What did your ancestors do for a living? Times have probably changed quite a bit between now and and when your ancestors were alive. There are job titles that exist today that were never even dreamed of several generations ago. Conversely, there are some jobs that have ceased to exist.
Genealogists spend a great deal of time digging into the past. This means there is a good chance that you will come across a word or two that you are unfamiliar with. Some of these words relate directly to the types of occupations that your ancestors held.
If you cannot figure out what your ancestor’s job title actually meant, in plain English, then you won’t be able to get the full story of what his or her life was like. Now is the time to consult a genealogy dictionary of terms, or to do some searching on the internet for lists of words that describe old occupations.
Do you know what a “teamster” is ? Today, it usually refers to a person who has joined the union called the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT). This is a group that fights for the rights of workers.
While it is possible that your ancestor was a member of the IBT, “teamster” could also mean something completely different. The word “teamster” used to mean “one who drives a team for hauling”. A team of what? Generally, it was a team of horses, but later, the word was used to refer to people who have the job of driving a truck.
Did you speak with a boniface on your last vacation? A boniface was the term once used for the person who was an innkeeper. Or, maybe you talked to the victualer instead. A victualer is a tavernkeeper. It also was the term used for the person who supplies an army, navy, or a ship, with food.
I used to be a colporteur. What does that mean? It is an old word that was used to describe a person who sold books. I spent several years working for a big chain bookstore, and I never once heard the term “colporteur”.
There used to be plenty of vulcans in the United States, but you don’t see too many of them around anymore. Most people that hear the word “vulcan” immediately think of the characters from Star Trek with the pointed ears who told people to: “Live long, and prosper”. In reality, the word “vulcan” was another word for “blacksmith”.
A blacksmith was the job title of a person who forged and shaped iron with an anvil and hammer. Often, this required the use of fire to heat the iron before it was shaped. A blacksmith was the person who made, repaired, and fitted horseshoes. Most people today get around in cars, so the blacksmith, or vulcan, is not as needed today as it once was.
Vulcan was the Roman name of the god of fire and metalworking. The greek name for that god was Hephaestus. Since blacksmiths used fire, anvils, and metal in their occupation, it makes sense that they would be called vulcan.
Image by Steve Jurvetson on Flickr