hat did people do in the Middle Ages? If you meet a random person on the street, what is his likely occupation? Or did people
work at all? Were the Middle Ages some Communist utopia, where everybody laid around all day and things were magically produced
by fairies?
Of course not. They didn't have electronics engineers and computer programmers, but they did have coopers, bakers, blacksmiths, and many other jobs that made their society go around.
If you do a little research, there were tons of medieval occupations. Most of this material comes from Stefan's Florilegium, an online archive of interesting articles from the SCA's newsgroup, The Rialto (at rec.org.sca).
In the following list, I have made the name of the occupation link to the online version of Webster's Dictionary, so you can find out what it is. In some cases, the definition is also included locally. Why two? Well, I'd prefer to have them all locally, but it seems like too much work. Thus, I place them locally piecemeal.
Sometimes Websters doesn't have an entry for something. In these cases, there are other web sites to help. I found a list of occupations when I was trying to figure out what an "arkwright" did.
These are the people who run things. They keep society moving smoothly, if they're good at what they do, and can bring society to a crunching halt, if they're not. Rife for corruption, government officials can play a significant role in many campaigns.
bailiff (dictionary) (the man who makes arrests and executions)
chancellor (dictionary)
constable (dictionary)
diplomat (dictionary)
emperor (dictionary)
exchequer (dictionary)
jailer (dictionary)
judge (dictionary)
king (dictionary)
knight (dictionary)
lady (dictionary)
nobleman (dictionary)
prince (dictionary)
sherrif (dictionary)
watchman (dictionary)
Who keeps the country safe from encroaching enemies and wild monsters? Why, the military, of course. These brave men (and sometimes women) train against the possibility that they'll have to protect their country with their lives.
archer (dictionary) (one who shoots arrows)
bowman (dictionary)
camp follower (dictionary) (people following an army, making money off of the soldiers)
cannoneer (dictionary)
crossbowman (dictionary)
drummer (dictionary)
engineer (dictionary)
guardsman (dictionary)
halberdier (dictionary)
mercenary (dictionary)
pikeman (dictionary)
pioneer (dictionary) (an early term for military engineer)
pursuivant (dictionary) (officer of arms, ranks below herald, similar duties)
sapper (dictionary) (specialist in field fortifications)
scout (dictionary)
seige engineer (dictionary)
sergeant (dictionary)
sergeant-at-arms (dictionary)
spearman (dictionary)
spy (dictionary)
Wherever there is society, there are criminals. These occupations include only the so-called "professional criminal": it ignores those people who are corrupt at every level of society who has a legal "front", from kings to beggars.
burglar (dictionary) ()
fence (dictionary) (one who trades in stolen goods)
footpad (dictionary) (one who robs pedestrians)
outlaw (dictionary) (a man wanted by the law)
pickpocket (dictionary) (one who picks pockets)
poacher (dictionary) (one who illegally kills animals)
If Government officials run the affairs of earthly beings, then those occupied with religious pursuits mediate between earth and the gods.
Priests are relatively common in role playing games. These men and women are the people behind the church: not typically "adventuring priests", but vitally important to the church nonetheless.
abbess (dictionary) (superior of a convent)
abbot (dictionary) (superior of a monastery)
archbishop (dictionary)
beadle (dictionary) (church official -- ushers preserves order at sermons)
bishop (dictionary)
cardinal (dictionary)
chantry priest (dictionary)
chaplain (dictionary)
curate (dictionary) (priest in charge of a church)
friar (dictionary)
monk (dictionary)
nun (dictionary)
pardoner (dictionary) (seller of indulgences)
parish priest (dictionary)
pope (dictionary)
priest (dictionary)
reeve (dictionary) (church warden)
sexton (dictionary) (minor church officer - rings bells, digs graves)
theologian (dictionary)
In a society based on trade (either with hard currency or barter), there are always those who spend their lives in the pursuit of selling things to others.
