'non-burgher' originates from English, specifically the negative prefix 'non-' (from Latin 'non', meaning 'not') combined with 'burgher' (from Middle English and Old French roots referring to a town citizen).

'burgher' derives from Middle English (e.g. 'burgeys', 'burgess') and Old French 'burgeis', ultimately related to Medieval Latin 'burgensis'; the productive English prefix 'non-' was later attached to form 'non-burgher' to indicate someone who is not a burgher.

Initially, the components denoted 'not' + 'town citizen'; the combined use has remained descriptive of social/status exclusion but is now largely archaic or restricted to historical contexts rather than common modern usage.