The occupation of your ancestor and family members can provide a great deal of contextual information for your research. Published local histories and newspaper accounts provide the geographical and social backdrop for your ancestors, but learning more about what they did for a living can help you understand more clearly what kind of life they led in that place at that time.

There are many places to learn about a person’s occupation at various times during their life. The types of records available to you will, of course, depend on the time period and the location. Let’s explore some of the many places where occupational information can be found.