what period are you looking at and what family name - until 1911 the 'owners' were technically tenants of the Lord and paid Lord's rent - these rent rolls allow you to trace the owners back to c.1511 - however for many larger fams post say 1800 the owner might employ staff to run the farm (often see farm bailliff in directories etc) - also farm labourers would occupy as tenants cottages on the farm land.