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Occupations
The use of
occupational surnames started about the time of Edward the Confessor.
The earliest of these seem to have been official names, such as
Bishop, Mayor, Alderman, Reeve, Sheriff, Chamberlain, Chancellor,
Chaplain, Deacon, Latimer (interpreter), Marshall, Sumner (summoner),
and Parker (parkkeeper).
Trade and craft
names, although of the same general type, were slightly later in
development. Currier (dresser of skins), Webster (weaver), Wainwright
(wagon builder), and Baxter (a baker). Names as Smith, Taylor, Barber,
Shepherd, Carter, Mason, Baker, Plumber and Miller are self-explanatory.
In France similarly we have La Farr (iron worker); in Germany there
was Winegar (vine dresser) and Müller (Miller)
Some apparently
obvious occupational names aren't what they may seem, however. A
Farmer did not work in agriculture but collected taxes, and Banker
is not an occupational surname at all, meaning "dweller on a hillside".
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Back to the Origin of Surnames
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