A Dictionary of Occupational Terms Based on the Classification of Occupations used in the Census of Population, 1921 was published in 1927 and, as the full title indicates, it was based on the classification of occupations used in the 1921 UK census. It obviously is a great resource when tracing ancestry in Great Britain. However, many of the occupations listed in this book also were commonly used in all the other English-speaking countries so the use of this reference book is not limited to only the “mother country.”

Originally published as a printed book, the Dictionary of Occupational Terms is by far the most comprehensive dictionary of British occupations, with almost 30,000 terms, and includes (sometimes very detailed) descriptions of the activities that each occupation involves.

A Dictionary of Occupational Terms Based on the Classification of Occupations used in the Census of Population, 1921 is extremely rare. In the British Isles, copies are available in only three of the six legal deposit libraries, four university libraries, two public libraries, and the London Library. The UK National Archives has two copies, one in the document collection and one on the shelves in the Research & Enquiries Room. Copies occasionally surface in the second-hand book trade.