Plain Folk Reconsidered: Historiographical Ambiguity in Search of Definition.

The article explores the ambiguity surrounding the term "plain folk," with which students of Southern history are familiar. It also considers the reasons why the precise definition of the term has been elusive and analyzes the historiographical usage that has perpetuated the imprecision. The article then uses statistical data taken from the 1850 census to suggest a precise definition of "plain folk" that is designed to advance the research on social groupings in the antebellum South.