FANTASY DEMOGRAPHICS PAGE 1

Fantasy Demographics
The value is the number of people required to support a person of that profession. For smaller
settlements the ratio between the population and the value represents a percentage change of that
profession being present. For example for a village of 101 people there is a 50% chance that a Baker
will be present. Population of 101 divided by 202 = .5 or 50%.

Profession Value Profession Value

Artist 965 Metalsmith 529
Baker 202 Miller 275
Carpenter 196 Miner 1,618
Chandler 509 Ostler 322
Clerk 3,929 Physician 289
Engineer 13,750 Pilot 1,774
Finesmith 238 Potter 2,619
Fisherman 1,078 Religious 786
Games 3,667 Sailor 4,583
Glassmaker 1,375 Scholar 353
Harper 6,875 Servant 154
Herbalist 573 Shipwright 3,929
Jeweler 276 Tailor 94
Laborer 149 Tanner 1,058
Leathercrafter 80 Tavern 130
Legal 1,222 Teamster 1,122
Luxury 18,333 Timber 833
Mason 259 Weaponsmith 462
Mercernary 3,929 Weaver 119
Merchant 243

Professions
These are broad categories of profession. In the largest medieval settlements these were finely divided
into bewildering array of guilds each dedicated to a different aspect of a trade. For example fletchers
for arrows were different those who made the arrow shaft which were different than those who made
the arrow heads. For most games this level of detail is overkill and confusing. I grouped similar
professions into the same categories. Here I list each broad profession and the some of the detailed
occupations that can be found under that category.
Artist scaffolding builder, wooden-sole maker,
Deals with creating various works of art. worktable maker.
House Painter, Painter, Sculptor.
Chandler
Baker Deals with lighting, soap making, rope making
Deals with the preparation of baked goods and shoe making. Often is the general merchant
and/or prepared foods. responsible for selling items to outfit a ship. A
Bread baker, Cake Baker, Pastry Baker, Pie Chandler can be considered a proto general
Baker, Prepared Sauce Baker. Public Baker, store.
Roast Caterer, Tart Seller Dried Hemp seller, soap maker, candle maker,
cobbler
Carpenter
Deals with making things out of wood.
Altar Maker, Barrel Maker, Carpenter,
Cartwright, Chair Maker, Chest Maker, Coffin
Maker, Cooper, Cane maker, dowel/peg maker,

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FANTASY DEMOGRAPHICS PAGE 2

Clerk Laborer
Minor Bureaucrats whose duty involve the General Laborers including non-specialized
operation of market. Accurate and fair weights household servants.
is one such important duty as well witnessing Chamber Maids (real common), Teamster,
transactions. Sedan Chair Porter, Dishwasher, Worker,
Bonded measurer. Water-carrier.

Engineer Leathercrafter
Deals with complex construction and planning. Deals with the crafting of item out of leather and
Fountain Maker, Surveyor hides.
Bellows-maker, Shoe Maker, Boot Maker, Glove
Finesmith maker, Leather/Fur Seller, leather/Fur
Deals with creating small and intricate metal Trimmer, Belt Maker, Purse Maker, Scabbard
items. Maker.
Balance scale maker, Pot/pan maker, wire
maker, buckle/ring maker, chain maker, Legal
chalice maker, tableware maker, enameler, Deals with various legal matters.
fishing gear maker, locksmith, nail maker, Lawyer, Magistrate, Tax Collector, Notary.
needle maker, shear/clipper maker, shovel
maker. Luxury
Provides luxury services.
Fisherman Massage, Floral Decorator, Hairdo Maker.
Deals with fishing sea/river/lake food.
Mason
Games Deals with stonework and construction
Makes items for various popular games. Mostly Mason, Mortar, Plasterer, Roofer, Carver,
balls and basic equipment. Quarrier.
Tennis Ball maker, Bowling Ball Maker
Mercenary
Glassmaker Guards and Fighters for hire.
Deals with making items out of glass. Animal Pound Guard, Guard, Profession
Bottle Seller, Glass Maker, Stained Glass Duelist Second.
Seller, Mirror Maker.
Merchant
Harper Deals with the buying and selling of goods
Deals with the playing of Music. Banker, Money Changer, Cattle Merchant,
Drummer, Flutist, Minstrel. Cheese Merchant, Hay Seller, Fruit Seller, Salt
Seller, Eel Seller.
Herbalist
Deals with selling of herb related items for Metalsmith
medicine or cooking. Works with crafting items out of metal.
Ash/powder seller, Cooking Herb/Oil Seller, Anvil Maker, Barrel hoop maker, Cauldron
Herb/Potion Seller, Apothecary, Oakum Seller Maker, Knifesmith, Blacksmith,
(used to stuff crack in ships).
Miller
Jeweler Deals with the processing of grain and other
Deals with making Jewelry out of precious crops.
metals/materials. Poultry Seller, Milk Seller, Miller, Peafowl
Bone Carver, Button maker, Gilder, Gold Cloth Seller, Mole Trapper.
maker, Gold Braid Maker, Gold Refiner,
Goldsmith, Jeweler, Lapidary, Ring Maker, Miner
Silvermith, Engraver. Deals with the mining and processing of various
ores and minerals. Of which iron and salt are
the most important.
Iron maker, Salt Miner, Sand/Gravel Miner,

