Translations—Occupations

Translations of 19th century occupations mentioned in the website

Occupations   Railway Companies   Anglican Clergy   Scots Clergy

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Introduction
To 21st century readers, many of the occupations listed in 19th century records are archaic and obscure. This is likely to be true for Spanish speakers wanting to investigate English church archives for details of their forebears. To make this glossary of occupations more useful, a two-way translation is provided.

The selection of occupations on this page are for those encountered in the baptismal registers of St John's Church, Buenos Aires between the years 1825 and 1875. Doubtless, it represents the more general picture of Argentina in those days.

Both the Spanish and English languages have evolved very considerably since the beginning of the 19th century. The aim of this translation is to provide the contemporary equivalents in each language, the Spanish terms being those then current in Argentina. It is not very easy for us to get back into the terminology of those days without access to contemporary dictionaries.

Without doubt, there will be errors in working out equivalent translations in the lists below, though they have been checked by several bilingual Anglo-Argentines, with the back up of some dictionary definitions found in Collins Spanish Dictionary (1997) and Ponce de Leon Technological Dictionary (1910).

Any suggested improvements will be welcomed by the Editor.

Introducción
Para los lectores actuales muchas de las ocupaciones que figuran el los registros del siglo XIX resultan arcaicos y difíciles de comprender. Es a´un más probable que esto ocurra cuando lectores hispano-parlantes recurran a los registros parroquiales escritos en inglés para conocer detalles de las vidas de sus antepasados. Aquí presentamos una lista de ocupaciones con sus traducciones al castellano.

Las ocupaciones que se incluyen en esta página son las que se encuentran en los registros de bautismo de la iglesia anglicana San Juan de Buenos Aires entre 1825 y 1875. Sin duda es una muestra representativa de la población argentina en general de esos días.

La terminología corriente en ambos idiomas ha ido cambiando con el tiempo. En esta traducción se ha intentado ofrecer el término equivalente en el castellano de esa época. Esto no ha sido fácil sin acceso a diccionarios contemporáneos.

Sin duda habrá errores en estas listas aunque se ha consultado a varios anglo-argentinos bilingües y a los diccionarios Collins Spanish Dictionary (1997) y Ponce de Leon Technological Dictionary (1910)

Correcciones y sugerencias serán bienvenidas por el Editor.

English—Spanish

Occupation Oficio
accountant contador
apothecary boticario
architect arquitecto
artisan artesano
artist artista
auctioneer rematador
baker panadero
bank manager gerente de banco
barber peluquero, barbero
barrister escribano
blacksmith herrero
boatbuilder constructor de barcos
boatman botero
boilermaker calderero
bookbinder encuadernador
book-keeper, accountant tenedor de libros
bookseller librero
bootmaker zapatero
brazier, brasier broncista
breeder ganadero
bricklayer albañil
broker corredor
brushmaker fabricante de escobas
builder constructor
butler mayordomo
   
cabinetmaker ebanista
candlemaker fabricante de velas
carpenter carpintero
carrier, carter carrero, carretero
cart driver, cartman carrero, carretero
cartwright fabricante de carros, carretero
carver tallista, escultor
cattle-hand peón de estancia
chain maker fabricante de cadenas
charcoal maker carbonero
chemist farmacéutico
church keeper casero
cigar manufacturer fabricante de cigarros
civil engineer ingeniero civil
classifier of wool clasificador de lana
clergyman clérigo, sacerdote anglicano
clerk dependiente
clerk in holy orders clérigo, sacerdote anglicano
coachmaker constructor de carruajes
coachman cochero
combmaker fabricante de peines
confectioner pastelero, repostero
contractor contratista
cook cocinero/a
cooper tonelero
coppersmith artesano en cobre
corn factor agente de granos
curator, keeper conservador
   
day-labourer or day worker jornalero
ditcher sanjeador
domestic servant empleada doméstica, sirvienta
draper, haberdasher tendero
drover or cattle dealer arriero
druggist farmacéutico
earthenware merchant vendedor de cerámica
employee empleado/a
engine driver maquinista
engineer ingeniero
engineer maquinista, mecánico
equestrian, horseman, rider jinete
farm foreman capataz
farm manager or steward mayordomo
farm worker peón de campo
farm-hand or ploughman labrador
farrier herrador
foreman capataz
gardener jardinero
gas-fitter gasista
gasworks employee empleado de fábrica de gas
gentleman caballero
goldsmith orfebre
grocer almacenero
guilder dorador
   
