Villain Family History

From Anglo-Norman French villein vilein ‘serf, bondman, servile tenant’, denoting an occupier or cultivator of land who was entirely subject to a lord.

This term describes individuals who were not free and had specific obligations to their lords.

A villein typically worked the land and provided various services in exchange for protection and the right to work a portion of the land for their own subsistence.

During the feudal system, villeins were an essential part of the manorial economy, contributing to agricultural production and local commerce.

Over time, the status of villeins evolved, and changes in society led to the eventual decline of this form of servitude.