Last Names Derived from Professions (543 books)

Many of today's last names (including many of the most common last names) derive from the medieval tradition of appending people's trade to their given name (for a fictional example, see Ken Follett's "The Pillars of the Earth" and "World Without End"). So let's bring them all together here, those Smiths, Millers, Bakers, Farmers, etc.!

flag

All Votes Add Books To This List

1	I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith 3.98 avg rating — 115,406 ratings score: 912, and 10 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
2	The Crucible by Arthur Miller 3.61 avg rating — 464,510 ratings score: 844, and 9 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
3	The Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper 3.70 avg rating — 102,271 ratings score: 830, and 9 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
4	The Tale of Peter Rabbit (World of Beatrix Potter, #1) by Beatrix Potter 4.23 avg rating — 258,552 ratings score: 765, and 9 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
5	The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency (No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, #1) by Alexander McCall Smith (Goodreads Author) 3.81 avg rating — 275,900 ratings score: 710, and 8 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
6	Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller 3.59 avg rating — 259,149 ratings score: 671, and 7 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
7	The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain 3.92 avg rating — 1,019,404 ratings score: 644, and 7 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
8	Gorky Park (Arkady Renko, #1) by Martin Cruz Smith 4.04 avg rating — 69,900 ratings score: 590, and 8 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
9	A Room with a View by E.M. Forster 3.89 avg rating — 201,825 ratings score: 555, and 7 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
10	The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Samuel Taylor Coleridge 3.97 avg rating — 62,756 ratings score: 551, and 6 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
11	The Dark Is Rising Sequence (The Dark is Rising, #1-5) by Susan Cooper (Goodreads Author) 4.29 avg rating — 16,570 ratings score: 491, and 6 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
12	Daisy Miller by Henry James 3.37 avg rating — 37,948 ratings score: 483, and 5 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
13	She Stoops to Conquer by Oliver Goldsmith 3.65 avg rating — 12,313 ratings score: 462, and 5 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
14	Harry Potter Series Box Set (Harry Potter, #1-7) by J.K. Rowling 4.73 avg rating — 302,911 ratings score: 461, and 5 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
15	Where Angels Fear to Tread by E.M. Forster 3.59 avg rating — 17,815 ratings score: 454, and 5 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
16	The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters by Robert Lewis Taylor 3.97 avg rating — 3,281 ratings score: 453, and 5 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
17	The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin (World of Beatrix Potter, #2) by Beatrix Potter 3.96 avg rating — 9,030 ratings score: 412, and 5 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
18	A Passage to India by E.M. Forster 3.67 avg rating — 85,880 ratings score: 378, and 5 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
19	Twilight (The Twilight Saga, #1) by Stephenie Meyer 3.67 avg rating — 7,318,609 ratings score: 377, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
20	Storm Front (The Dresden Files, #1) by Jim Butcher (Goodreads Author) 3.97 avg rating — 378,490 ratings score: 366, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
21	Howards End by E.M. Forster 3.96 avg rating — 94,884 ratings score: 363, and 5 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
22	The Vicar of Wakefield by Oliver Goldsmith 3.46 avg rating — 10,683 ratings score: 357, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
23	Monsieur Ibrahim and the Flowers of the Qur'an by Éric-Emmanuel Schmitt 3.85 avg rating — 26,250 ratings score: 356, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
23	A Canticle for Leibowitz (St. Leibowitz, #1) by Walter M. Miller Jr. 3.99 avg rating — 119,514 ratings score: 356, and 5 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
25	The Big Sleep (Philip Marlowe, #1) by Raymond Chandler 3.94 avg rating — 168,605 ratings score: 342, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
26	White Teeth by Zadie Smith 3.79 avg rating — 175,066 ratings score: 341, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
27	Forrest Gump (Forrest Gump, #1) by Winston Groom 4.01 avg rating — 72,512 ratings score: 340, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
28	The Piano Tuner by Daniel Mason (Goodreads Author) 3.63 avg rating — 16,346 ratings score: 338, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
29	The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy 3.87 avg rating — 66,152 ratings score: 324, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
30	Blacklands (Exmoor Trilogy, #1) by Belinda Bauer (Goodreads Author) 3.75 avg rating — 10,559 ratings score: 314, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
