Most common jobs 150 years ago in California
With the COVID-19 pandemic continuing to impact the global economy, the current job market is a hot topic in the news cycle. But while the pandemic itself is, historically, something of an economic aberration, the U.S. economy that we know today has a long and storied history of expansions, recessions, and evolution.
At the time of the American Revolution, most of the job market in the U.S. revolved around agriculture or food acquisition in some way. Many individuals and communities farmed for subsistence, not even growing enough to have an excess to sell for profits. As the fledgling country grew, so did its economy, springing forth during the Industrial Revolution of the late 1700s and early 1800s, and inexorably shifting the nation's economic focus from agrarian efforts to those of manufacturing, trade, and other forms of business. Inventions like the steam engine and cotton gin accelerated production, feeding a booming job market that was met with immigrants eager to find work.
By the mid- to late-1800s, the U.S. economy and job market was characterized by successive periods of rapid growth followed by panics or depressions. This economic disquiet was caused by stock speculation and oscillating levels of trust in the federal government's ability to regulate cash flow and support banks. In turn, the uncertain economy produced a volatile job market.
In an effort to capture a snapshot of the U.S. job market's history, Stacker compiled a list of the most common jobs in California from 150 years ago using data from the U.S. Census Bureau. By transcribing the previously untranscribed Table XXVII from the 1870 decennial census, a state-level glimpse into the historic job market can be seen. Nationally, farmers and planters were the most common occupation 150 years ago, just one of the many agricultural jobs that made up more than 47% of all employed persons over ten years old.
Continue reading to find out more about the historical job market in your home state or explore the data on your own on our site, GitHub, or data.world.
#1. Laborers (not specified)
- National employment: 1,031,666
--- #3 most common job in the U.S.
#2. Miners
- National employment: 152,107
--- #10 most common job in the U.S.
#3. Farmers and planters
- National employment: 2,977,711
--- #1 most common job in the U.S.
#4. Agricultural laborers
- National employment: 2,885,996
--- #2 most common job in the U.S.
#5. Domestic servants
- National employment: 975,734
--- #4 most common job in the U.S.
#6. Carpenters and joiners
- National employment: 344,596
--- #5 most common job in the U.S.
#7. Clerks in stores
- National employment: 222,504
--- #6 most common job in the U.S.
#8. Draymen, hackmen, teamsters, &c
- National employment: 120,756
--- #13 most common job in the U.S.
#9. Launderers and laundresses
- National employment: 60,906
--- #21 most common job in the U.S.
#10. Traders and dealers (not specified)
- National employment: 100,406
--- #15 most common job in the U.S.
#11. Blacksmiths
- National employment: 141,774
--- #11 most common job in the U.S.
#12. Sailors
- National employment: 56,663
--- #23 most common job in the U.S.
#13. Boot and shoe makers
- National employment: 171,127
--- #7 most common job in the U.S.
#14. Gardeners and nurserymen
- National employment: 31,435
--- #42 most common job in the U.S.
#15. Restaurant-keepers
- National employment: 35,185
--- #38 most common job in the U.S.
#16. Teachers (not specified)
- National employment: 126,822
--- #12 most common job in the U.S.
#17. Stock-herders
- National employment: 5,590
--- #128 most common job in the U.S.
#18. Cigar-makers
- National employment: 28,286
--- #46 most common job in the U.S.
#19. Stock-raisers
- National employment: 6,588
--- #120 most common job in the U.S.
#20. Painters and varnishers
- National employment: 85,123
--- #18 most common job in the U.S.
#21. Traders and dealers in groceries
- National employment: 74,410
--- #19 most common job in the U.S.
#22. Employees of railroad companies (not clerks)
- National employment: 154,027
--- #9 most common job in the U.S.
#23. Tailors, tailoresses, and seamstresses
- National employment: 161,820
--- #8 most common job in the U.S.
#24. Butchers
- National employment: 44,354
--- #27 most common job in the U.S.
#25. Milliners, dress and mantua makers
- National employment: 92,084
--- #16 most common job in the U.S.
#26. Lumbermen and raftsmen
- National employment: 17,752
--- #61 most common job in the U.S.
#27. Officials of Government
- National employment: 44,743
--- #26 most common job in the U.S.
#28. Physicians and surgeons
- National employment: 62,383
--- #20 most common job in the U.S.
#29. Barbers and hairdressers
- National employment: 23,935
--- #52 most common job in the U.S.
#30. Woodchoppers
- National employment: 8,338
--- #99 most common job in the U.S.
#31. Saw-mill operatives
- National employment: 47,298
--- #25 most common job in the U.S.
#32. Hotel-keepers
- National employment: 26,394
--- #49 most common job in the U.S.
#33. Lawyers
- National employment: 40,736
--- #35 most common job in the U.S.
#34. Printers
- National employment: 39,860
--- #36 most common job in the U.S.
#35. Dairymen and dairywomen
- National employment: 3,550
--- #157 most common job in the U.S.
#36. Tinners
- National employment: 30,524
--- #44 most common job in the U.S.
#37. Engineers and firemen
- National employment: 34,233
--- #40 most common job in the U.S.
#38. Barkeepers
- National employment: 14,362
--- #74 most common job in the U.S.
#39. Fishermen and oystermen
- National employment: 27,106
--- #48 most common job in the U.S.
#40. Soldiers (United States Army)
- National employment: 22,081
--- #56 most common job in the U.S.
#41. Laborers
- National employment: 14,882
--- #72 most common job in the U.S.
#42. Book-keepers and accountants in stores
- National employment: 31,177
--- #43 most common job in the U.S.
#43. Bakers
- National employment: 27,680
--- #47 most common job in the U.S.
#44. Hostlers
- National employment: 17,586
--- #62 most common job in the U.S.
#45. Manufacturers
- National employment: 42,877
--- #29 most common job in the U.S.
#46. Boarding and lodging house keepers
- National employment: 12,785
--- #77 most common job in the U.S.
#47. Employees of manufacturing establishments
- National employment: 20,242
--- #59 most common job in the U.S.
#48. Harness and saddle makers
- National employment: 32,817
--- #41 most common job in the U.S.
#49. Masons, brick and stone
- National employment: 89,710
--- #17 most common job in the U.S.
#50. Porters in stores and warehouses
- National employment: 16,631
--- #67 most common job in the U.S.
