Feminine words for occupations...

[neotoma]

English is a weird language. There are feminine words for some occupations, though they're so archaic that they are mainly used for surnames now.

The ones I can come up with easily are:

webster -- weaver
baxter -- baker
brewster -- brewer
spinster -- spinner

Are there others?

ETA: I was thinking about words with the -ster construction, though words with the -ess construction are equally valid.

Comments

[fuchsoid.livejournal.com]

It's interesting that "webster", "baxter" and "brewster" are all fairly common surnames, like their male equivalents. Does this imply that some families were named after the trades of female ancestors, rather than those of males, as is commonly supposed?. And why are neither "spinster" nor "spinner" seen as surnames?

The only other trade name I can think of ending in "ster" is "maltster", but I think that can apply to either sex. Although come to think of it, what about "monster"?

[neotoma.livejournal.com]

Malster? I've never heard of that one before; someone who makes malt -- for brewing, one supposes?

I remember being told that the words brewster, baxter and webster became surnames had to do with the wake of the Black Death, but I have no idea if that's true or not.

Monster is from monstrum, which is most definitely Latin and not Old English.

[fuchsoid.livejournal.com]

Sorry, that should have been "maltster", and yes, I think it is someone who prepares malt for brewing.

To further muddy the waters, there's a small town in northern Scotland (I think) called Scrabster, but I've no idea where the name comes from. Probably another coincidence, like "monster".

[mmoa.livejournal.com]

Pehrpas it was the children of unknown fatherhood who were given their mother's 'name' so to speak. Or maybe it was the women who kept the trade going through each generation in certain families. Still very interesting though.