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Occupations

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Glossary of OCCUPATIONS as found in Croatian vital records.

Contributors to this list (so far):
Carole Allen (from records of the Zagreb area)
Mary Lawrie (from records of the Lika/Gospic' area; marked with *)
Robert Jerin (from Greek Catholic church records of Sos"ice; marked with **)

Also see Latin terms from Istria here.
Please send additions and corrections to our attention.

word or phrase English meaning examples
agricola peasant
akvizitor solicitor
babica midwife
biljez"nik notary public
bludnica prostitute
bolnic"ar nurse (male)
bolnic"arka nurse (female)
branilac attorney
bravar locksmith
brijac" barber
c"inovnik office worker, clerk, employee
c"oban(in) shepherd
c"uvar watchman, keeper, guard
carinik customs officer
ciganin Gypsy
crkvenjak sexton, parish clerk
d'ak pupil, schoolboy
dadilja nanny, wet nurse
desetar corporal, squad leader
dimnjac"ar chimney sweep
diverzant commando
domac'ica housewife
dous"nik informer
drvodjelac carpenter
drvorezac wood carver
drvosjec"a logger, lumberjack
dvorkinja cleaning woman
electrotehnic"ar electrical engineer
farmaceut pharmacist
fratar monk, friar
gatara fortune teller
gostionic"ar publican, inn-keeper
graditelj builder
granic"ar member of Austrian Army regiments called Frontier Regiments (Grenzregimenten); also people who lived along the frontier border.
grobar gravedigger
gusar pirate
guvernanta governess
hajduk rebel, outlaw
hodoc"asnik pilgrim
istraz"ivac" explorer, investigator
izdajica traitor
izdavac" publisher
kalfa journeyman
kalud'er monk
kalud'erica nun
kapelan chaplain
kirurg surgeon
klesar stonemason
knjigovez"a bookbinder
koc"ijas" coachman
koljac" butcher
koludrica nun
kormilar helmsman
kovac" blacksmith
kradljivac thief
krijumc"ar smuggler
krojac"ica seamstress
krvnik executioner
kuc'anica housewife
kuhar cook (male)
kuharica cook (female)
lic"ilac house painter
lihvar usurer
lijec"nik physician
limar (*) plumber
lonc"ar (*) potter
lopov thief, bandit, crook
lugar (*) forester, ranger
mehanic"ar mechanic
mesar butcher
mlinar (*) miller
mljekar dairyman
mljekarica milkmaid
monah monk
mornar sailor
nadbiskup archbishop
nadglednik overseer, foreman, inspector
nadstojnik manager, supervisor
nastavnik teacher
nosac" porter
novinar (*) journalist
opat abbot
opatica abbess
opc'ine pandur (**) town constable
orac" ploughman
ovc"ar (*) shepherd
pazikuc'a janitor
pandur policeman
pekar baker
piljar fruit monger
piljarica market woman
pisar clerk
poljodjelac (*) farmer, peasant
pomorac seaman
pos"tar postman
postolar shoemaker
pralja washerwoman
primalja midwife
puc"ki uc"itelj (**) primary school teacher
radnik workman
ratar farmer
ribar fisherman
rudar miner, coal miner
rustica (fem.)
rusticus (male)
farmer (Latin)
s"umar forester
s"velja dressmaker, seamstress
seljak (*) peasant (male)
seljanka (*) peasant (female)
slastic"ar (*) confectioner
slus"kinja maidservant
stolar (*) joiner, carpenter
svec'enik priest
tesar (*) carpenter
tkalac weaver
torbar peddler
trgovac (*) shopkeeper
uc"enica (*) schoolgirl
uc"enik (*) schoolboy
uc"itelj (m),
uc"iteljica (f)
teacher (male & female)
urar (*) watchmaker
uznic"ar jailer
veleposjednici (**) landlord, large land holder
vincula serf (prior to 1848 when serfdom was abolished)
vrtlar gardener
z"eljeznic"ar railwayman
zemljoradnik (*) farmer, farm worker
zidar bricklayer, mason
zlatar goldsmith
zvonar bell ringer