Sweden Business and Occupations
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Occupations were a measure of social status. Some trades were viewed as more prestigious than others. For example, goldsmiths had more prestige than shoemakers. Many trades, such as butchers, tanners, shoemakers, tailors, and others were organized into guilds, which were in charge of training apprentices and regulating a trade's practice in an area.
Guilds were usually established in each city. Guild records include lists of members, information on journeymen practicing in the town, marriages of journeymen, and advancements from the rank of apprentice to journeyman and from journeyman to master craftsman. In addition, contracts between masters and parents of apprentices may be included.
Guild records are now stored in the provincial archives for the area where the records originated. The Family History Library has some Swedish guild records. It also has a few books about Swedish guilds and occupations.
To find these sources, look in the Place Search of the Family History Library Catalog under:
SWEDEN - OCCUPATIONS
SWEDEN, [COUNTY] - OCCUPATIONS
SWEDEN, [COUNTY], [CITY] - OCCUPATIONS
A wordlist for some Swedish occupations follows:
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Goals
To create a great list of Swedish occupations to help people doing Swedish family history research.
Scope
Open Tasks
Participants
Resources
| Swedish | Latin | English | Definition | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| accismästare | |||||||
| ackuschörska | |||||||
| adelsbussar | (military) | ||||||
| adelsman | nobleman | ||||||
| adelssven | |||||||
| adjunctus archipraepositi, archipr. adj. | |||||||
| adjunctus ex officio | |||||||
| adjunctus sacri ministerii | |||||||
| administer, administra | |||||||
| administrator, pradii | |||||||
| advocatus ecclesiae | |||||||
| aedituus | |||||||
| aftonsångspredikant | |||||||
| agiotör | |||||||
| akademikansler | |||||||
| akademikus | |||||||
| akolyt | |||||||
| aktionator, aktor | |||||||
| aktvarie | |||||||
| allmänningsbonde, allmäningskarl | |||||||
| allmänningslandbo | |||||||
| altarista | |||||||
| amirallöjtnant | (military) | ||||||
| anfångare | |||||||
| annexbonde | |||||||
| ansättare | (military) | ||||||
| apologist | |||||||
| apotekare | |||||||
| appretör | |||||||
| arbetare | worker, laborer | ||||||
| arbetsbonde | |||||||
| arbetsman | |||||||
| arbetstorpare | |||||||
| arbk. | |||||||
| archer | |||||||
| arkebusier | (military) | ||||||
| arklimästare | (military) | ||||||
| aromatarius | |||||||
| arrendator | tenant farmer, leaseholder | One dictionary published in 1814 translates Arrendator as Farmer (another way of saying Bruker), while another dictionary from 1850-1855 says Arrendator is the leasee under specific conditions. | |||||
| artilleribåtsman | (military) | ||||||
| askeblåsare | |||||||
| askmakare | |||||||
| assessor | |||||||
| assuradör | |||||||
| avbenkäring | |||||||
| avdrivare | |||||||
| avelbrukare | |||||||
| avisskrivare | avradskarl | ||||||
| avskedad | discharged, resigned | ||||||
| avsändningsskrivare | |||||||
| backkorpral | |||||||
| backstugusittare | one who owned a small cottage, dugout dweller | ||||||
| badhustru | |||||||
| badstugukarl | |||||||
| bagare | baker | ||||||
| bakare | |||||||
| bakfördräng | |||||||
| bakkulla | |||||||
| bakvärmare | |||||||
| baluppslagare | |||||||
| bandare | |||||||
| banérherre | (military) | ||||||
| banpolis | |||||||
| barberare | |||||||
| bardeman | |||||||
| barnmorska | midwife | ||||||
| barnskomakare | |||||||
| barnsyterska | |||||||
| bastukarl | |||||||
| basunerare | |||||||
| bataljonsadjuntant | (military) | ||||||
| bataljonskommissarie | (military) | ||||||
| bataljonspredikant | (military) | ||||||
| batterikonstapel | |||||||
| befallningsman, befalm. | |||||||
| befaren båtsman | (military) | ||||||
| bekare | |||||||
| bellbypare, belpipelekare | |||||||
| benmakare | |||||||
| bergbrytare | |||||||
| berghävare | |||||||
| berglöpare | |||||||
| bergmästare | |||||||
| bergsfiskal | |||||||
| bergsfogde | |||||||
| bergshauptman | |||||||
| bergslagsarbetare | |||||||
| bergslagsgruvfogde | |||||||
| bergslagskassör | |||||||
| bergsman | miner | ||||||
| bergmansdräng | |||||||
| bergsråd | |||||||
| bergssexman | |||||||
| beridare | |||||||
| beslagskarl | |||||||
| beställningsman | (military) | ||||||
| besökare | customs official (archaic), visitor (modern) | ||||||
| betjänt | servant, civil servant | ||||||
| bettlare | beggar | ||||||
| beväring | conscript | ||||||
| beväringsman | recruit | ||||||
| bilöpare | |||||||
| bindare | |||||||
| biträde | assistant | ||||||
| blanchissör | |||||||
| blecksmed | |||||||
| blekare | |||||||
| blockmakare | |||||||
| blymakare | |||||||
| bokare, bokhållare | bookkeeper | ||||||
| bokförare | |||||||
| bolackare | |||||||
| bolman | |||||||
| bomhuggare | |||||||
| bonde | farmer | ||||||
| bondestatare | |||||||
| borgare | citizen, burgher | ||||||
| borgmästare | mayor | ||||||
| borrsmed | |||||||
| borrsuga | |||||||
| boställsbonde | |||||||
| bredare | |||||||
| brevdragare | |||||||
| brevskrivare | |||||||
| brohuggare | |||||||
| bromästare | |||||||
| brukare | tenant farmer, leaseholder | ||||||
| bruksarbetare | foundryman, mill hand, iron worker | ||||||
| bruksbonde | |||||||
| brukskarl | |||||||
| bruksknekt | |||||||
| bryggare | brewer | ||||||
| brytare | |||||||
| brännmästare | |||||||
| brännvinsfiskal | |||||||
| budlöpare, budskapare | |||||||
| burvakt | |||||||
| byfogde | |||||||
| byggare, byggkarl | |||||||
| byggmästare , byggningsman | contractor, builder | ||||||
| byker, bytther, bödkare | |||||||
| byskomakare | |||||||
| båtsman, b.m., B.m. | seaman, sailor | ||||||
| bälgare | |||||||
| bälgmakare | |||||||
| bältare | |||||||
| bältarsven | |||||||
| bärgare | |||||||
| böckare, bökare | see byker, bytther, bödkare | ||||||
| bödel | |||||||
| bönhas, bönås | |||||||
| bössegjutare | |||||||
| bösseskytt | (military) | ||||||
| bösshuggare | |||||||
| böthekar | |||||||
| calcant, calcator organum | |||||||
| campanarius | |||||||
| civilregistret | civil registrar | ||||||
| coopvaerdi | merchant marine | ||||||
| dagkarl | day laborer | ||||||
| danneman | farmer, gentleman | ||||||
| deja | maidservant, milkmaid | ||||||
| demoiselle | Miss | ||||||
| domare | judge | ||||||
| dragon | light cavalryman | ||||||
| dräng | farmhand, bachelor | ||||||
| fabriksarbetare | factory worker | ||||||
| fattighjon | pauper | ||||||
| fiskare | fisherman | ||||||
| fogde | sheriff, bailiff, warden | ||||||
| friherre | baron | ||||||
| fru | Mrs. | ||||||
| frälse | nobility | ||||||
| fröken | Miss | ||||||
