General Question(s) re Historical Vocab + Documents

[ettason]

(Run into these sorts of question every now and then, so figured I'd just start a thread for them.)

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How would you understand the word 'occupier', as used in the mid 19th century? 

In genealogical records (e.g., describing a child's father on a birth certificate), what technical or legal definition was communicated by the word?  Does it mean, simply, 'tenant?'  Or 'resident?'  Or would it imply something more specific in terms of lease holding, property law, and/or contracted relationship to the landowner?  


(Thanks ahead of time for any feedback!)

[zibetha]

Greetings, Ettason-- where do you see that? can you provide a snippet or bit of detail re: the record where this occurs?

Zib

[donne]

I have always regarding the term 'occupier' as pertaining to the person in occupation of the premises. He may be sub-letting the premises from the person leasing the property (lessee) at first hand from the 'owner'or may be 'lessee' himself. Such descriptions are common in the 1840 tithe apportionments.

[ettason]

Dec 20, 2019 0:13:38 GMT -5 zibetha said:

Greetings, Ettason-- where do you see that? can you provide a snippet or bit of detail re: the record where this occurs?

Zib

(Months later... )

Sorry zibetha ... in this case I am (was) looking at a child's death certificate.  Mary Hancock, female, 8 yrs old, daughter of Joseph Hancock, miner.  Under "Signature, Description and Residence of Informant", it reads: "The mark of Joseph Hancock, occupier, Trefula."

I now assume that "occupier" meant only that he was neither the landowner, nor the primary tenant or leaseholder.  Have not found or heard that there was any more technical meaning.

[zibetha]

Greetings-- even if an odd post causes us to reconnect. I have something like that on my own tree. Thanks for sharing. Hope all is well, Zib