarding house.
Tacker and Turner In shirt-making: a maker of collars and wristbands.
Tackle-house porter A porter belonging to or employed at a tackle-house.
Tackler An overlooker of power-loom weavers.
Tackman One who looks after horses or cattle which are grazed on tack.
Tacksman One who holds a tack or lease of land, a watermill, coal-mines, fisheries, tithes, customs, or anything farmed or leased; a lessee; esp. in the Highlands, a middleman who leases directly from the proprietor of the estate a large piece of land which he sublets in small farms.
Taeppestre A variation in the spelling of the name: tapster.
Taillour A variation in the spelling of the name: tailor.
Tailor One whose business is to make clothes; a maker of the outer garments of men, also sometimes those of women, esp. riding-habits, walking costumes, etc. According to James McDonald in his book, Wordly Wise, the Old French word, retaille meant: 'a piece cut off'. The name tailor evolved to signify one who made a living cutting up cloth (to make clothes).
Tailoress A woman who works as a tailor; a woman tailor.
Tailour A variation in the spelling of the name: tailor.
Tailsman Ploughman.
Tainter A variation in the spelling of the name: tenter.
Taker One who captures or seizes; a captor, seizer, catcher, apprehender. Also, an officer who took or exacted supplies of necessaries for the sovereign. Also, one who takes a lease of a farm, a mine, etc.; a lessee or tenant.
Tallow-chandler One whose trade is to make or sell tallow candles.
Tallowchaundeler A variation in the spelling of the name: tallow-chandler; a candle-maker who primarily used tallow obtained from slaughter houses. This name comes from Cock Lorel's Bote, a book of anonymous satirical verse published in 1510.
Tallower A tallow-chandler.
Tally-clerk One who checks merchandise with a list in loading or discharging cargo. Also, one who assist in counting and recording votes.
Tallyman One who carries on a tally-trade, or supplies goods on credit, to be paid for by installments. A person that sells or lets goods, clothes, &c, to be paid by so much a week. [According to A New Law Dictionary, by Giles Jacob, 1744] According to James McDonald in his book, Wordly Wise, tallies (from the French taille) were kept by making a cut or incision into a wooden stick.
Tallywoman A woman who sells goods on credit.
Tally-writer Formerly, the clerk who wrote the description and amount of the payment on two opposite sides of the exchequer tallies.
Tambourer One who does tambour-work. In this case the word tambour-work refers to: a species of embroidery in which patterns are worked with a needle of peculiar form on material stretched in a tambour-frame; now superceded by pattern-weaving; in recent use - tambour-lace.
Tankard-bearer One who bears a tankard; spec. one employed in drawing and carrying water from the public pumps and conduits; a cup-bearer.
Tannar A variation in the spelling of the name: tanner.
Tannare A variation in the spelling of the name: tanner.
Tanner One whose occupation is to tan hides or to convert them into leather by tanning.
Tannere A variation in the spelling of the name: tanner.
Tannour A variation in the spelling of the name: tanner.
Tanur A variation in the spelling of the name: tanner.
Tanyar A variation in the spelling of the name: tanner.
Tapecer A variation in the spelling of the name: tapisser.
Tapecere A variation in the spelling of the name: tapisser.
Taperer The bearer of a taper in a religious ceremony. In this case the word taper refers to a candle.
Taper-maker One who makes tapers: wax candles.
Tapescher A variation in the spelling of the name: tapisser.
Tapesere A variation in the spelling of the name: tapisser.
Tapester A variation in the spelling of the name: tapister. Also a variation in the spelling of the name: tapster.
Tapestere A variation in the spelling of the name: tapster.
Taphiser A variation in the spelling of the name: tapisser.
Tapicer A variation in the spelling of the name: tapisser.
Tapiser A variation in the spelling of the name: tapisser.
Tapisser A maker or weaver of figured cloth or tapestry.
Tapister Tapestry-worker.
Tappester A variation in the spelling of the name: tapster.
Tappestere A variation in the spelling of the name: tapster.
