heimilisfólki

Heimilisfólki is an Icelandic term that translates to "household people" or "domestic staff." Historically, it referred to individuals who lived in the household of a farm or a wealthier dwelling and provided labor or services in exchange for room, board, and sometimes a small wage. These individuals were an integral part of the Icelandic social and economic structure for centuries, particularly in rural areas where farms were largely self-sufficient.

The roles of heimilisfólki were diverse and depended on the needs of the household. They could include farmhands, maids, cooks, nannies, and general laborers. Their duties often involved agricultural work such as tending to livestock, cultivating crops, and maintaining the farmstead. Within the house, they might be responsible for cooking, cleaning, spinning wool, mending clothes, and caring for children. The relationship between the farm owners and their heimilisfólki was typically one of mutual dependence, though social stratification existed.

The term signifies a specific historical context within Icelandic society. As modernizations occurred throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, with shifts in agricultural practices, increased urbanization, and the development of a wage-based economy, the traditional system of heimilisfólki gradually declined. While the concept of domestic workers still exists, the term heimilisfólki is primarily used today to refer to this historical phenomenon and the social structure it represented in Iceland.