Your
genealogy source
for ideas and resources
to bring your family history to life
for ideas and resources
to bring your family history to life
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Your
genealogy source for ideas and resources to bring your family history to life |
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| Was your ancestor a butcher, a baker, a candlestick maker? How did he provide for his family? Did he till the earth or did he use his hands performing a craft? You can discern your ancestor's occupation from census, probate, land, and immigration records. Perhaps he left behind an account book or diary detailing his life's work. Knowing your ancestor's occupation can give insight into his social status. Fathers often passed skills to their sons; occupations can help sort out family relationships. Learn your ancestor's occupation. It will help you to understand him as a person. Social
History Topics
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Resources on the Web Colonial
Occupations Occupation
List with definitions from Genealogy Quest Obsolete
Occupations Occupations
from Yesteryear
Articles on the Web Occupations Listed in Census Records are Sometimes Surprising by Shirley Gage Hodges What Were Their Occupations? by Dr. James Ryan The Fruits of Your Ancestor's Labors by Loretto Dennis Szucs Colonial Occupations in Early American History by Michael Streich Ancestors' Occupations, Smith and Wright:Two Family Name Origins Have May Varieties by Jennifer Jensen How We Worked: Visualizing U. S. Jobs from 1850 to Today
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Research Questions How did the family earn its income? What type of work did they do? Was there special training or an apprenticeship period? Did the wife contribute to the family finances? Was he self-employed or did he work for an employer? Did he change jobs and/or careers during his work life? When did he retire? Did the children work? What did they do?
Many of our earlier ancestors were farmers: What animals did he raise? What crops did he grow? How large was the farm? Did he have laborers to help on the farm? Did the children help on the farm? What chores did they have? Was the farm land fertile? Who inherited the farm? |
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Social History Resources: Work/Occupations