1911 Encyclopædia Britannica/Tinker

TINKER, an itinerant mender of kettles, pots, pans, &c. The name means simply one who makes a tinkling sound as he mends the vessels, and the word is found as "tinkler" in the 16th century. From early times "tinkers" were looked on as vagabonds, and were so classed in the act of Elizabeth against vagrancy.