Title: Women’s Occupations - The Social Historian
Headings: Women’s Occupations
Women’s Occupations
Guest Post
Women’s Occupations in the Early Twentieth Century
Validity of Conclusions
1900 and 1910 Occupations
Social influences and family relationships
How this information was useful in writing a family history story
Guest Post by Sharon S Atkins

Content: Not surprisingly, nearly 44% of the African-American women were listed in the gainfully employed category. For the same reason, a need to work, younger women, 51% of the women ages 16-24 appear listed as being gainfully employed – much more than the 30% of older women ages 25-44. Thus, in reading the following information please note that data was not always compared in the ‘apples to apples’ mode. 1900 and 1910 Occupations
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Women's Occupations
Women’s Work and Wages in the United States, CE Persons, The Quarterly Journal of Economics, Vol 29, No 2 (Feb., 1915). Page 202
The choices of occupations for women were influenced by demand or opportunity as well as by personal preference, qualification by education and natural abilities. For example, it is likely the development of higher education for women increased the demand for women teachers. The top 10 number of occupations women listed in 1910 employed 79% of the working women (in order): Servants
Semi-skilled operatives (factory workers)
Laundress
Teacher
Dressmaker
Saleswomen in stores
Stenographer / typist
Bookkeeper
Housekeeper
Boarding house keeper
The top 10 number of occupations women listed 1920 employed 77% of the working women (in order): Semi-skilled operatives (factory workers)
Servants
Teachers
Laundress
Stenographers / typist
Saleswomen in stores
Clerks (except stores)
Bookkeeper
Dressmaker
Housekeeper
Occupations showing the greatest decline from 1910 to 1920: Servants
Dressmakers
Laundresses
Milliners
Tailors
Boarding house keepers
Occupations showing the largest increase from 1910 to 1920: