Sweden Business and Occupations
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Occupations are an important tool for the family history researcher. They help us to identify the same person when there are others in the same record by the same name. They help us to understand our ancestors life circumstances.
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.
This occupational word list is under construction. It contains all the occupations found in the old Swedish Genealogical Word list (published by the Family History Library), along with new entries from other sources. The intention is to improve the old list. Keep in mind there are some words that do not have a good English translation. See the references at the bottom of the page for all the sources used in building this list.
| 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 |