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Ostler Shipwright
Deals with the buying and selling of horses, Deals with the building and repair of ships.
draft animals, and their equipment. Boat Builder, Shipwright
Horse Broker, Harness maker, Saddler,
Spurrier. Tailor
Deals with the creation of Clothes.
Physician Bag Maker, Dyer, Embroider, Mattress Maker,
Deals with the care and treatment of the sick Hat Maker, Hood Maker, Lace Maker, Tailor,
(Good Luck!) Rag maker, Ribbon maker.
Barber (Surgeon), Doctor, Midwife.
Tanner
Pilot Turns raw animal hides into leather.
Deals with the piloting of boats and ships. Skinner, Sheepskin Seller, Tanner.
Boat Captain, Ferry Operator.
Tavern
Potter Serves Food and Drink to the Public and
Deals with the making of pottery and ceramics. provides accommodations.
Tile Maker, Potter. Beer Seller, Brewer, Butcher, Caterer,
Foodstuff Reseller, Fried Fish Seller, Innkeeper,
Religious Pastry Hawker, Wine Seller.
Various Clergymen and their associates.
Clerks (religious below a priest), Priests, Teamster
Priest’s Wife, Priest Concubine. Deals with the loading/unloading/transport of
goods.
Sailor Draftsmen, Longshoreman, Teamster.
Those who are qualified to be a member of a
ship’s crew. Timber
Mariners, Sailors Deals with the harvesting and sale of wood
including charcoal fuel.
Scholar Charcoal Seller, Firewood Seller, Forester,
Deals with items used in the creation of scrolls Saywer, Logger, Stave Wood Seller.
and books.
Book binder, Book Clasp maker, Dice Maker, Weaponsmith
Ink Maker, Illustrator, Parchment Maker, Deals with the manufacture of Weapons and
Scrivener. Armor.
Armorer, Bow & Arrow maker, Crossbow
Servant maker, Pike Maker, Swordsmith, Weaponsmith,
Various profession dealing with serving other
people. Generally some skill or knowledge is Weaver
required. Deals with the making of cloth, and woven
Chamberlain, Church Warden, Cook, Dancer, items.
Doorman, Teacher, Gardener, Hangman, Jailer, Basket maker, Carpet maker, Tapestry Maker,
Butler, Laundry worker, Nursemaid, Public Fuller, Shearer, Weaver, Spinner.
Bath Proprietor, Public Cryer, Messenger,
Trumpeter, Wine Steward

Thanks to S. John Ross for writing Medieval Demographics (http://www.io.com/~sjohn/demog.htm )

which inspired me to go back to the original sources and do the research that went into this article.
This article is based on the Paris Tax Roll of 1292 which can found at
http://heraldry.sca.org/laurel/names/parisbynames.html. The list was originally found in Life of a
Medieval City by Joseph and Francis Geis (Harper and Row, 1981).

The list in Medieval City was paraphrased and truncated from the original document. The values for
each profession was computed by summing up all the practitioners and dividing that into 55,000.

Released under the Creative Commons License Attribution 3.0 Unported. You can share, remix, as
long you give proper Attribution. Fantasy Demographics by Robert S. Conley, 2010.