Looking for a Job? Try the 1880 U.S. Census for Ideas
PROVO, Utah, Aug. 31 /PRNewswire/ -- To mark the nation's 124th Labor
Day, Ancestry.com, the world's largest online resource for family history
records, is releasing an interesting glimpse of the most popular and most
unusual occupations in 1880.
With Labor Day's roots dating back to 1882, Ancestry.com, the only
online source for the complete digitized U.S. Federal Census from 1790 to
1930, is sharing the labor landscape from the 1880 U.S. Census, including
the following fascinating discoveries:
* More than 20 percent of the population listed their occupations as some
form of laborer with the top three occupations listed as employed on a
farm, laborer or servant
* Additional occupations among the top 10 include carpenter,
dressmaker/tailor, clerk, school teacher, blacksmith, miner and cotton
mill worker
* Some were more creative in answering census takers' questions. Rather
than simply listing "laborer" as their occupation, their occupations
were "Sandwich Man," "Soda Dispenser," "Inspector of Lunch," "Collector
of Eggs" or "Prepares Fruit"
* The 1880 Census reveals the lure of the "Wild West" during that time
period. Almost 30,000 individuals reported their occupation as "Saloon
Keeper." There was also a significant number of "Cattle Herders,"
"Cowboys," "Saddle and Harness Makers," "Horse Dealers," "Street
Sweepers" (to clean up the after the horses on the big city streets)
and even an "Outlaw" appeared on the census takers list
* Some people showcased their seeming lack of occupation, listing jobs
such as "Old Batchelor," "Good Talker," "Reading the Bible," "Bird
Fancyier," "Buggy Riding" and "Gent at Large"
* The top three occupations in the U.S. were identical to those listed in
the UK (1881 Census) where almost 10 percent of the English population
were working as servants, on a farm or as laborers
* Other top 10 jobs in England were dressmaker/tailor, working in the
cotton industry, coal miner, carpenter, laundress, annuitant (someone
who receives annuity) and finally, "no occupation"
* Other quirky English jobs included "Artificial Flower Maker," "Capsule
Maker," "Coffin Maker," "Corset Maker," "Fancy Box Maker," "Powder Puff
Maker," "Surgical Instrument Maker." To think Tom Hanks' grandfather
whose occupation was listed as "Rodent Control" in the 1930 Census and
later, "Squirrel Inspector," raised eyebrows!
* A variety of occupations sounded more like machinery than jobs people
would perform. "Button Polisher," "Envelope Folder," "Feather Curler,"
"Silk Winder" and "Boot Clicker" (someone in charge of lace holes on a
shoe) were among those listed
"The census reveals more than just numbers -- it builds stories," said
Tim Sullivan, CEO, MyFamily.com, Inc., parent company of Ancestry.com. "By
providing information on occupations, household members, names and ages of
family members, language of origin, social status and more, census data
connects our past to the present and creates a vivid snapshot of the lives
of our ancestors."
About Ancestry.com
With more than 5 billion names and 23,000 searchable databases,
Ancestry.com is the No. 1 online source for family history information,
hosting the web's largest collection of historical records. Since its
launch almost a decade ago, Ancestry.com has been the premier resource for
family history, simplifying genealogical research for millions by providing
them with many easy-to-use tools and resources to build their own unique
family trees. The site receives more than 300 million page views and 7
million unique site visitors each month ((C)ComScore Networks, April 2006).
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