Female ancestor's Occupation listed on the marriage certificate

[BSmith2268]

Hi, I recently received the marriage certificate of my great-great grandparents in 1893.

My great-great grandmother is listed as a 'Dairy Maid'.  I found this interesting as all my other female ancestors have no occupation listed on their marriage certificates as they previously hadn't worked or had given up work prior to their marriage.

How common is this?

Thank you in advance. 

[Girl Guide]

Welcome to Rootchat 

I think the answer to that would be did the vicar ask the bride if she had an occupation and if so what was it.

As far as I am aware completing the occupation section was required.

Perhaps as you acquire more marriage certificates you may have some idea of the prevalence or otherwise of the bride's occupation being listed.

[BSmith2268]

Hi, thank you for help  😊

I might order some more certificates to see if I notice a pattern. It was nice to see her down as a dairy maid as my great-aunt always spoke of how her grandmother used to be a milkmaid and now we've been able to prove it

[Rosinish]

Welcome from me too 

Much would depend on where your ancestors lived too e.g. rural areas where there wasn't much/any work close by, large families where older siblings helped with bringing up the younger ones etc...

What were the occupations of the husbands & parents of the wives, what work was available for both sexes in the area(s), were families large?

It's an open-ended question as each scenario could be very different from the others i.e. comparing the possible circumstances may help?

Annie

[BSmith2268]

Hi, thank you for your help 😊

It's quite interesting in this particular scenario, as my great-great grandmother had moved for work from West to East Wales, as both her parents had died by the time she was 18. She worked as a milkmaid/ General servant at a large estate in a very rural area.

I've noticed that my rural female ancestors tended to work in service, self-employment or didn't work but tended to come from smaller families.

On the other hand, I've found ancestors in industrial areas where at least half of the daughters of the family are in tinworks, brickwork, ironworks etc. and they belong to families of 10-14.