| fältskär | assistant army surgeon, barber- surgeon | ||||||
| fältväbel | sergeant major | ||||||
| försvarslös | unemployed person, vagrant | ||||||
| garvare | tanner | ||||||
| gesäll | journeyman | ||||||
| grenadjär | infantryman | ||||||
| gästgivare | innkeeper | ||||||
| gördelmakare | brazier | ||||||
| handelsman | merchant | ||||||
| handskmakare | glove maker | ||||||
| hantverkare | artisan | ||||||
| hattmakare | hatmaker | ||||||
| hemmansbrukare | farmer | ||||||
| hemmansägare | farmer, homeowner | ||||||
| hjon | pauper, person receiving social assistance | ||||||
| hjulmakare | wheelwright | ||||||
| husar | light cavalryman | ||||||
| husbonde | farmer | ||||||
| husfader | head of household, father | ||||||
| husfolk | farmers, farm people | ||||||
| husman | farm laborer (owned house but not land) | ||||||
| inhyses | lodger, tenant | ||||||
| jordegumma | midwife | ||||||
| jungfru | Miss, maiden, virgin | ||||||
| jägare | hunter | ||||||
| jägmästare | forester | ||||||
| kammarskrivare | assistant clerk | ||||||
| kaplan | assistant minister | ||||||
| kavallerist | cavalryman | ||||||
| klensmed | toolmaker, locksmith | ||||||
| klockare | parish clerk | ||||||
| kofferdi | merchant marine | ||||||
| kolare | charcoal burner | ||||||
| komminister | assistant minister | ||||||
| kopparslagare | coppersmith | ||||||
| krukmakare | potter | ||||||
| kyrkoherde | parish minister | ||||||
| kyrkovaktare | church officer | ||||||
| köpman | merchant | ||||||
| körsnär | furrier | ||||||
| lots | sea pilot | ||||||
| läkare | doctor | ||||||
| länsman | sheriff | ||||||
| lärare | teacher | ||||||
| lärling | apprentice | ||||||
| lösdrivare | vagrant | ||||||
| maskinist | machinist, engineer | ||||||
| matros | sailor, seaman | ||||||
| mjölnare | miller | ||||||
| murare | mason | ||||||
| mästare | master | ||||||
| nybyggare | settler | ||||||
| nämdeman | juryman | ||||||
| pastor | parish minister | ||||||
| piga | maid, maiden, servant girl | ||||||
| profoss | flogmaster (military) | ||||||
| prost | dean | ||||||
| präst | minister | ||||||
| rotesoldat | soldier for a district in a parish | ||||||
| ryttare | cavalryman | ||||||
| rådman | councilman | ||||||
| rättare | farm foreman | ||||||
| sexman | parish caretaker | ||||||
| sjöman | sailor, seaman | ||||||
| skarprättare | executioner, hangman | ||||||
| skarpskytt | sharpshooter | ||||||
| skeppare | skipper | ||||||
| skogvaktare | forester | ||||||
| skollärare | schoolteacher | ||||||
| skomakare | shoemaker | ||||||
| skräddare | tailor | ||||||
| slaktare | meat cutter, butcher | ||||||
| smed | blacksmith | ||||||
| snickare | carpenter | ||||||
| soldat | soldier | ||||||
| spinnare | spinner | ||||||
| statare, statdräng | farm laborer | ||||||
| stattorpare | farm laborer, usually married | ||||||
| stenhuggare | stonecutter | ||||||
| sågställare | saw setter | ||||||
| tiggare | beggar | ||||||
| timmerman | carpenter, builder | ||||||
| tjuv | thief | ||||||
| tjänare | servant | ||||||
| torpare | crofter, cottager | ||||||
| trumslagare | drummer | ||||||
| trädgårdsmästare | gardener | ||||||
| tunnbindare | barrelmaker | ||||||
| vagnmakare | cartwright | ||||||
| vaktmästare | caretaker | ||||||
| vävare | weaver | ||||||
| yrke | profession, occupation | ||||||
| åbo | tenant farmer with conditional, inherited lease |