hairdresser peluquero/a
harness maker talabartero
hatter sombrerero
hide broker corredor de cueros
hostler mozo de cuadra
hotel keeper hostelero
house agent agente inmobiliario
house steward mayordomo
housemaid mucama, sirvienta
husbandman labrador, granjero
innkeeper posadero
ironmonger ferretero
jeweller joyero
joiner carpintero
labourer or workman obrero
land owner, proprietor propietario
land surveyor agrimensor
leather merchant comerciante de cueros
lighterman estribador
livery stable keeper caballerizo
lodging house keeper dueño de pensión
   
machinist maquinista, mecánico
manager gerente
mariner, seaman marinero
mason albañil
master mariner capitán, patrón de barco
mate segundo de a bordo
mechanic maquinista, mecánico
mechanical engineer ingeniero mecánico
medical practitioner (M.D.) médico
merchant comerciante, mercader
merchant's clerk empleado de comercio
mill owner dueño de fábrica, de molino
miller molinero
mulatto/a mulato/a
musician músico
owner of a large farm, rancher estanciero
owner of a salting plant saladerista
painter pintor
photographer fotógrafo
physician médico
pilot piloto
plasterer yesero
ploughman, plowman labrador
plumber plomero
pork butcher carnicero de cerdo
porter changador
potter alfarero
printer impresor
professor of chemistry profesor de química
   
railway clerk empleado ferroviario
railway employee empleado ferroviario
railway fireman fogonero
railway guard guardia de ferrocarril
receiver of coals importador de carbón
rural worker empleado rural, trabajador
sadler talabartero
salter (dry salter) salero, salador
sawyer, carpenter aserrador
schoolmaster maestro, profesor
sculptor esculptor/a
seaman marinero
secretery secretario/a
servant sirviente
sewing woman, seamstress costurera, modista
sheep farmer dueño de ganado ovino
shepherd, church minister pastor
ship broker agente marítimo
ship master segundo de a bordo
shipbuilder constructor de buques
shipwright, ship carpenter carpintero de navios
shoemaker, shoesmith zapatero
shopkeeper comerciante, mercader
shopman almacenero, dependiente de almacén
silversmith platero, orfebre
smallholder or farmer agricultor
smith herrero
soda water maker sodero
stableman, groom caballerizo
station master jefe de estación
stationer papelero
stevedore estribador
steward mayordomo
stoker foguero, foguista
stone sawyer aserrador de piedra
storekeeper almacenero
storekeeper's assistant dependiente de almacenero
student estudiante
surgeon cirujano
surveyor agrimensor
   
tailor sastre
tanner curtidor
tavern keeper posadero
teacher profesor(a)
telegrapher telegrafista
tilemaker fabricante de tejas
timber merchant, lumber merchant maderero
tinman, tinsmith, tinplate maker hojalatero
tobacconist tabaquero
turner tornero
undertaker funebrero
unskilled farm worker peón
upholsterer tapicero
verger sacristán
warehouse owner barraquero
watchmaker relojero
well digger pocero
wheelwright ruedero, carretero

Castellano—Inglés

Oficio Occupation
agente de granos corn factor, corn merchant
agente inmobiliario house agent
agente marítimo ship broker
agricultor smallholder or farmer
agrimensor surveyor, land surveyor
albañil mason, bricklayer
alfarero potter
almacenero grocer, storekeeper
almacenero shopman
arquitecto architect
arriero drover or cattle dealer
artesano artisan
artesano en cobre coppersmith
artista artist
aserrador sawyer, carpenter
aserrador de piedra stone sawyer
barbero barber
barraquero warehouse owner
botero boatman
boticario apothecary
broncista brazier, brasier
   
