A Survey of English Bynames:
Bynames Ending in -ster

by Mari ingen Briain meic Donnchada (Kathleen M. O'Brien)

Occupational Bynames Ending in -ster

Byname Corresponding Masculine Form Meaning Bakester Baker baker Blackster Blacker bleacher Bolster le Boller bowl maker Brewster Brewer brewer Broudester   embroiderer le Chanster Chanter one who recites in song, a precentor le Coifstere Coyfer coif maker le Corklittster   cloth-dyer who uses cork 'a purple or red dye-stuff' Dempster Deemer a judge Dyster, Dexter Dyer dyer Fewster   'maker of saddle-trees' Glaister Glaser   Hewster Hewer [Bardsley p. 379 Hewster] Kempster Kember wool-comber Litster   [Bardsley 488 Lister] Malster Malter someone who works with malt Pallister Palliser guards or builds fences

Byname Corresponding Masculine Form Meaning Pipester Piper piper Rokster le Rockare works with a distaff Sangster Sanger singer Semester Seamer   Shapistre Shaper dress maker Sewster Sewer someone who sews Slaster Slater indicates someone who works with slate Spenster Spenser dispenser of provisions, butler, steward Spinster Spinner   Suster Souter shoemaker Tapster Tapper ale-seller Thackster Thacker thatcher Wadster Wader grow, deals in, or uses woad Walkster Walker   Walster Waller mason, builder Webster Webber weaver Wimplester Wimpler wimple maker Wollestere Wooller dresser, weaver or seller of wool