Introduction
The occupational bynames presented here come from:
Wilhelm Klump. Die Altenglishen Handwerken Sachlich und Sprachlich Erläutert. Heidelberg: Carl Winter. 1908.
The classifications of the names are Klump's. I moved one misclassified term to its own category (executioners should not be classed with food preparation workers, I hope!)
Additional information on the meaning of the names was provided from:
Joseph Bosworth and T. Northcote Toller. An Anglo-Saxon Dictionary. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 1898.
General Terms
- wyrhta -- masc. "a wright, workman, artificer, labourer, one who works at some trade"
- weorcmon(n) -- masc. "a workman, laborer"
- cræftiga -- masc. "a craftsman, workman, artificer, architect"
- sméawyrhta -- masc. "a skilled workman, an artisan"
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Food Preparation
- cóc -- masc. "a cook"
- twickere -- masc. "one who pulls to pieces", particulary the offarius, one who portions food into individual servings for the monks in a monastary
- grístra -- masc. "a baker, baker of dough made from ground grain"
- mylenwyrd -- masc. "a miller"
- bæcere -- masc. "a baker"
- baecestre -- fem. "a baker"
- cýswyrhte -- fem. "cheese-wright; a cheese-maker"
- flæscmangere -- masc. "a fleshmonger, butcher"
- hrýþerhéawere -- masc. "a butcher of cattle"
- hyldere -- masc. "flayer, butcher"
- sealtere -- masc. "salter; a salt-worker, one who makes salt"
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Textile Workers
- leþerwyrhta -- masc. "leather-wright; a tanner, currier" (a currier is the craftsman responsible for dressing and coloring of leather after it is tanned)
- tannere -- masc. "a tanner"
- lýpenwyrhta -- masc. "a tanner, currier"
- scóere -- masc. "shoer; a shoemaker"
- sc(e)óhwyrhta -- masc. "shoe-wright, a shoemaker"
- læstwyrhta -- masc. "last-wright; a shoemaker"
- sútere -- masc. "shoemaker" (from Latin sūtor)
- cordewanere -- masc. "cordwainer, a worker in cordovan leather; a shoemaker" (Bosworth-Toller does not have this term, and the Oxford English Dictionary shows modern English cordwainer as deriving from Anglo-Norman cordewaner, from Old French cordoanier)
- webba -- masc. "a weaver"
- webbestre -- fem. "a weaver"
- crencestre -- fem. "weaver, spinner"
- godwebwyrhta -- masc. "a weaver of very precious cloth, purple cloth, excellently woven material"
- teldwyrhta -- masc. "a tent-maker"
- ceasterwyrhta -- masc. "an embroiderer, damask-weaver"
- wulltewestre -- fem. "a wool-carder"
- wealcere -- masc. "walker; a fuller" (fulling was performed by treading or beating the cloth)
- spornere -- masc. "one who treads or strikes with the feet, a fuller "
- webwyrhta -- masc. "web-wright; a fuller"
- fullere -- masc. "a fuller"
- wæscestre -- fem. "washer; a fuller"
- séamere -- masc. "seamer; a tailor"
- séamestre -- feminine. "sempstress; a tailor"
- byrdicge -- fem. "an embroideress"
- byrdeste -- fem. "an embroideress"
- litigere -- masc. "a dyer"
- métere -- masc. "a painter" (Klump's etymology is odd, for he relates this word to Latin pictor "painter", but then also wants to connect it to Germanic terms meaning "to cut, to hew")
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Metalworkers
- smiþ -- masc. "a smith, a craftsman"
- gymwyrhta -- masc. "gem-wright"; a worker in gems, jeweller"
- ísernwyrhta -- masc. "iron-wright; a blacksmith"
- slecgwirhta -- masc. "sledge-wright, one who works with a hammer, a worker in metals"
- sweordhwíta -- masc. "sword-polisher"
- swurdwyrhta -- masc. "sword-wright; maker of swords"
- mynetere -- masc. "minter; a moneyer"
- árgéotere -- masc. "brass-founder, a caster or pourer of brass, melter of brass"
- géotere -- masc. "foundryman; a porer, melter, founder"
- léadgota -- masc. "a lead-founder, lead-worker"
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Craftsmen Who Process Wood, Earth or Stone
- bytla -- masc. "a hammerer, builder"
- bylda -- masc. "a builder"
- timbrend -- masc. "a builder, constructor"
- tréowwyrhta -- masc. "tree-wright; a carpenter, joiner"
- wænwyrhta -- masc. "wain-wright, cart-wright, carriage-maker"
- scipwyrhta -- masc. "a shipwright"
- scyldwyrhta -- masc. "shield-wright, a maker of shields"
- grafere -- masc. "sculptor"
- hrófwyrhta -- masc. "roof-wright; a roofer, builder"
- croc(c)wyrhta -- masc. "crock-wright; a potter"
- lámwyrhta -- masc. "clay-wright; a potter"
- pottere -- masc. "a potter"
- tigelwyrhta -- masc. "tile-wright; a brickmaker, potter"
- delfere -- masc. "delver, digger"
- stáncræftiga -- masc. "stone-crafter; a skilled worker in stone"
- stánwyrhta -- masc. "stone-wright, worker in stone, a mason"
weal(l)wyrhta -- masc. "wall-wright, a mason, builder"
Other Occupations
- flæ(s)ctáwere -- masc. "a flesh-tawer or tormentor, an executioner"
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© 13-Apr-2014 by Christie L. Ward