caballerizo livery stable keeper, stableman, groom
caballero gentleman
calderero boilermaker
capataz farm foreman, foreman
capitán, patrón de barco master mariner
carbonero charcoal maker
carnicero de cerdo pork butcher
carpintero carpenter, joiner
carpintero de navios shipwright, ship carpenter
carrero, carretero carter, carrier, cart driver, cartman
carretero wheelwright
casero church keeper
changador porter
cirujano surgeon
clasificador de lana classifier of wool
clérigo, sacerdote anglicano clergyman, clerk in holy orders
cochero coachman
cocinero/a cook
comerciante merchant or shopkeeper
comerciante de cueros leather merchant
conservador curator, keeper
constructor builder
constructor de barcos boatbuilder
constructor de buques shipbuilder
constructor de carruajes coachmaker
contador accountant
contratista contractor
corredor broker
corredor de cueros hide broker
costurera, modista sewing woman, seamstress
curtidor tanner
   
dependiente clerk
dependiente de almacenero storekeeper's assistant
dorador guilder
dueño de fábrica works owner
dueño de fábrica factory owner
dueño de ganado ovino sheep farmer
dueño de molino mill owner
dueño de pensión lodging house keeper
ebanista cabinetmaker
empleada doméstica domestic servant
empleado de comercio merchant's clerk
empleado de fábrica de gas gasworks employee
empleado ferroviario railway clerk, railway employee
empleado rural, trabajador rural worker
empleado/a employee
encuadernador bookbinder
escribano barrister
esculptor/a sculptor
escultor carver
estanciero owner of a large farm, rancher
estribador lighterman, stevedore
estudiante student
   
fabricante de cadenas chain maker
fabricante de carros, carretero cartwright
fabricante de cigarros cigar manufacturer
fabricante de escobas brushmaker
fabricante de peines combmaker
fabricante de tejas tilemaker
fabricante de velas candlemaker
farmacéutico chemist, druggist
ferretero ironmonger
fogonero railway fireman
foguero, foguista stoker
fotógrafo photographer
funebrero undertaker
   
ganadero breeder
gasista gas-fitter
gerente manager
gerente de banco bank manger
granjero husbandman
guardia de ferrocarril railway guard
herrador farrier
herrero blacksmith, smith
hojalatero tinman, tinsmith, tinplate maker
hostelero hotel keeper
importador de carbón receiver of coals
impresor printer
ingeniero engineer
ingeniero civil civil engineer
ingeniero mecánico mechanical engineer
jardinero gardener
jefe de estación station master
jinete equestrian, horseman, rider
jornalero day-labourer or day worker
joyero jeweller
labrador farm-hand or ploughman
labrador, granjero husbandman
librero bookseller
   
maderero timber merchant, lumber merchant
maestro, profesor schoolmaster
maquinista engine driver
maquinista, mecánico machinist, mechanic, engineer
marinero mariner, seaman
mayordomo butler, house steward, farm manager
médico medical practitioner, physician
mercader merchant or shopkeeper
molinero miller
mozo de cuadra hostler
mucama housemaid
mulato(a) mulatto(a)
músico musician
obrero labourer or workman
orfebre goldsmith, silversmith
   
panadero baker
papelero stationer
pastelero, repostero confectioner
pastor shepherd, church minister
peluquero, barbero barber
peluquero/a hairdresser
peón unskilled farm worker
peón de campo farm worker
peón de estancia cattle-hand
piloto pilot
pintor painter
platero silversmith
plomero plumber
pocero well digger
posadero innkeeper, tavern keeper
profesor schoolmaster
profesor de química professor of chemistry
profesor(a) teacher
propietario land owner, proprietor
   
relojero watchmaker
rematador auctioneer
repostero confectioner
ruedero, carretero wheelwright
sacerdote anglicano clerk in holy orders
sacristán verger
saladerista owner of a salting plant
salero, salador salter (dry salter)
sanjeador ditcher
sastre tailor
secretario/a secretery
segundo de a bordo ship master, mate
sirvienta domestic servant, housemaid
sirviente servant
sodero soda water maker
sombrerero hatter
   
tabaquero tobacconist
talabartero harness maker, sadler
tallista, escultor carver
tapicero upholsterer
telegrafista telegrapher
tendero draper, haberdasher
tenedor de libros book-keeper, accountant
tonelero cooper
tornero turner
trabajador rural worker, worker
vendedor de cerámica earthenware merchant
yesero plasterer
zapatero bootmaker, shoemaker, shoesmith
© La forma de presentación de estos datos se reserva al autor, Jeremy Howat, May 2008