I was checking out Job Voyager, a nifty tool that lets you check out the changing composition of the workforce. In a thin slice in the H’s, I noticed “Huckster” and did a double-take. Here’s a full size graph.
According to dict.org there are some definitions that are not pejorative. I had always believed it just indicated a flim-flam man. When I saw it at Job Voyager I was reminded of the frustrations of someone studying for the bar with “known” arsonists.
September 21, 2009
Entitled to an Opinion 
September 23, 2009 at 8:57 am
My guess would be that most self-styled hucksters are people who operate vendor’s booths at fairs, craft shows, flea markets, and so on. Some actually use trailers and follow a regular circuit for months at a time. Now, why they would use a still-dubious term to describe themselves is another story – perhaps it’s a way of taking pride in their occupation?
Peter
September 29, 2009 at 11:57 pm
It could be that the data collectors wanted to maintain the same word for consistency over time and so classified people with it even if they described themselves differently.