Abstract：After the Norman Conquest, the identity of majority peasants changed continuously in Medieval England. From the 12th to 16th century, their collective identity changed several times: villagers, villein tenants, copyholders, and finally developed towards leaseholders in the following period. The transition of collective identity was based on the transition of individual identity. However, due to the regional differences in the degree of land marketization and social-economic development, the transition of peasants' individual identity was not synchronous. Even in the same region, the transition of peasants' collective identity was not carried out one round after another, but a new round of transition had begun before the completion of last one. The transition of the identity of majority peasants importantly reflected the level of social-economic development in England. Reshaping this transition process can reveal the complexity of medieval land marketization progress at the micro level, which will help us better understand the macro trends of social-economic development at that time.

Economic and Social History Review, No. 4, 2022.