31	Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry (Logans, #4) by Mildred D. Taylor 3.90 avg rating — 130,038 ratings score: 306, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
32	A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith 4.30 avg rating — 512,803 ratings score: 302, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
33	An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith 3.89 avg rating — 34,970 ratings score: 291, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
34	Postcards from the Edge by Carrie Fisher 3.62 avg rating — 18,780 ratings score: 286, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
35	We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver (Goodreads Author) 4.08 avg rating — 213,129 ratings score: 270, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
36	Understood Betsy by Dorothy Canfield Fisher 4.25 avg rating — 15,211 ratings score: 263, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
37	Tropic of Capricorn (Tropic, #2) by Henry Miller 3.81 avg rating — 21,326 ratings score: 262, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
38	Hope Was Here by Joan Bauer 4.01 avg rating — 21,438 ratings score: 260, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
39	Tears of the Giraffe (No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, #2) by Alexander McCall Smith (Goodreads Author) 3.98 avg rating — 60,879 ratings score: 258, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
40	The Avion My Uncle Flew by Cyrus Fisher (Pseudonym) 3.92 avg rating — 581 ratings score: 248, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
41	Christy by Catherine Marshall 4.25 avg rating — 57,106 ratings score: 244, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
42	Breathing Lessons by Anne Tyler (Goodreads Author) 3.66 avg rating — 33,339 ratings score: 241, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
43	The Color Purple by Alice Walker 4.28 avg rating — 752,727 ratings score: 238, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
44	MASH: A Novel about Three Army Doctors (MAS*H, #1) by Richard Hooker 3.97 avg rating — 10,252 ratings score: 233, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
45	Seven Little Australians (Woolcots, #1) by Ethel Turner 3.89 avg rating — 4,865 ratings score: 230, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
46	The Diary of a Nobody by George Grossmith 3.68 avg rating — 18,114 ratings score: 219, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
47	Morality for Beautiful Girls (No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, #3) by Alexander McCall Smith (Goodreads Author) 3.99 avg rating — 46,076 ratings score: 207, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
48	River God (Ancient Egypt, #1) by Wilbur Smith 4.23 avg rating — 43,924 ratings score: 206, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
49	Midnight On The Moon (Magic Tree House, #8) by Mary Pope Osborne 3.95 avg rating — 17,773 ratings score: 198, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
50	Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Harry Potter, #1) by J.K. Rowling 4.47 avg rating — 11,423,852 ratings score: 197, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
51	The Real Mother Goose by Blanche Fisher Wright 4.33 avg rating — 36,239 ratings score: 195, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
52	Vaclav & Lena by Haley Tanner 3.65 avg rating — 5,476 ratings score: 191, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
52	Class by Jilly Cooper 3.67 avg rating — 572 ratings score: 191, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
54	The Complete Poems by Samuel Taylor Coleridge 4.09 avg rating — 6,352 ratings score: 190, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
55	Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight by Alexandra Fuller 3.97 avg rating — 57,778 ratings score: 187, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
56	Delusions of Grandma by Carrie Fisher 3.47 avg rating — 1,406 ratings score: 184, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
57	A Summons to Memphis by Peter Taylor 3.63 avg rating — 6,860 ratings score: 183, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
58	No Way of Telling by Emma Smith 4.01 avg rating — 82 ratings score: 181, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
58	The Drama of the Gifted Child: The Search for the True Self by Alice Miller 4.05 avg rating — 30,563 ratings score: 181, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
58	Morning Glory by LaVyrle Spencer 4.27 avg rating — 16,790 ratings score: 181, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
58	The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner 3.86 avg rating — 196,142 ratings score: 181, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
62	A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain by Robert Olen Butler (Goodreads Author) 3.95 avg rating — 9,370 ratings score: 180, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
62	Erewhon (Erewhon, #1) by Samuel Butler 3.28 avg rating — 4,594 ratings score: 180, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
64	The Old Man and Mr. Smith: A Fable by Peter Ustinov 3.96 avg rating — 863 ratings score: 178, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
65	The Regeneration Trilogy (Regeneration, #1-3) by Pat Barker 4.37 avg rating — 2,878 ratings score: 176, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