Note that most craftsmen also sell the results of their labor, farmers typically must sell their crops themselves, people in service trades often must hawk their own wares. This section does not include them. It includes only those people who spend their entire lives devoted to selling things, and nothing more.
alewife (dictionary) (a female alehouse keeper)
apothecary (dictionary) (a preparer and merchant for drugs and medicines)
banker (dictionary)
beer seller (dictionary)
chapman (dictionary) (travelling merchant)
costermonger (dictionary) (fruit seller)
fishmonger (dictionary)
fruitier (dictionary) (fruitseller)
glass seller (dictionary)
grocer (dictionary)
harberdasher (dictionary) (seller of men's clothing)
hay merchant (dictionary)
innkeeper (dictionary)
ironmonger (dictionary) (one who sells things made of iron)
mercer (dictionary)
merchant (dictionary)
oil merchant (dictionary)
old-clothes dealer (dictionary)
peddler (dictionary)
pie seller (dictionary)
poulter (dictionary) (seller of poultry)
skinner (dictionary)
spice merchant (dictionary)
spicer (dictionary) (grocer or dealer in spices)
taverner (dictionary) (innkeeper)
waterseller (dictionary)
wine seller (dictionary)
wood seller (dictionary)
In any society, there is the need for spare time. And what did people do before television? Well, they mostly sang songs, told stories, and danced. From this, some professional entertainers developed.
Also included in this section are artists: those who devote their lives to creating works of beauty and expressiveness. There is enormous overlap between artists and entertainers... I won't get into the argument of whether art should be used to entertain or express the artist's true feelings. That's beyond my scope here, certainly.
bard (dictionary)
barker (dictionary) (one who advertises at the entrance to a show)
fiddler (dictionary) (this is an unfair translation, "geiger" is applied to any player of bowed and stringed instruments)
fool (dictionary)
fresco painter (dictionary)
glasspainter (dictionary)
harper (dictionary)
illuminator (dictionary)
jester (dictionary)
limner (dictionary) (illuminator of books)
lutenist (dictionary) (a lute player)
musician (dictionary)
organist (dictionary)
painter (dictionary) (portraits and landscapes)
piper (dictionary)
player (dictionary)
playwright (dictionary)
poet (dictionary)
sculptor (dictionary)
singer (dictionary)
troubadour (dictionary)
tumbler (dictionary)
writer (dictionary)
Ah -- the farmers. Without them, we'd starve. Wresting sustenence from the very earth itself. There's a large number of occupations associated with farming: you need people to watch the animals, work the fields. In fact, probably most people in a medieval society were farmers.
Also included are hunters and gatherers: those who travel into nature and grab things to eat, as well as all those who work with animals.
falconer (dictionary) (breeds, trains, hunts with falcons)
farmer (dictionary)
fisherman (dictionary)
forester (dictionary) (game warden or forest ranger)
fowler (dictionary) (one who hunts for wildfowl)
gamekeeper (dictionary)
goatherd (dictionary)
hawker (dictionary) (breeds, trains, hunts with hawks)
horse trainer (dictionary)
hunter (dictionary)
huntsman (dictionary)
master of hounds (dictionary)
molecatcher (dictionary)
ostler (dictionary) (cares for horses)
oyster raker (dictionary) (worker on an oyster fishing boat)
parker (dictionary) (caretaker of a park)
plowman (dictionary)
rat catcher (dictionary)
reaper (dictionary)
sheepshearer (dictionary)
shepherd (dictionary)
swineherd (dictionary)
thresher (dictionary)
tillerman (dictionary)
trapper (dictionary)
woolcomber (dictionary)
woolman (dictionary) (sorts wool into differing grades)
They may have called it the dark ages for lack of scientific output, but there were still people interested in the world around them, willing to poke and prod it until something broke.
alchemist (dictionary) (a medieval chemist)
astrologer (dictionary)
astronomer (dictionary)
dean (dictionary)
librarian (dictionary)
mathematician (dictionary)
philosopher (dictionary)
professor (dictionary)
scholar (dictionary)
scrivener (dictionary) (scribe)
tutor (dictionary)
The lure of the sea, the crash of the waves: a boat-filled life was the norm for a great many medieval people. Some sailed on rivers, some on the ocean. Exciting and dangerous trade missions with far-off empires, exploring strange new places, and always coming back home to tell exciting stories in the local tavern.
bargeman (dictionary)
boatman (dictionary)
canaller (dictionary) (canal boat worker)
ferryman (dictionary)
hobbler (dictionary) (boat tower on a river or canal)
lighter man (dictionary) (worker on a flat-bottomed boat)
mariner (dictionary)
navigator (dictionary)
pilot (dictionary)
sailor (dictionary)
sea captain (dictionary)
ship's captain (dictionary)
shipchandler (dictionary) (ship provisioner)
waterman (dictionary) (riverboat sailor)
One of the problems with coming up with a list of Medieval Occupations is that lots of people in a feudal economy didn't have occupations at all. They were just tenants of other folks. Also, there are in any society, a large number of homeless and impoverished.