Tappyster A variation in the spelling of the name: tapster.
Tapser A variation in the spelling of the name: tapisser.
Tapstar A variation in the spelling of the name: tapster.
Tapstare A variation in the spelling of the name: tapster.
Tapster A woman who tapped or drew ale or other liquorfor sale in an inn; a hostess. Also, a man who draws the beer, etc. for the customers in a public house; the keeper of a tavern. Also, one who sells by retail or in small quantities.
Tapstere A variation in the spelling of the name: tapster.
Tapstress A female tapster
Tapycer A variation in the spelling of the name: tapisser.
Tarer An assay-officer of the stannaries, who ascertained the amount of dross or foreign matter in the tin.. In this case the word stannaries refers to tin mines and smelting works.
Tasker One who imposes or sets a task; a taskmaster. Also, one who threshes corn with a flail, as task-work or piece-work.
Tasseler One who makes tassels.
Taster One who tastes, or tries the quality of a thing by tasting; spec. one whose office, business, or employment is to test the quality of victuals sold to the public, as ale, wine, tea, etc. by taste; hence in comb. ale-taster, tea-taster, etc.
Tavarnere A variation in the spelling of the name: taverner.
Tavernar A variation in the spelling of the name: taverner.
Taverner One who keeps a tavern; a tavern-keeper. One who haunts taverns, common drunkard. [UEED]
Tavernere A variation in the spelling of the name: taverner.
Tavern-holder According to Everett B. Wilson in his book Early America At Work, published in 1963, this was another name for a tavern-keeper.
Tavernkeeper According to Everett B. Wilson in his book Early America At Work, published in 1963, this was a proprietor of a tavern, if the roadside inn was known by the name of 'tavern'.
Tawar A variation in the spelling of the name: tawer.
Tawer One who taws; one who prepares white-leather. The word, taw refers to skins made into leather by steeping them, after suitable preparation, in a solution of alum and salt; the product is white and pliant, and is known as alum, white, or Hungarian leather. It is ordained, that Collar-makers, Glovers, Bridle-cutters, and others who dress skins in Allom, &c. and cut the same into Wares shall be accounted Tawers. [According to A New Law Dictionary, by Giles Jacob, 1744]
Tawerner A variation in the spelling of the name: taverner.
Tawhear A variation in the spelling of the name: tawer.
Tawier A variation in the spelling of the name: tawer.
Tawiere A variation in the spelling of the name: tawer.
Tawyer A variation in the spelling of the name: tawer.
Tawyrner A variation in the spelling of the name: taverner.
Taxator One who assesses a subsidy, impost, or tax; an assessor; one who levies a tax.
Tax-collector One who collects taxes from residents and other tax-payers.
Taxer One who determines the amount of a tax, fine, price, etc.; an assessor. Also, one who levies a tax or taxes.
Tax-gatherer A collector of taxes.
Taxor A variation in the spelling of the name: taxer.
Taxour A variation in the spelling of the name: taxer.
Taxoure A variation in the spelling of the name: taxer.
Tayler A variation in the spelling of the name: tailor.
Taylere A variation in the spelling of the name: tailor.
Tayller A variation in the spelling of the name: tailor.
Taylour A variation in the spelling of the name: tailor.
Taylur A variation in the spelling of the name: tailor.
Tayntour A variation in the spelling of the name: tenter.
Taynter A variation in the spelling of the name: tenter.
Teaman A merchant who deals in tea; a tea-dealer.
Teamer One who drives a team; a teamster.
Teamster The driver or owner of a team; a teamer. In this case, the name team refers to: a set of draught animals; two or more oxen, horses, dogs, or other animals harnessed to draw together.
Tedder According to Everett B. Wilson in his book Early America At Work, published in 1963, this was one who turned the hay over in the field to facilitate drying.
Teemer One who teems, empties, or unloads.
Teer-boy In calico-printing, a boy whose work was to spread a fresh surface of colour on the printer's 'pad' each time he used it.
Teiler A variation in the spelling of the name: tiler.
