There were many people during the middle ages, but everyone was grouped by the feudal system, which is like a social system that placed everyone in different groups of society. Peasants and serfs were at the bottom of the feudal system because they didn’t have as much freedom as everyone else. Nobles (kings) would gives knights fiefs, which were big chunks of land in exchange for protection from the knight. The clergy were people who were part of the church such as the bishop, the pope, priests, nuns, and monks. Tradesmen had jobs that required a type of skill. A tradesman’s job mostly determined their last name such as miller, smith, and hunter.
The feudal system controlled people’s everyday life. A noble would give a night fiefs in exchange for the knight’s protection. Knights protected and fought for land. Serfs worked on land for pay and protection from knights and nobles. Most of the people who lived in Europe were mainly peasants because their ancestors were born into the feudal system that way. Once you or a family member is born into a certain group of the feudal system you can never move up to a higher group. For example a serf or peasant could buy their freedom, but they could never become a noble or knight because they were born into a certain group.