(STACKER) – At the time of the American Revolution, most of the job market in the U.S. revolved around agriculture or food acquisition in some way. Many individuals and communities farmed for subsistence, not even growing enough to have an excess to sell for profits. As the fledgling country grew, so did its economy, springing forth during the Industrial Revolution of the late 1700s and early 1800s, and inexorably shifting the nation’s economic focus from agrarian efforts to those of manufacturing, trade, and other forms of business. Inventions like the steam engine and cotton gin accelerated production, feeding a booming job market that was met with immigrants eager to find work.
By the mid- to late-1800s, the U.S. economy and job market was characterized by successive periods of rapid growth followed by panics or depressions. This economic disquiet was caused by stock speculation and oscillating levels of trust in the federal government’s ability to regulate cash flow and support banks. In turn, the uncertain economy produced a volatile job market.
In an effort to capture a snapshot of the U.S. job market’s history, Stacker compiled a list of the most common jobs in Illinois from 150 years ago using data from the U.S. Census Bureau. By transcribing Table XXVII from the 1870 decennial census, a state-level glimpse into the historic job market can be seen. Nationally, farmers and planters were the most common occupation 150 years ago, just one of the many agricultural jobs that made up more than 47% of all employed persons over ten years old.
Continue reading to find out more about the historical job market in your home state or explore the data on your own on our site, GitHub, or data.world.
#1. Farmers and planters
– Illinois employment: 240,256
– National employment: 2,977,711
— #1 most common job in the U.S.
#2. Agricultural laborers
– Illinois employment: 133,649
– National employment: 2,885,996
— #2 most common job in the U.S.
#3. Laborers (not specified)
– Illinois employment: 63,130
– National employment: 1,031,666
— #3 most common job in the U.S.
#4. Domestic servants
– Illinois employment: 44,903
– National employment: 975,734
— #4 most common job in the U.S.
#5. Carpenters and joiners
– Illinois employment: 23,040
– National employment: 344,596
— #5 most common job in the U.S.
#6. Employees of railroad companies (not clerks)
– Illinois employment: 14,946
– National employment: 154,027
— #9 most common job in the U.S.
#7. Clerks in stores
– Illinois employment: 13,980
– National employment: 222,504
— #6 most common job in the U.S.
#8. Blacksmiths
– Illinois employment: 9,412
– National employment: 141,774
— #11 most common job in the U.S.
#9. Teachers (not specified)
– Illinois employment: 8,869
– National employment: 126,822
— #12 most common job in the U.S.
#10. Tailors, tailoresses, and seamstresses
– Illinois employment: 7,919
– National employment: 161,820
— #8 most common job in the U.S.
#11. Draymen, hackmen, teamsters, &c
– Illinois employment: 7,879
– National employment: 120,756
— #13 most common job in the U.S.
#12. Miners
– Illinois employment: 6,954
– National employment: 152,107
— #10 most common job in the U.S.
#13. Painters and varnishers
– Illinois employment: 6,294
– National employment: 85,123
— #18 most common job in the U.S.
#14. Boot and shoe makers
– Illinois employment: 6,279
– National employment: 171,127
— #7 most common job in the U.S.
#15. Traders and dealers (not specified)
– Illinois employment: 6,172
– National employment: 100,406
— #15 most common job in the U.S.
#16. Milliners, dress and mantua makers
– Illinois employment: 5,224
– National employment: 92,084
— #16 most common job in the U.S.
#17. Masons, brick and stone
– Illinois employment: 5,218
– National employment: 89,710
— #17 most common job in the U.S.
#18. Physicians and surgeons
– Illinois employment: 4,861
– National employment: 62,383
— #20 most common job in the U.S.
#19. Traders and dealers in groceries
– Illinois employment: 4,676
– National employment: 74,410
— #19 most common job in the U.S.
#20. Restaurant-keepers
– Illinois employment: 3,578
– National employment: 35,185
— #38 most common job in the U.S.
#21. Coopers
– Illinois employment: 3,550
– National employment: 41,789
— #32 most common job in the U.S.
#22. Carriage and wagon makers
– Illinois employment: 3,534
– National employment: 42,464
— #31 most common job in the U.S.
#23. Officials of Government
– Illinois employment: 3,301
– National employment: 44,743
— #26 most common job in the U.S.
#24. Butchers
– Illinois employment: 3,209
– National employment: 44,354
— #27 most common job in the U.S.
#25. Clergymen
– Illinois employment: 3,192
– National employment: 43,874
— #28 most common job in the U.S.
#26. Employees of hotels and restaurants (not clerks)
– Illinois employment: 3,067
– National employment: 23,438
— #54 most common job in the U.S.
#27. Machinists
– Illinois employment: 2,956
– National employment: 54,755
— #24 most common job in the U.S.
#28. Millers
– Illinois employment: 2,865
– National employment: 41,582
— #34 most common job in the U.S.
#29. Traders and dealers in dry-goods
– Illinois employment: 2,776
– National employment: 39,790
— #37 most common job in the U.S.
#30. Lawyers
– Illinois employment: 2,683
– National employment: 40,736
— #35 most common job in the U.S.
#31. Harness and saddle makers
– Illinois employment: 2,682
– National employment: 32,817
— #41 most common job in the U.S.
#32. Printers
– Illinois employment: 2,499
– National employment: 39,860
— #36 most common job in the U.S.
#33. Plasterers
– Illinois employment: 2,357
– National employment: 23,577
— #53 most common job in the U.S.
#34. Gardeners and nurserymen
– Illinois employment: 2,162
– National employment: 31,435
— #42 most common job in the U.S.
#35. Cabinetmakers
– Illinois employment: 2,103
– National employment: 42,835
— #30 most common job in the U.S.
#36. Book-keepers and accountants in stores
– Illinois employment: 2,074
– National employment: 31,177
— #43 most common job in the U.S.
#37. Manufacturers
– Illinois employment: 1,987
– National employment: 42,877
— #29 most common job in the U.S.
#38. Engineers and firemen
– Illinois employment: 1,977
– National employment: 34,233
— #40 most common job in the U.S.
#39. Tinners
– Illinois employment: 1,953
– National employment: 30,524
— #44 most common job in the U.S.
#40. Mill and factory operatives (not specified)
– Illinois employment: 1,887
– National employment: 41,619
— #33 most common job in the U.S.
#41. Employees of manufacturing establishments
– Illinois employment: 1,842
– National employment: 20,242
— #59 most common job in the U.S.
#42. Sailors
– Illinois employment: 1,829
– National employment: 56,663
— #23 most common job in the U.S.
#43. Laborers
– Illinois employment: 1,760
– National employment: 14,882
— #72 most common job in the U.S.
#44. Marble and stone cutters
– Illinois employment: 1,734
– National employment: 25,831
— #51 most common job in the U.S.
#45. Brick and tile makers
– Illinois employment: 1,720
– National employment: 26,070
— #50 most common job in the U.S.
#46. Iron-foundry operatives
– Illinois employment: 1,670
– National employment: 34,245
— #39 most common job in the U.S.
#47. Commercial travelers
– Illinois employment: 1,656
– National employment: 7,262
— #115 most common job in the U.S.
#48. Barbers and hairdressers
– Illinois employment: 1,650
– National employment: 23,935
— #52 most common job in the U.S.
#49. Traders and dealers in drugs and medicines
– Illinois employment: 1,626
– National employment: 17,369
— #63 most common job in the U.S.
#50. Hotel-keepers
– Illinois employment: 1,577
– National employment: 26,394
— #49 most common job in the U.S.
