Occupation Records and Resources

Old Job Names & Occupational Records

  • Old Occupation Names

    An A-Z list of old occupations with descriptions of their meanings.

  • Obscure Old English Occupations

    A list of some of the more obscure occupations that you may find on the English census during your genealogy research.

  • Old Occupations Archived

    An A-Z list of old occupations, ranks, professions and trades by Gendocs.

  • Victorian Occupations

    An alphabetical list of the occupations or job descriptions of people living in London in the 1890s.

  • British Apprentices 1710–1808

    The average apprenticeship was seven years. These records can reveal your ancestor's parent's name, their master and the profession they chose.

  • Royal and Imperial Calendars 1767–1973

    The calendars include information about those who worked in official departments of state, and branches of public service, the law, the church, national or commercial companies and institutions, and many additional official careers.

  • The Blacksmiths Index Archived

    Includes information about blacksmiths, cartwrights, wheelwrights, shipwrights, farriers, iron workers and other related occupations. Mainly covers the UK, but New Zealand, the US, South Africa, Australia and Canada are also available.

  • Booksellers and Printers

    An alphabetical list, with details, of those who were at work in England, Scotland and Ireland.

  • Coal Mining History Resource Centre

    Includes an online database of over 164,000 people who were killed or injured while working in coal mines.

  • Police Roll of Honour

    An ongoing historical record of all British police officers who lost their lives in the line of duty, including those in Colonial and UK-administered Forces overseas. Covers England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, British Transport Police, Ministry of Defence Police, Port of Bristol Police, Port of Tilbury London Police and Mersey Tunnels Police.

  • The Clergy Database

    Find a clergyman for your family tree. The database provides records of clerical careers from over 50 archives in England and Wales, covering as many clerical lives as possible from the Reformation to the mid-nineteenth century.

  • The Bankrupt Directory 1820–1843

    An alphabetical register of bankrupts with their addresses and trades.

  • Medical Register 1913

    Contains the names, addresses, qualifications and more of over 41,000 British doctors.

  • Directory of Chemists and Druggists 1876

    This Post Office publication also includes chemical manufacturers, drysalters, medicine vendors and other connected trades. Covers England, Scotland and Wales.

  • Alphabetical 1919 Register of: