Historically, the medieval French word bourgeois denoted the inhabitants of the bourgs (walled market-towns), the craftsmen, artisans, merchants, and others, who constituted "the bourgeoisie."
Yéning selehin saking babad, selehin saking basa Prancis Adab Pertengahan, Bojuis wantah mawit saking bourgs (tembok pasar kota), para sangging, para pragina, undagi, miwah sané tiosan, sami mapaiketan ring "Bourjuis."