"No Profession"

[Neophyte]

I have found these words on  19th century marriage certificates.

 Does anyone know if they mean (a) too rich to work (b) unemployed (c) employed but not in a profession, or some other meaning?

[lizdb]

I would imagine it is (a)

A person out of work would more than likely name trade e.g plumber (not currently employed), or in tbe case of a profession would probaby just put "doctor" or "lawyer" and not even refer to the fact they were not currently practicing.
The fact that the term profession is used, rather than job, employment, trade or similar, implies upper class.
So my guess is that this person was possibly an eldest son who inherited, and never had a profession (younger brothers perhaps going into the church, into law, medicine etc, all professions, anything otber than a profession not really being in their vocabulary!)
But only my guess, I have no knowledge on the matter

[stanmapstone]

From the OED Profession:  b. More widely: any occupation by which a person regularly earns a living.

Stan

[Redroger]

In the case of a woman, it is also a euphemism for prostitute.

[Gadget]

I have found these words on  19th century marriage certificates.

Was this referring to men or women?  Also, have you followed them up on the censuses - this might give you a better indication of their occupational status.


Gadget

[Gillg]

On census records I have found "Living on own means" against one ancestor, a widow who inherited sufficient funds from her father not to have to work.  Married women sometimes have no entry at all in the Profession column, presumably having a husband who earns enough to support them at home.  Occasionally I have seen "Unemployed" against a man's name, though having no job at all was a desperate situation. 

[Treetotal]

I have an ancestor who was of working age but listed as having "No Profession"...a later census gives him  "Registered Blind" so maybe a disability prevented your relative from working...Just a thought.
Carol

[stanmapstone]

Putting No Profession into Keyword in the 1881 census gives 652,976 people with this term included under occupation.

Stan

[Jolee]

If it is a female with "no profession" then it might mean that she did not work, daughters often didn't, I have fifteen 19th century females with this on her marriage cert it can be put as "no occupation "