Tenant farmers were peasants who worked at a farm for the landowner.

In the past, the word tenant refered to a person, who was bound to the lord of the estate. As a tenant, you were bound to live and work on the estate - usually for life. In short, you are adscript.

It could be said that the tenant farmer was owned by the landowner, the state or the king. A tenant farmer lived on the lord's property and both he and his wife was bound to serve him for life.

In 1788, the adscript was upliftet with the Emancipation of the peasantry (bondefrihed).