Is a Higler an occupation?!

[trellisick]

i cant add any more the answers you have cover it all spot on.

[BHxx2]

I presume that your surname is Hilger.  Mine is also.  Don't you just HATE IT when someone misspells it  ?  It happens to me more frequently than you might suppose  .  I have traveled extensively in the USA and the Caribbean Islands and have searched telephone books in almost every place I have visited.  I have NEVER found a listing for a Higler!!!!!!!!

[chinakay]

My hubby's g-g-grandfather is a higgler in one of the censuses, in the Bedfordshire area, and in another census he is listed as a "general dealer".

Cheers,
China

[londonscorpion]

I have an ancester who was living in Brenchley, Kent in 1861. In this census he is described as what looks like a "Nigler", or possibly a "Wigler".

Other confirmed occupational information I have for him are:

1841 census - dealer (census)
1851 census - poulterer (census)
1885 marraige certificate - butcher
1863 death certificate - dealer in chickens - formerly a farmer

Either Nigler is a mis-spelling of Higler (Higgler) or maybe a name for someone who niggles (about price). Just a supposition though!

[Romilly]

I would have thought that Higgler is the most likely Occupation, - handwriting on Censuses can sometimes be quite tricky to decipher(!)

Romilly.

[kerryb]

I agree with Romilly, it should be Higler.  This was an occupation which often in the Sussex area went alongside those others you mention.  As part of my studies last year I wrote a project on the chicken cramming business of the late 1800s in the Heathfield area of Sussex, which spread towards Brenchley across the border in Kent and found as part of those study various subsidiary occupations such as higgler.

Kerry

[Delarever]

I have a higler on my tree. George Cousins (many different spellings) 3rd Great Grandfather, born Todwick, Rotherham, Yorkshire 1766 married 1800 and died 1852. Definitely a Hawker/Peddler.

[Flattybasher9]

HIGLER, Eng. law. A person who carries from door to door, and sells by retail, small articles of provisions, and the like.

Regards

Malky

[stanmapstone]

But just to throw a spanner in the works , in the 19 century a hangman was sometimes referred to as higgler.

There is a lengthy discussion about the meaning of Higgler after this post http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=262438.msg1479479#msg1479479

Stan