This section deals with people like that.
almoner (dictionary) (a distributer of money and food to the poor)
begger (dictionary)
crofter (dictionary) (tenant of a small piece of land)
dwarf (dictionary)
hermit (dictionary)
housewife (dictionary)
jew (dictionary) (a class of their own in the Medieval Period)
landlord (dictionary)
palmer (dictionary) (one who had been, or pretended to have been, to the Holy Land)
pilgrim (dictionary)
spinster (dictionary)
Game worlds typically have armorers and blacksmiths, but then it breaks down, and everything else is available from the marketplace or the "general store". Add a bit of spice to a campaign by having the player's harness become damaged, and have to deal with the local harness maker (who is also the town shoemaker) and his loud wife!
Most of the occupations on this list are craftsmen and service occupations. Because of this, I have seperated out the most common craftsmen from the bulk of the list, so that the gentle reader can make sense of it. The list of common occupations was derived from the tax list for Paris in 1292, from the book Life in a Medieval City, by Francis and Joseph Gies. The number indicates how many there in the city.
366 - shoemaker (dictionary) (one who makes and repairs shoes)
214 - furrier (dictionary) (one who makes and repairs goods made of furs (esp. clothes))
197 - tailor (dictionary) (one who makes and repairs clothing)
131 - jeweler (dictionary) (maker of jewelry)
106 - pastrycook (dictionary) (baker specializing in pastries)
104 - mason (dictionary) (bricklayer)
95 - carpenter (dictionary) (one who constructs things from wood)
86 - weaver (dictionary) (weaver of cloth)
71 - chandler (dictionary) (one who makes candles)
70 - cooper (dictionary) (one who makes and repairs barrels and tubs)
62 - baker (dictionary) (one who makes bread and other baked goods)
58 - scabbard maker (dictionary) (maker of scabbards)
54 - hatmaker (dictionary) (maker of hats)
51 - saddler (dictionary) (maker of saddles)
51 - chicken butcher (dictionary) (butcher of chickens)
45 - purse maker (dictionary) (maker of purses)
42 - meat butcher (dictionary) (butcher of all sorts of meats, esp beef)
36 - buckle maker (dictionary) (maker of buckles)
34 - blacksmith (dictionary) (one who works with iron to form metal implements: esp farm tools.)
28 - roofer (dictionary) (one who makes and repairs roofs)
27 - locksmith (dictionary) (one who makes and repairs locks)
26 - ropemaker (dictionary) (maker of rope)
24 - tanner (dictionary) (preparer of leater)
24 - rugmaker (dictionary) (maker of rugs)
24 - harness maker (dictionary) (maker of harnesses)
23 - bleacher (dictionary)
22 - cutler (dictionary) (one who makes and repairs cutlery)
21 - glover (dictionary) (a glovemaker)
architect (dictionary) (a designer of buildings and other constructions)
arkwright (dictionary) (a maker of "arks" -- wooden chests or coffers)
armorer (dictionary)
balancemaker (dictionary)
basketmaker (dictionary)
beekeeper (dictionary) (also known as apiarist)
beerbrewer (dictionary)
bellfounder (dictionary)
bellmaker (dictionary) (these are the little bells that go on sleighs and clothing, as opposed to the large civic bells cast by the bellfounder)
blockcutter (dictionary) (for block printing)
bonecarver (dictionary)
bookbinder (dictionary)
bookprinter (dictionary)
bowyer (dictionary)
brazier (dictionary) (makes brassware)
brewer (dictionary)
bricker (dictionary) (brick baker, not mason)
bricklayer (dictionary)
broderer (dictionary) (embroiderer)
bronzefounder (dictionary)
brushbinder (dictionary)
builder (dictionary)
buttonmaker (dictionary)
cabinetmaker (dictionary)
cardmaker (dictionary)
cartwright (dictionary)
carver (dictionary)
