Formal classifications[edit] Archaic[edit]

Class

Characteristics

Cottagers and labourers

Cottagers were a step below husbandmen, in that they had to work for others for wages. Lowest order of the working castes; perhaps vagabonds, drifters, criminals or other outcasts would be lower.

Husbandman (or other tradesmen)

A tradesman or farmer who either rented a home or owned very little land was a husbandman. In ancient feudal times, this person likely would have been a serf, and paid a large portion of his work or produce to the land-holding lord.

Yeoman

The yeoman class generally included small farmers who held a reasonable amount of land and were able to protect themselves from neighbouring lords et cetera. They played a military role as longbowmen. Sometimes merchant citizens are placed between yeoman and gentry in early modern social hierarchy.

Gentry/gentleman

The gentry by definition held enough assets to live on rents without working, and so could be well educated. If they worked it was in law, as priests, in politics, or in other educated pursuits without manual labour. The term Esquire was used for landowners who were not knighted. Many gentry families were armigerous and of ancient lineage possessing great wealth and large estates.

Knight

The definition of a knight depends upon the century in which the term was applied. In very early medieval times a knight was a common soldier; later as cavalry became more important the knight's role became more associated with wealth. By the seventeenth century a knight was a senior member of the gentry, and the military role would be one of sheriff of a county, or organising a larger body of military forces, or in civil service exercising judicial authority. He was a large land owner, and his younger sons would often be lawyers, priests, or officials of some sort.

Baronet(hereditary, non peer)

A baronet held a hereditary style of knighthood, giving the highest rank below a peerage.

Peer(Noble/Archbishop)

The peers were generally large land holders, living solely off assets, sat in the House of Lords and either held court or played a role in court depending upon the time frame referenced.

Royal

A member of the royal family, a prince, a close relative of the queen or king.

Grade

Occupation

A

Higher managerial, administrative or professional

B

Intermediate managerial, administrative or professional

C1

Supervisory or clerical and junior managerial, administrative or professional

C2

Skilled manual workers

D

Semi and unskilled manual workers

E

Casual or lowest grade workers, pensioners and others who depend on the state for their income