Teinter A variation in the spelling of the name: tenter.
Telegraphist A person employed, or skilled, in working a telegraph; a telegraph operator.
Teler A variation in the spelling of the name: tiler.
Templers Knights of the Temple, having their residence in part of the buildings belonging to the Temple of Jerusalem. [According to A New Law Dictionary, by Giles Jacob, 1744]
Tenker A variation in the spelling of the name: tinker.
Tentar A variation in the spelling of the name: tenter.
Tenter One who minds, or has charge of, anything requiring attention, as a machine, a flock, etc. Also, an attendant on a skilled workman, who gives him unskilled help, supplies materials, etc.
Tentor A variation in the spelling of the name: tenter.
Tentour A variation in the spelling of the name: tenter.
Tentowre A variation in the spelling of the name: tenter.
Tenture A variation in the spelling of the name: tenter.
Texter One skilled in writing in a text-hand; an engrosser.
Text-man The author or a text-book.
Textour A weaver.
Teyller A variation in the spelling of the name: tiler.
Teynter A variation in the spelling of the name: tenter.
Teyntor A variation in the spelling of the name: tenter.
Teyntour A variation in the spelling of the name: tenter.
Teyntree A variation in the spelling of the name: tenter.
Teyntur A variation in the spelling of the name: tenter.
Thacker One who covers roofs with thatch; a thatcher.
Thackster A variation in the spelling of the name: thacker.
Thain A variation in the spelling of the name: thane.
Thaine A variation in the spelling of the name: thane.
Thane A servant, minister, attendant; . Also, a military attendant, follower, or retainer; a soldier. Also, a warrior, a brave man. Also, one who in Anglo-Saxon times held lands of the king or other superior by military service. Also, in Scottish Hist. a person, ranking with the son of an earl, holding lands of the king; the chief of a clan, who became one of the king's barons.
Tharborough A variation in the spelling of the name: thirdborough.
Thatcher One who thatches; esp. one whose business it is to thatch houses, corn or hay ricks.
Thatchester A variation in the spelling of the name: thatcher.
Thayn A variation in the spelling of the name: thane.
Thayne A variation in the spelling of the name: thane.
Thecker A variation in the spelling of the name: theeker.
Theeker A thatcher; in early use, a roofer of houses.
Thegn A variation in the spelling of the name: thane.
Theigne A variation in the spelling of the name: thane.
Thein A variation in the spelling of the name: thane.
Thelonmannus The toll-man, or officer who received toll. [According to A New Law Dictionary, by Giles Jacob, 1744]
Theoden Theoden was an husbandman or tenant, an Under-Thane. [According to A New Law Dictionary, by Giles Jacob, 1744]
Therdborough A variation in the spelling of the name: thirdborough.
Theyn A variation in the spelling of the name: thane.
Theyne A variation in the spelling of the name: thane.
Thingus The same with Thanus; a Nobleman, Knight, or Freeman. [According to A New Law Dictionary, by Giles Jacob, 1744]
Thirdbarow A variation in the spelling of the name: thirdborough.
Thirdbarowe A variation in the spelling of the name: thirdborough.
Thirdbarrow A variation in the spelling of the name: thirdborough.
Thirdbearer A variation in the spelling of the name: thirdborough.
Thirdborough Formerly, the head man of a frithborh or frank-pledge; hence the conservator of peace or peace-officer of a tithing, the petty constable of the township or manor.
Thirdborow A variation in the spelling of the name: thirdborough. Thirdborow is used for a Constable. [According to A New Law Dictionary, by Giles Jacob, 1744]
Thirdborowe A variation in the spelling of the name: thirdborough.
Thirdborro A variation in the spelling of the name: thirdborough.
Thirdborrow A variation in the spelling of the name: thirdborough.
Thirdbourogh A variation in the spelling of the name: thirdborough.
Thirdbouroghe A variation in the spelling of the name: thirdborough.
Thrasher A variation in the spelling of the name: thresher.
Thredborough A variation in the spelling of the name: thirdborough.
