Villein is derived from Late Latin villanus, meaning a man employed at a Roman villa rustica, or large agricultural estate.
The system of tied serfdom originates from a decree issued by the late Roman Emperor Diocletian (r. 284–305 CE) in an attempt to prevent the flight of peasants from the land and the consequent decline in food production.
For the Spanish Villano, the RAE preserves the definition of "neighbour or inhabitant of a village or town", but it also accepts the derogatory use, which is very similar to the Modern English villain.
Villeinage, as opposed to other forms of serfdom, was most common in Western European feudalism, where land ownership had developed from roots in Roman law.
A variety of kinds of villeinage existed in Western Europe and it is impossible to arrive at a precise definition which satisfies them all.
In the Early Middle Ages, families entered villeinage voluntarily to guarantee land tenure.
[3] Villeinage became progressively less common through the Middle Ages, particularly after the Black Death had reduced the rural population and the bargaining power of workers had improved.