Today, I met with the “farmer,” but not the kind with muddy boots and a tractor. This farmer collects a different kind of harvest: taxes. While the image of a farmer tilling land might come to mind, the origin of the term and your recent encounter reveal a surprising truth.
Contrary to popular belief, “farmer” wasn’t always synonymous with agriculture. It stemmed from the Medieval Latin “firma,” meaning “fixed payment” – akin to rent or tax. The French adopted it as “fermier,” and English took it on as “farmer,” both referring to a tax collector.
Imagine Chaucer’s words: “Him ought not be… cruel As is a farmer to do the harm he can.” This 14th-century quote reflects the taxman’s image associated with the term “farmer” back then.
During feudal times, wealthy landowners collected taxes on their land through “tax farmers” responsible for specific areas. These individuals managed single farms within the land, ensuring maximum profitability, often residing there as tenants themselves.
Over time, the method of collecting taxes on agricultural land became closely associated with the land itself. This, combined with older terms like “husbandman” falling out of favor, led to a gradual shift in meaning by the late 16th century. “Farmer” started representing someone who simply owned and operated a farm, the image we hold today.
Your encounter with the “farmer” highlights the interesting evolution of this word. While you paid taxes, the person collecting them may not have had anything to do with physical farms. They carried the surname “Farmer,” a legacy from the 13th century when the term still referred to tax collectors.