Thresher One who separates grain from the straw by beating with a flail, or otherwise. One who or that which thrashes or threshes.
Thridborough A variation in the spelling of the name: thirdborough.
Thridborrow A variation in the spelling of the name: thirdborough.
Throster A variation in the spelling of the name: throwster.
Throwester A variation in the spelling of the name: throwster.
Throwestre A variation in the spelling of the name: throwster.
Throwstar A variation in the spelling of the name: throwster.
Throwster One who twists silk fibres into raw silk or raw silk into thread, a silk-throwster; originally a woman who did this, a silk-woman..
Thude-Weald A woodward, or person that looks after the woods. [According to A New Law Dictionary, by Giles Jacob, 1744]
Thurborough A variation in the spelling of the name: thirdborough.
Tickle-tail According to the 1811 Dictionary Of The Vulgar Tongue, by Captain Grose, this was a name for a schoolmaster.
Tickle-text According to the 1811 Dictionary Of The Vulgar Tongue, by Captain Grose, this was a name for a parson.
Tidesman Another name for tide-waiter.
Tide-waiter A customs officer who awaited the arrival of ships (formerly coming in with the tide) and boarded them to prevent evasion of the customhouse regulations.
Tiellere A variation in the spelling of the name: tiler.
Tiger A smartly-liveried boy acting as a groom or footman; formerly often provided with standing-room on a small platform behind the carriage, and a strap to hold on by; less strictly, an outdoor boy-servant. Also, a captain's personal steward.
Tile-maker A maker of tiles; a workman employed in making tiles.
Tile-man A tile-maker.
Tiler One who covers the roofs of buildings with tiles, a tile-layer, also formerly a tile-maker.
Tiller One who tills the soil, or cultivates any crop or plant; a husbandman, cultivator; a farmer or farm labourer. Also, a variation in the spelling of the name: tiler.
Tillman A man employed in tillage; a farmer, husbandman; a ploughman, peasant; a tiller of the soil.
Timberer A timberman.
Timberjack A lumberman or logger.
Timberman A man who supplies or deals in timber. Also, one who makes things of timber; a carpenter.
Timoneer A helmsman, steersman.
Tincker A variation in the spelling of the name: tinker.
Tinckerman A variation in the spelling of the name: trinkerman.
Tinkar A variation in the spelling of the name: tinker.
Tinkard A variation in the spelling of the name: tinker.
Tinkarde A variation in the spelling of the name: tinker.
Tinker A craftsman (usually itinerant) who mends pots, kettles, and other metal household utensils. According to John Seymour in his book The Forgotten Crafts, the tinker could also tin copper vessels by melting tin and coating the inside of the vessels.
Tinkere A variation in the spelling of the name: tinker.
Tinkerman Error for trinkerman.
Tinman A man who works in or with tin; a tinsmith; a dealer in tin-ware.
Tin-plater A workman who makes tin plates.
Tinsmith A worker in tin; a maker of tin utensils; a whitesmith.
Tinter One who or that which tints; now esp. an artist or painter skillfull in tinting.
Tipper A workman employed in tipping or emptying out coal-wagons, trucks, etc.
Tippler A retailer of ale and other intoxicating liquor; a tipster; a tavern-keeper.
Tipstaff An official carrying a tipped staff; spec. a sheriff's officer, bailiff, constable; an officer appointed to wait upon a court in session; a court crier or usher. Officers appointed by the Marshal of the King's Bench to attend upon the Judges with a kind of rod or Staff tipt with silver, who take into their custody all prisoners either committed, or turned over by the Judges at their chambers, &c. [According to A New Law Dictionary, by Giles Jacob, 1744]
Tire-woman A woman who assists at a lady's toilet; a lady's maid; also a woman employed in the making or sale of women's clothing; a dressmaker, costumier.
Tithingman Variously known as a headborough. Tithing-men are now a kind of petty Constable, elected by parishes, and sworn in their offices by the Court-Leet, and sometimes by Justices of Peace. [According to A New Law Dictionary, by Giles Jacob, 1744]
Tobacco-baron A powerful tobacco merchant or manufacturer.