66	The Collected Stories of Isaac Bashevis Singer by Isaac Bashevis Singer 4.38 avg rating — 2,235 ratings score: 174, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
67	Darkmans (Thames Gateway, #3) by Nicola Barker 3.65 avg rating — 2,455 ratings score: 173, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
67	Sartoris by William Faulkner 3.81 avg rating — 1,617 ratings score: 173, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
67	The Collected Poems of W.B. Yeats by W.B. Yeats 4.23 avg rating — 40,064 ratings score: 173, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
70	A Dictionary of Modern English Usage by Henry Watson Fowler 4.23 avg rating — 1,062 ratings score: 171, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
71	Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable by Ebenezer Cobham Brewer 4.41 avg rating — 930 ratings score: 168, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
71	A Midwife's Tale: The Life of Martha Ballard, Based on Her Diary, 1785-1812 by Laurel Thatcher Ulrich 3.97 avg rating — 9,410 ratings score: 168, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
73	The Great Hunger : Ireland 1845-9 by Cecil Woodham-Smith 4.18 avg rating — 1,280 ratings score: 167, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
74	The Lost Crown by Sarah Miller (Goodreads Author) 3.81 avg rating — 2,019 ratings score: 166, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
75	A Lady's Life in the Rocky Mountains by Isabella Lucy Bird 3.97 avg rating — 3,778 ratings score: 164, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
76	Tristan et Isolde by Richard Wagner 3.80 avg rating — 935 ratings score: 158, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
76	The Long Goodbye (Philip Marlowe, #6) by Raymond Chandler 4.19 avg rating — 46,785 ratings score: 158, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
78	Albion's Seed: Four British Folkways in America (America: A Cultural History, Vol. I) by David Hackett Fischer 4.37 avg rating — 3,567 ratings score: 157, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
79	Farewell, My Lovely (Philip Marlowe, #2) by Raymond Chandler 4.09 avg rating — 42,880 ratings score: 156, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
80	K-PAX The Trilogy (K-PAX, #1-3) by Gene Brewer 4.13 avg rating — 1,416 ratings score: 154, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
80	The Lady in the Lake (Philip Marlowe, #4) by Raymond Chandler 4.06 avg rating — 28,105 ratings score: 154, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
82	An Arsonist's Guide to Writers' Homes in New England: A Novel by Brock Clarke 2.97 avg rating — 6,564 ratings score: 152, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
83	The Deerslayer (The Leatherstocking Tales, #1) by James Fenimore Cooper 3.70 avg rating — 14,653 ratings score: 151, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
83	Homer's Odyssey by Gwen Cooper (Goodreads Author) 4.21 avg rating — 15,998 ratings score: 151, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
85	Cimarron by Edna Ferber 3.81 avg rating — 883 ratings score: 147, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
85	Dragon's Lair (Justin de Quincy, #3) by Sharon Kay Penman 4.05 avg rating — 3,198 ratings score: 147, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
87	On My Honor by Marion Dane Bauer (Goodreads Author) 3.69 avg rating — 6,614 ratings score: 146, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
88	Child 44 (Leo Demidov, #1) by Tom Rob Smith 4.11 avg rating — 90,002 ratings score: 143, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
89	Patience & Sarah by Isabel Miller 3.92 avg rating — 5,216 ratings score: 133, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
90	Native Son by Richard Wright 4.04 avg rating — 104,685 ratings score: 131, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
91	The Case of the Lonely Heiress (Perry Mason, #31) by Erle Stanley Gardner 3.92 avg rating — 1,962 ratings score: 129, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
91	The Thief of Always by Clive Barker (Goodreads Author) 4.21 avg rating — 37,437 ratings score: 129, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
93	Atemschaukel by Herta Müller 3.90 avg rating — 7,045 ratings score: 127, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
94	Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier (Goodreads Author) 3.90 avg rating — 55,640 ratings score: 125, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
95	Ingenious Pain by Andrew Miller 3.70 avg rating — 1,971 ratings score: 123, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
96	Edwin of the Iron Shoes (Sharon McCone #1) by Marcia Muller 3.85 avg rating — 6,662 ratings score: 122, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
97	Blood River: The Terrifying Journey through the World's Most Dangerous Country by Tim Butcher (Goodreads Author) 3.98 avg rating — 12,086 ratings score: 121, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
98	The Origins of the Second World War by A.J.P. Taylor 4.02 avg rating — 1,888 ratings score: 116, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
99	The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies (World of Beatrix Potter, #14) by Beatrix Potter 4.14 avg rating — 7,292 ratings score: 112, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
100	Lamb in His Bosom by Caroline Miller 3.86 avg rating — 1,872 ratings score: 111, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

← Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 Next →

543 books · 28 voters · list created July 7th, 2010 by Themis-Athena (Lioness at Large) (votes) .

Tags: baker, brewer, builder, butcher, butler, chandler, cook, cooper, farmer, fisher, forester, forster, fowler, gardener, gardner, glover, goldsmith, joiner, last-name, maier, mayer, meier, meyer, miller, name, profession, smith, tailor, taylor, trade, wagner

8 likes · Like

Lists are re-scored approximately every 5 minutes.

People Who Voted On This List (28)

Themis-Athena (Lioness at Large) 546 books
365 friends

Susanna - Censored by GoodReads 3386 books
851 friends

Derya 910 books
72 friends

Phillip 5194 books
139 friends

Thom 6022 books
294 friends

Bettie 15677 books
19 friends

Mir 15061 books
448 friends

Sooma 6 books
9 friends

More voters…

Post a comment »
Comments Showing 1-27 of 27 (27 new)

date

newest »

message 1: by Thom (new)

Jul 08, 2010 07:49AM

FOOTNOTE: Sartoris....."taylor" in Latin.

reply | flag

message 2: by Themis-Athena (Lioness at Large) (new)

Jul 08, 2010 08:02AM

Yes, of course! (What am I missing about Atwood's "Blind Assassin," though?)

reply | flag

message 3: by [deleted user] (new)

Jul 08, 2010 08:11AM

Meyer, Maier, Mayer?

reply | flag

message 4: by Bettie (new)

Jul 08, 2010 08:12AM

Was Forster a rapist by trade?

reply | flag

message 5: by [deleted user] (last edited Jul 08, 2010 08:21AM) (new)

Jul 08, 2010 08:18AM

Forester, perhaps.

Wagner? Muller? Ferber?

(Just found Ferber... Farber=Dyer in german)

reply | flag

message 6: by Themis-Athena (Lioness at Large) (last edited Jul 08, 2010 08:50AM) (new)

Jul 08, 2010 08:43AM

Meier (or in last names, any variant spelling) refers to a poulty farmer in German.

Wagner => wagonner (a wagon driver). Same in German for a wagon, or rather, cart wheel maker, btw.

Müller = German for miller.

Forster = forester (forest keeper); again, virtually the same in German (Förster).

And, yes, Ferber (or actually, Färber) = German for dyer.

Anyone for French names? (Boulanger? Patissier? Boucher?)

reply | flag

message 7: by [deleted user] (new)

Jul 08, 2010 08:48AM

Thanks T.-A. You learn something new every day!

Färber: can't do the umlaut thing on my keyboard... or accents...

Wiki failed me on these!

reply | flag

message 8: by Themis-Athena (Lioness at Large) (new)

Jul 08, 2010 08:52AM

Yeah, I know -- that used to drive me nuts when I was living in the States! I hated always having to open a Word doc, insert the umlaut as a special symbol and then copy it ...

reply | flag

message 9: by Susanna - Censored by GoodReads (new)

Jul 08, 2010 09:01AM

It's not bad on a Mac, but I never have figured out how to do it on a PC keyboard.

And what is "Atwood"?

reply | flag

message 10: by [deleted user] (last edited Jul 08, 2010 09:27AM) (new)

Jul 08, 2010 09:26AM

Susanna wrote: "It's not bad on a Mac, but I never have figured out how to do it on a PC keyboard.

I know there is a way, but I cant remember the stupid code numbers...

Themis-Athena wrote: "Yeah, I know -- that used to drive me nuts when I was living in the States! I hated always having to open a Word doc, insert the umlaut as a special symbol and then copy it ..."

...so I've got the ones I use most on my Google side bar, so I just have to copy and paste. No umlaut in Italian, however!

reply | flag

message 11: by Thom (new)

Jul 08, 2010 10:23AM

Themis-Athena wrote: "Yes, of course! (What am I missing about Atwood's "Blind Assassin," though?)"

Well, it's kinda grim, but "assassin" is a profession in the story-within-the-story. They are higherlings, and there are several of them, the blind assassins. And, of course, there are many books about professional assassins, more's the pity. Martin Sheen plays a professional assassin in Apocalypse Now, a film I wish was a book so I could make GR questions about it.

reply | flag

message 12: by Themis-Athena (Lioness at Large) (new)

Jul 08, 2010 10:24AM

No, but other diacritical marks (à etc.) ...

reply | flag

message 13: by Themis-Athena (Lioness at Large) (new)

Jul 08, 2010 10:24AM

Susanna wrote: "It's not bad on a Mac, but I never have figured out how to do it on a PC keyboard.

And what is "Atwood"?"

Yes, I'm wondering about that as well!

reply | flag

message 14: by Thom (new)

Jul 08, 2010 10:45AM

Themis-Athena wrote: "Susanna wrote: "It's not bad on a Mac, but I never have figured out how to do it on a PC keyboard.

And what is "Atwood"?"

Yes, I'm wondering about that as well!"

One of my grad school classmates was one Alfred KLEINERKREUTZMAN......What's that about ?

reply | flag

message 15: by Themis-Athena (Lioness at Large) (new)

Jul 08, 2010 10:46AM

Little cross man??!!

reply | flag

message 16: by Thom (new)

Jul 08, 2010 10:48AM

Themis-Athena wrote: "Little cross man??!!"

