Those who served as chugen were the second-oldest sons or younger brothers of peasants, but in big cities such as Edo, many were recruited as professional servants such as watari-chugen who served from residence to residence.
多くは百姓の次男以下などが奉公したが、江戸など大都市では渡り中間のような屋敷を渡り歩く専門の奉公人を雇うことも多かった。