Tobacco-cutter A person employed in cutting tobacco.
Tobacco-man A man who sells tobacco; a tobacconist.
Tobacconist A seller of or dealer in tobacco; also a manufacturer of tobacco.
Tobacco-roller A person employed in making up tobacco in rolls.
Tobacco-stripper A person employed in stripping or tearing off the midribs of the leaves of tobacco.
Tobacco-twister A person employed in making twist tobacco.
Toby-lay According to the 1811 Dictionary Of The Vulgar Tongue, by Captain Grose, this was a name for a highwayman.
Toker A variation in the spelling of the name: tucker.
Tokker A variation in the spelling of the name: tucker.
Toller One who takes toll, a toll-collector; a tax-gatherer. Also, one who tolls a bell. Also, toller of the sack: a miller.
Toll-gatherer One who collects tolls or dues; a tax-gatherer.
Tollman A man who collects tolls; the keeper of a toll-gate.
Toocker A variation in the spelling of the name: tucker.
Tooker A variation in the spelling of the name: tucker.
Toolsman A man who uses tools, a craftsman.
Topman The upper man in a saw-pit. Also, a hangman. Also, a man who is engaged in laying rope.
Topping-cove According to the 1811 Dictionary Of The Vulgar Tongue, by Captain Grose, this was a name for a hangman.
Tornere A variation in the spelling of the name: turner.
Tornour A variation in the spelling of the name: turner.
Tosher A Thames thief who purloins copper sheathing from the bottoms of vessels in the river or from the docks. Also, one who searches for valuable refuse in drains and sewers.
Toukar A variation in the spelling of the name: tucker.
Touker A variation in the spelling of the name: tucker.
Toukere A variation in the spelling of the name: tucker.
Tourcheman A variation in the spelling of the name: treuchman.
Tourner A variation in the spelling of the name: turner.
Tournere A variation in the spelling of the name: turner.
Towcker A variation in the spelling of the name: tucker.
Towerman One who works in a tower.
Towker A variation in the spelling of the name: tucker.
Towkere A variation in the spelling of the name: tucker.
Town-adjutant Formerly, a garrison officer, ranking as lieutenant, charged with certain routine duties; town-major.
Town-councillor A member of a town council.
Town-crier A public crier.
Town-guard The military or quasi-military guard of a town.
Town-liver One who lives in a town.
Town-traveller A commercial traveller whose operations are confined to the town which is his employer's place of business.
Toyar A variation in the spelling of the name: tawer.
Toyman A man who sells toys, or who keeps a toy-shop.
Trader According to Everett B. Wilson in his book Early America At Work, published in 1963, a trader was a pedlar who took goods in exchange for his wares.
Translater A variation in the spelling of the name: translator.
Translator One who translates or renders from one language into another. Also, one who renders a painting by engraving, or the like. Also, one who transforms, changes, or alters; spec. a cobbler who renovates old shoes. Also, one who transfers or transports.
Translatore A variation in the spelling of the name: translator.
Translatour A variation in the spelling of the name: translator.
Translatoure A variation in the spelling of the name: translator.
Tranter A man who does jobs with his horse and cart; a carrier; a hawker or cadger with horse and cart; a huckster; also one who buys up things to sell them elsewhere.
Trapper One who sets traps or snares; spec. one engaged in trapping wild animals for their furs.
Trap According to the 1811 Dictionary Of The Vulgar Tongue, by Captain Grose, this was a name for a constable.
Traunter A variation in the spelling of the name: tranter.
Trauntor A variation in the spelling of the name: tranter.
Traventer One who hired out carts and packhorses. Also, a variation in the spelling of the name: tranter.
Trawlerman A kind of fishermen on the River Thames, who used unlawful arts and engines to destroy fish, of which some were termed Tinckermen, others Hebbermen, and Trawlermen, &c. [According to A New Law Dictionary, by Giles Jacob, 1744]
Trawnter A variation in the spelling of the name: tranter.
