Husbandman vs. Yeoman — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Urooj Arif — Updated on April 30, 2024
Husbandman typically refers to a farmer, focusing on cultivation and livestock, while a yeoman historically denotes a freeholder under the gentry, holding and cultivating small land.
Difference Between Husbandman and Yeoman
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
A husbandman is essentially a farmer, often used historically to describe someone who cultivates land and manages livestock. Whereas a yeoman, in British historical context, refers to a social class that was a step below the gentry, known primarily for being freeholders of small land areas.
Husbandmen were closely tied to the physical labor of farming, including plowing, planting, and harvesting. On the other hand, yeomen could also engage in these activities but had the additional distinction of owning the land they worked on, which granted them greater social status and economic stability.
In literature and historical texts, the term husbandman often connotes a more humble or common status, associated with hard labor and rural life. In contrast, yeomen are frequently depicted as self-reliant and somewhat more prosperous, with some political rights and duties in local governance.
The role of a husbandman was vital for agricultural production and local economies, relying heavily on their skills and knowledge of the land. Whereas yeomen often played a crucial role in the rural community, not just economically but also politically, as they sometimes served in local councils or as minor officials.
In modern usage, the term husbandman has largely fallen out of regular use, now more often seen in historical or literary contexts. Meanwhile, the term yeoman has evolved and is used in various ceremonial and military contexts, such as in the Yeoman Warders or the Yeomanry, maintaining its connotation of respectability and reliability.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
A farmer who works the land
A freeholder below the gentry
Social Status
Lower, working class
Middle class, often a small landowner
Main Activities
Cultivation, livestock management
Land cultivation, local governance participation
Historical Usage
Common in agricultural societies
Specific to British social hierarchy
Modern Usage
Largely historical or literary
Ceremonial, military, and historical references
Compare with Definitions
Husbandman
Cultivator of land.
As a husbandman, he took pride in his well-kept crops.
Yeoman
Military rank or role.
He served as a yeoman in the royal guard.
Husbandman
Old term for farmer.
The old texts often referred to farmers as husbandmen.
Yeoman
Historical landowner.
The yeoman owned enough land to support his family.
Husbandman
Farmer.
The husbandman woke at dawn to tend to his fields.
Yeoman
Member of a social class.
As a yeoman, he had certain rights in the village assembly.
Husbandman
Agricultural worker.
The husbandman repaired the fences after the storm.
Yeoman
Ceremonial title.
The Yeoman Warders are guardians of the Tower of London.
Husbandman
Rural laborer.
The life of a husbandman was tough but fulfilling.
Yeoman
Freeholder.
The yeoman's status as a freeholder gave him a voice in local matters.
Husbandman
A husbandman in England in the Middle Ages and the early modern period was a free tenant farmer, or a small landowner. The social status of a husbandman was below that of a yeoman.
Yeoman
Yeoman was first documented in mid-14th-century England, referring to the middle ranks of servants in an English royal or noble household. Yeomanry was the name applied to groups of freeborn commoners engaged as household guards, or raised as an army during times of war.
Husbandman
One whose occupation is husbandry; a farmer.
Yeoman
A man holding and cultivating a small landed estate; a freeholder.
Husbandman
A person who raises crops and tends animals; a farmer
Yeoman
A servant in a royal or noble household, ranking between a sergeant and a groom or a squire and a page.
Husbandman
The master of a family.
Yeoman
A member of the yeomanry force.
Husbandman
A farmer; a cultivator or tiller of the ground.
Yeoman
(in the Royal and other Commonwealth navies) a petty officer concerned with signalling.
Husbandman
A person who operates a farm
Yeoman
An attendant, servant, or lesser official in a royal or noble household.
Yeoman
A yeoman of the guard.
Yeoman
A petty officer performing chiefly clerical duties in the US Navy.
Yeoman
An assistant or other subordinate, as of a sheriff.
Yeoman
A diligent, dependable worker.
Yeoman
A farmer who cultivates his own land, especially a member of a former class of small freeholders in England.
Yeoman
(UK) An official providing honorable service in a royal or high noble household, ranking between a squire and a page. Especially, a yeoman of the guard, a member of a ceremonial bodyguard to the UK monarch (not to be confused with a Yeoman Warder).
Yeoman
(US) A dependable, diligent, or loyal worker or someone who does a great service.
Yeoman
(historical) A former class of small freeholders who farm their own land; a commoner of good standing.
Yeoman
A subordinate, deputy, aide, or assistant.
Yeoman
A Yeoman Warder.
Yeoman
A clerk in the US Navy, and US Coast Guard.
Yeoman
(nautical) In a vessel of war, the person in charge of the storeroom.
Yeoman
A member of the Yeomanry Cavalry, officially chartered in 1794 originating around the 1760s.
Yeoman
A member of the Imperial Yeomanry, officially created in 1890s and renamed in 1907.
Yeoman
Any of various nymphalid butterflies of the genus Cirrochroa, of Asia and Australasia.
Yeoman
A common man, or one of the commonly of the first or most respectable class; a freeholder; a man free born.
Yeoman
A servant; a retainer.
A yeman hadde he and servants no mo.
Yeoman
A yeoman of the guard; also, a member of the yeomanry cavalry.
Yeoman
An interior officer under the boatswain, gunner, or carpenters, charged with the stowage, account, and distribution of the stores.
Yeoman
Officer in the (ceremonial) bodyguard of the British monarch
Yeoman
In former times was free and cultivated his own land
Common Curiosities
What is a husbandman?
A husbandman is traditionally a farmer who cultivates land and manages livestock.
What defines a yeoman?
Historically, a yeoman was a freeholder of small land, positioned below the gentry but above the working class.
Why is the term husbandman less common today?
The term has largely been replaced by the more modern and general term "farmer."
Are husbandmen and yeomen the same?
No, husbandmen are primarily laborers, whereas yeomen also include aspects of ownership and socio-political involvement.
Was a yeoman always a farmer?
Not necessarily, though they often engaged in farming, their role included landownership and local political duties.
How did the roles of husbandmen and yeomen differ?
Husbandmen focused on agricultural labor, while yeomen also owned land and could participate in local governance.
What social status did yeomen hold?
Yeomen were considered part of the middle class in historical British society.
Is the term yeoman still relevant today?
Yes, in specific contexts like military and ceremonial roles.
Can a husbandman own land?
Typically, husbandmen might not own the land they work; they are more often laborers.
What are modern examples of yeomen?
Modern examples include ceremonial roles like the Yeoman Warders at the Tower of London.
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Written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
