Here are some terms you might encounter, depending on the time period and location:
* Farmers: This is a straightforward and common term, though it might not always encompass the broader social and economic context of peasantry.
* Husbandmen: This term emphasizes the connection between farming and household maintenance.
* Tillers of the soil: This poetic term emphasizes the physical labor involved in farming.
* Agricultural laborers: This term focuses on the economic aspect of their work.
* Serfs: This term specifically refers to peasants who were bound to the land and obligated to work for their lord.
* Tenant farmers: This term refers to peasants who rented land from a landowner and paid rent in the form of crops or money.
* Smallholders: This term refers to peasants who owned a small plot of land.
The best term to use will depend on the specific historical context and the nuances you want to convey.