Fundholders etc.

[HughC]

I've noticed a difference from one census to another in the designations for a person with no gainful employment:
1841 Independent (usually abbreviated to Ind)
1851 Fundholder or Annuitant (in roughly equal measure)
1861 Fundholder
1871 and 1881 Annuitant
1891 and 1901 Living on own Means
1911 Private Means

There are variants, but that seems to be the general pattern.
Are they just different ways of expressing the same thing,
or is there a subtle difference?

[Lola5]

Independent....living without having to work so either living off inherited wealth or property aquired from investments that brings in an income.
Annuitant..often in receipt of a pension of some kind feom the armed forces or other sources.
Living on own means..either savings, investments, retired mill or land owners, mine owners  shop keepers, factory owners or  wealth aquired either by self or ancestors.
Fundholders.... benefitting from stocks, shares, shipping etc
Own means...just what it says.
All meanthe same thing really.
No need for recipient ro work as comfortably off whethet by own or others' efforts. In receipt of regular income .

I have sev eral of these...some came from wealth, others aquired it.
Some invested very wisely. Others born with silver spoon. Others worked very hard for every penny.