What do we call the person who makes shoes?

The story behind the answer

A cobbler is the craftsperson who makes and especially repairs shoes. In medieval towns, leatherwork was divided among specialists: tanners processed hides, farriers shod horses, and general leatherworkers made many goods, but cobblers focused on footwear. A related term you might see is “cordwainer,” who made new shoes from fresh, high-quality leather, while cobblers typically repaired shoes or fashioned them from old leather—an important distinction enforced by guild rules.

Cobbler guilds were vital in an era when most people owned few pairs of shoes. Using lasts (foot-shaped molds), awls, and pegs or stitching, they kept worn soles serviceable and saved households money. Their shops were common near marketplaces, and their work supported soldiers, pilgrims, and merchants who walked long distances on rough roads.