Table 60:

NPC Professions

Apothecary: A chemist, druggist, or pharmacist

Architect

Armorer

Arrowsmith: A maker of arrowheads

Assassin: A killer for hire

Astrologer: A reader of stars and fates

Baker

Barber: A surgeon, bloodletter, dentist, and haircutter

Barrister: A lawyer or one who pleads the case of another before a noble's court

Beggar

Bellfounder: A caster of bells

Blacksmith

Bloomer: A man who work an iron smelting forge

Bladesmith: A smith who specializes in sword blades

Bookbinder: A maker of books

Bowyer: A maker of bows

Brazier: A smith who works in brass, sometimes a traveling workman

Brewer: A maker of ales, bitters, stouts, and beer

Bricklayer: A laborer who builds walls and buildings

Butcher

Carpenter

Carrier: One who hauls messages or small goods

Carter: A teamster, a hauler of goods

Cartwright: A builder of wagons and carts

Carver: A sculptor in wood

Chandler: A maker of candles

Chapman: A traveling peddler who normally frequents small villages

Churl: A freedom farmer of some wealth

Clerk: A scribe who generally handles business accounts

Clockmaker

Cobbler: A mender of old shoes

Collier: A burner of charcoal for smelting

Coppersmith: A copper worker

Cook

Cooper: A barrelmaker

Cordwainer: A shoemaker

Cutler: A maker of knives and silverware

Dragoman: An official interpreter or guide

Draper: A cloth merchant

Dyer: One who dyes clothing

Embroiderer: A needleworker who decorates fabric with intricate designs of thread

Enameler: A jeweler specializing in enamel work.

Engraver: A jeweler specializing in decorative engraving

Farrier: A maker of horseshoes

Fisherman

Fishmonger: A fish dealer

Fletcher: An arrowmaker

Forester: An official responsible for the lord's woodlands

Fuller: A felt-maker

Furrier: A tailor of fur garments

Gardener

Gem-cutter: A jeweler specializing in gemstones

Gilder: A craftsman of gilt gold and silver

Girdler: A maker of belts and girdles

Glassblower: A maker of items made of glass

Glazier: One who cuts and sets glass

Glover: A maker of gloves

Goldbeater: A maker of gold foil

Goldsmith: A jeweler who works with gold

Grocer: A wholesaler, particularly of everyday items

Groom: A man who tends horses

Haberdasher: A merchant of small notions, thread, and needles

Harpmaker

Hatter: One who makes hats

Herald: A courtier skilled in etiquette and heraldry

Herbalist: A practitioner of herbal cures

Hewer: One who digs coal or other minerals

Horner: A worker of horn

Hosier: A maker of hose and garters

Hosteler: An innkeeper

Interpreter: A translator

Ironmonger: A dealer, not maker, of ironwork

Joiner: A cabinet or furniture-maker

Knife-grinder: A sharpener of knives

Laundress

Laborer

Latoner: A brass-worker

Leech: A nonclerical doctor

Limeburner: A maker of lime for mortar

Limner: A painter

Linkboy: A lantern- or torch-bearer

Locksmith

Lutemaker

Marbler: A cutter and carver of marble

Mason: A worker in building stone, brick, and plaster

Mercer: A cloth dealer

Messenger

Miller: One who operates a grain mill

Miner

Minstrel

Minter: A maker of coins

Nailsmith: A smith specializing in nails

Navigator: One skilled in the arts of direction-finding and navigation

Organmaker

Painter

Parchment-maker

Paviour: A mason specialized in paving streets

Pewterer: One who works pewter

Plasterer: A specialist in plastering

Ploughman: A worker of the field

Porter: A hauler of goods

Potter: A maker of metal or, alternatively, clay pots

Poulterer: A dealer of chickens or other forms of poultry

Pursemaker

Quarrier: One who digs and cuts stone

Saddler: A maker of saddles

Sage: A scholar

Sailor

Saucemaker: A cook who specializes in preparing sauces

Scribe: A secretary or one who can write

Scrivener: A copyist

Seamstress: One whose occupation is sewing

Shearman: A man who trims the loose wool from the cloth to finish it

Sheather: A maker of scabbards and knife sheaths

Shepherd

Shipwright: A builder of ships and boats

Skinner: A butcher who prepares hides for tanning

Soapmaker

Spurrier: A maker of spurs

Spy

Swineherd: A keeper of pigs

Tailor

Tanner: A leather-maker

Teamster: A hauler of goods by wagon or cart

Tilemaker

Tinker: A traveling craftsman who repairs tin pots and similar items

Tinner: A tin miner

Trapper

Vintner: A maker of wines

Waller: A mason who sets stones and brick for walls

Waterleader: A water hauler

Weaver: One who makes fabric

Wheelwright: One who makes and repairs wheels

Wiredrawer: A maker of wire

Woodturner: A lathe-worker

The list above is by no means complete. Medieval occupations were highly specialized. A man might spend all his life working as a miner of iron and be considered to have a very different occupation from a miner of tin. Research in a local library will probably yield more such distinctions and even more occupations.

Table of Contents