Trencher One who carves; a carver. Also, one who cuts or digs trenches; one who trenches ground.
Trencher-chaplain A chaplain who eats at a patron's table; a domestic chaplain.
Trencher-man A cook or caterer.
Tresher A variation in the spelling of the name: thresher.
Tressher A variation in the spelling of the name: thresher.
Treuchman An interpreter.
Treushman A variation in the spelling of the name: treuchman.
Trinkerman A man who fishes with a trink. In this case, the name trink refers to: a kind of fixed fishing-net.
Triumvir A Trithing-man, or Constable of three Hundreds. [According to A New Law Dictionary, by Giles Jacob, 1744]
Tronator An officer in the City of London, who weighs the wool brought thither. [According to A New Law Dictionary, by Giles Jacob, 1744]
Troocheman A variation in the spelling of the name: treuchman.
Troucheman A variation in the spelling of the name: treuchman.
Trouchman A variation in the spelling of the name: treuchman.
Trounchman A variation in the spelling of the name: treuchman.
Trowchman A variation in the spelling of the name: treuchman.
Truceman A variation in the spelling of the name: treuchman.
Trucheman A variation in the spelling of the name: treuchman.
Truchman A variation in the spelling of the name: treuchman.
Trudgeman A variation in the spelling of the name: treuchman.
Trunchman A variation in the spelling of the name: treuchman.
Trunscheman A variation in the spelling of the name: treuchman.
Trushman A variation in the spelling of the name: treuchman.
Trwcheman A variation in the spelling of the name: treuchman.
Tub-thumper According to the 1811 Dictionary Of The Vulgar Tongue, by Captain Grose, this was a name for a Presbyterian parson.
Tucker One whose occupation is the fulling and dressing of cloth; a fuller, a cloth-finisher. Also, originally one who burled or teased the cloth.
Tukkar A variation in the spelling of the name: tucker.
Turkey-merchant According to the 1811 Dictionary Of The Vulgar Tongue, by Captain Grose, this was a name for a poulterer.
Turnar A variation in the spelling of the name: turner.
Turnare A variation in the spelling of the name: turner.
Turnbroach Turnspit.
Turncock A water-works official entrusted with the turning on of the water from the mains to supply-pipes, etc.
Turner One who turns or fashions objects of wood, metal, bone, etc., on a lathe. The turner often worked closely with, and produced parts for, the cabinetmaker.
Turnere A variation in the spelling of the name: turner.
Turnkey One who has charge of the keys of a prison; a jailor, esp. a subordinate.
Turnor A variation in the spelling of the name: turner.
Turnour A variation in the spelling of the name: turner.
Turnowre A variation in the spelling of the name: turner.
Turnpike-keeper One who operated a tollbooth, or collected tolls on a turnpike.
Turnpike-man According to the 1811 Dictionary Of The Vulgar Tongue, by Captain Grose, this was a name for a parson. The reason for this name was given as: because the clergy collect their tolls at our entrance into and exit from the world.
Turnspit A boy or man whose office was to turn the spit.
Tweeney A variation in the spelling of the name: tweeny.
Tweenie A variation in the spelling of the name: tweeny.
Tweeny A maid-servant who assists both the cook and the housemaid; a between-maid.
Tylar A variation in the spelling of the name: tiler.
Tylare A variation in the spelling of the name: tiler.
Tyler A variation in the spelling of the name: tiler.
Tylere A variation in the spelling of the name: tiler.
Tyller A variation in the spelling of the name: tiler.
Tyloure A variation in the spelling of the name: tiler.
Tyncar A variation in the spelling of the name: tinker.
Tynekere A variation in the spelling of the name: tinker.
Tynkard A variation in the spelling of the name: tinker.
Tynkare A variation in the spelling of the name: tinker.
Tynker A variation in the spelling of the name: tinker.
Tynkere A variation in the spelling of the name: tinker.
Tynkerman A variation in the spelling of the name: trinkerman.
Type-cutter One who engraves the dies or punches from which types are cast.