Yes, he said his grandfather would tell the story of how the name came to be, but if Al ever told ME the story, I forgot it. I'm guessing it was the person who was "kleiner", not the cross.

reply | flag

message 17: by Valerie (new)

Jul 08, 2010 06:52PM

Don't forget 'cooper', 'chandler', 'baker', etc. Any such list could get really unweildy really fast.

reply | flag

message 18: by Themis-Athena (Lioness at Large) (new)

Jul 09, 2010 02:16AM

Do feel free to add books by Coopers, Chandlers, Bakers, etc. ... the more the merrier, as far as I'm concerned! :)

reply | flag

message 19: by BookLovingLady (deceased Jan. 25, 2023...) (last edited Jun 16, 2016 08:55AM) (new)

Jun 04, 2016 03:23PM

What's a 'James'? (As in Henry James, #10)

'Bakker' is Dutch for baker, by the way. 'Boer' is Dutch for farmer and 'Brouwer' is Dutch for brewer. 'Molenaar' is miller, 'Meester' is (school) master and 'Visser' is fisherman.

reply | flag

message 20: by Koenraad (new)

Jun 15, 2016 04:06PM

'Kuyper' is the old Dutch form of 'Kuiper' - Cooper in English
'Craemer' is the old Dutch form of 'Kramer' - Peddler/Pedlar in English
'Coster' is the old Dutch form of 'Koster' - Sacristan in English
'Volder' is Dutch for Fuller
'Olyslaegers' is Dutch for a person who crushes plant seeds to get the oil (I don't know the English translation for this)

reply | flag

message 21: by BookLovingLady (deceased Jan. 25, 2023...) (last edited Jun 15, 2016 09:10PM) (new)

Jun 15, 2016 08:52PM

Koenraad wrote: "''Olyslaegers' is Dutch for a person who crushes plant seeds to get the oil (I don't know the English translation for this).."

Olyslaegers (Olieslager) = oil-crusher/oil-presser :-)

Coster/Koster is also Sexton. She isn't in the list yet, and I don't have any of her work, otherwise I would have added something by Anne Sexton.

reply | flag

message 22: by BookLovingLady (deceased Jan. 25, 2023...) (last edited Jun 15, 2016 09:01PM) (new)

Jun 15, 2016 09:01PM

Hayes wrote: "(Just found Ferber... Farber=Dyer in german)"

The Dutch surname 'Verver'/'Verwer' also means 'dyer'.

reply | flag

message 23: by Koenraad (new)

Jun 16, 2016 03:54AM

Booklovinglady wrote: "Olyslaegers (Olieslager) = oil-crusher/oil-presser :-)"

Thanks for the translation - didn't realize it was quite that simple :-)

"Coster/Koster is also Sexton. She isn't in the list yet, and I don't have any of her work, otherwise I would have added something by Anne Sexton."

You can add books that are not on your shelves to a list. Just go to "Add Books To This List" and click on Search where it says "Add books from: My Books or a Search". Then you can look up a title, an ISBN or an author and add books from the results.

reply | flag

message 24: by Koenraad (new)

Jun 16, 2016 03:57AM

Added Felix Timmermans and Lia Timmermans (father and daughter btw). Dutch for' Carpenter'.

reply | flag

message 25: by BookLovingLady (deceased Jan. 25, 2023...) (last edited Jun 16, 2016 09:07AM) (new)

Jun 16, 2016 08:46AM

Koenraad wrote: "Added Felix Timmermans and Lia Timmermans (father and daughter btw). Dutch for' Carpenter'."

Completely forgot about Felix Timmermans.... I've added an omnibus with his work. Thanks Koenraad.

Added another one too, by the way: Snijders (son of 'Snijder') = cutter

reply | flag

message 26: by BookLovingLady (deceased Jan. 25, 2023...) (last edited Jun 16, 2016 09:18AM) (new)

Jun 16, 2016 09:04AM

Koenraad wrote: "You can add books that are not on your shelves to a list...."

I know I can ;-) but I rarely do. Except for Listopia's used for the seasonal challenges of the Netherlands & Flanders group (in which only titles of books translated into Dutch are mentioned), because if I stuck to the titles on my own shelves for these, I wouldn't have a Listopia to refer to :-)

reply | flag

message 27: by BookLovingLady (deceased Jan. 25, 2023...) (last edited Jun 16, 2016 09:16AM) (new)

Jun 16, 2016 09:14AM

Hayes wrote: "Wagner? Muller? Ferber..."

"Wagner" is German and if I remember correctly it has something or other to do with carts/wagons. So maybe someone who makes carts and wagons. I'm sorry, but it is nearly 40 years ago since I took German classes in high school :-)

reply | flag