chainmaker (dictionary)
charcoalburner (dictionary)
cheesemaker (dictionary)
clockmaker (dictionary)
clothier (dictionary)
cobbler (dictionary)
coiner (dictionary)
combmaker (dictionary)
compasssmith (dictionary)
confectioner (dictionary)
coppersmith (dictionary)
cordwainer (dictionary)
delver (dictionary) (ditchdigger)
drycooper (dictionary)
drywaller (dictionary)
dyer (dictionary)
embroiderer (dictionary)
engraver (dictionary) (for printing, not to decorate items)
fabricshearer (dictionary) (trims the nap and makes pleats for customers)
feltmaker (dictionary)
fletcher (dictionary)
founder (dictionary) (foundryman)
fuller (dictionary) (cloth worker who shrinks, beats, presses cloth)
furniture maker (dictionary)
gemcutter (dictionary)
girdler (dictionary) (leather worker who made girdles and belts, chiefly for the Army)
glassblower (dictionary)
glazier (dictionary)
goldbeater (dictionary) (makes gold leaf)
goldsmith (dictionary)
gravedigger (dictionary)
grinder (dictionary) (knife sharpener)
gunsmith (dictionary)
gunstocker (dictionary)
hatter (dictionary) (one who makes and repairs hats)
horner (dictionary) (craftsman who works in horn -- spoons, combs, musical instruments)
joiner (dictionary) (skilled carpenter)
knifesmith (dictionary)
lacemaker (dictionary)
lanternmaker (dictionary)
lapidary (dictionary) (worker with precious stones -- usu. other than diamonds)
leadworker (dictionary)
lensgrinder (dictionary)
linenspinner (dictionary)
lorimer (dictionary) (maker of horse gear)
lutemaker (dictionary)
mailer (dictionary) (enameller -- not a maker of armor)
mailmaker (dictionary)
mapmaker (dictionary) (also known as cartographer)
miner (dictionary)
mintmaster (dictionary) (coin stamper)
mirrorer (dictionary) (one who makes mirrors?)
nailmaker (dictionary)
nedeller (dictionary) (maker of needles)
netmaker (dictionary)
oilmaker (dictionary)
papermaker (dictionary)
parchmenter (dictionary)
pattenmaker (dictionary)
pewterer (dictionary)
physician (dictionary)
pinmaker (dictionary)
plasterer (dictionary)
plattner (dictionary) (beat out sheets of metal)
plumber (dictionary)
pot mender (dictionary)
potter (dictionary)
printer (dictionary)
quarryman (dictionary)
rectifier (dictionary) (one who distilled alcohol)
redsmith (dictionary) (brass)
roper (dictionary) (maker of ropes, nets)
sailmaker (dictionary)
saltboiler (dictionary) (makes salt by boiling water)
salter (dictionary) (makes or deals in salt)
sawyer (dictionary) (saws timbers to boards)
scythesmith (dictionary)
seamstress (dictionary)
shingler (dictionary) (wooden roof tiler)
shipwright (dictionary)
silversmith (dictionary)
smelter (dictionary)
smith (dictionary) (blacksmith)
spectaclesmaker (dictionary)
spurrer (dictionary) (maker of spurs)
stonecarver (dictionary)
stonecutter (dictionary)
swordsmith (dictionary)
tallowchandler (dictionary)
tapestrymaker (dictionary)
thatcher (dictionary)
thonger (dictionary) (maker of leather straps or laces)
threadmaker (dictionary)
tinker (dictionary)
tinsmith (dictionary)
turner (dictionary) (lathe worker)
typefounder (dictionary)
vintner (dictionary)
waxchandler (dictionary)
wheelwright (dictionary)
wiredrawer (dictionary)
woodcarver (dictionary)
woodcutter (dictionary)
woodturner (dictionary)
There are many important positions in society for those who do not produce, but serve their fellow man. When they're done their job for the day, there are no new products, no changes in physical objects, but people are moved, jobs get done, and society keeps moving. These are the service workers.
Service workers can play an enormous role in your campaign. All the time, characters need to get their hair cut, have water fetched, or have something written down.
Unfortunately, since this list is so enormous, I've again taken the liberty of separating out the common occupations, again, as defined by the Geis book. The numbers are the count of the occupation in Paris, in 1292.
199 - maidservant (dictionary)
151 - barber (dictionary)
130 - restaurateur (dictionary) (one who owns or runs a restaurant)
58 - water carrier (dictionary)
43 - laundress (dictionary) (also known as lavendar)
42 - porter (dictionary) (one who carries burdens, or one who waits at doors. Probably the former)
29 - doctor (dictionary)
26 - bather (dictionary) (owner of a bath)
24 - copyist (dictionary) (one who copies books and documents -- not all of them can read)
attendent (dictionary)
bagger (dictionary)
barrister (dictionary)
bath attendent (dictionary)
bather (dictionary) (owner of a bath)
bodyservant (dictionary)
butler (dictionary)
carman (dictionary) (one who drives a vehicle for transporting goods)
carter (dictionary)
cartier (dictionary)
chamberlain (dictionary)
chimney sweep (dictionary)
clark (dictionary) (see clerk)
clerk (dictionary)
cook (dictionary)
cowherd (dictionary)
currier (dictionary) (see tanner)
dairymaid (dictionary)
dentist (dictionary)
dog trainer (dictionary)
drayman (dictionary) (cart driver)
dung carter (dictionary)
executioner (dictionary)
farrier (dictionary)
groom (dictionary)
harlot (dictionary) (vagabond, beggar, rogue, 14th century male servant, attendant or menial, and 15th century, loose woman )
herald (dictionary)
horseleech (dictionary) (veterinarian, farrier)
lawyer (dictionary)
link boy (dictionary) (boy who will carry a torch to guide people through the night)
link man (dictionary) (like a link boy, only older)
maid (dictionary)
midwife (dictionary) (humorously known as a babycatcher)
miller (dictionary)
mummer (dictionary) (a form of actor in a 'mumming play', in which the champion was killed and brought back to life)
nurse (dictionary)
panter (dictionary) (keeper of the pantry)
paperer (dictionary) (needlemaking industry -- inserted needles into paper to prepare for selling)
pavyler (dictionary) (put up pavilions/tents)
potboy (dictionary) (cleans out chamber pots)
privycleaner (dictionary)
procurator (dictionary) (or proctor, this is a kind of legal agent or representative)
prostitute (dictionary)
quartermaster (dictionary)
ragpicker (dictionary) (sorts through leftover rags, find re-usable ones)
raker (dictionary) (street sanitation worker)
scullion (dictionary)
senaschal (dictionary) (senior steward)
solicitor (dictionary) (lawyer)
stillroom maid (dictionary)
surgeon (dictionary)
tapster (dictionary) (bartender/barmaid)
wagoner (dictionary) (wagon or cart driver)
weeper (dictionary)
wetnurse (dictionary)
These are occupations that I have been too lazy to classify, as of yet, or those where I don't really know what they are....
basinbeater (dictionary) - ???
bearleader (dictionary)
beguine (dictionary)
belter (dictionary)
bodger (dictionary)
buffoon (dictionary)
canon (dictionary)
cantor (dictionary)
ditcher (dictionary)
diver (dictionary)
draper (dictionary)
famulus (dictionary)
fool for money (dictionary)
gardner (dictionary) (??? -- one who gardens?)
gluttonous fool (dictionary)
hayward (dictionary) (fence viewer ???)
master of revels (dictionary)
merchant taylor (dictionary) (???)
milliner (dictionary) (???)
nailer (dictionary)
nakerer (dictionary)
pavior (dictionary)
pissprophet (dictionary) - ???
rivener (dictionary)
sacristian (dictionary)
shrimper (dictionary)
siever (dictionary)
silkwoman (dictionary)
stainer (dictionary)
stewsman (dictionary)
summoner (dictionary)
teamster carpenter (dictionary)
tentsman (dictionary)
terrazo grinder/mosaic layer (dictionary)
thimbler (dictionary)
tyler (dictionary)
upholder (dictionary)
userer (dictionary)
waferer (dictionary)
wattler (dictionary)
weirkeeper (dictionary)
