Family+background

A character's family background is used only during Character creation, and is not visible or noticeable at all during game-play. It is selected once, right after gender selection, from the following list: Though rarely used, they are sometimes grouped as: 2+3+5='urban', 4+6='rural', 3+4='crafts', 5+6='commoners'. After the family background is selected, it has no more significance, except for a minor role in determining which occupations will be available in the next stage. 
 * 1) Nobility
 * 2) Wealthy Urban Family
 * 3) Town Trades Family
 * 4) Country Crafts Family
 * 5) Urban Commoners
 * 6) Rural Commoners

Attribute modifiers
The table below(*) lists the attribute modifiers applied automatically to the gender-adjusted base profile, and the EP's you receive for further attribute enhancement: The last column shows which are the best selections for maximizing your character's attributes. Clearly the 'poorer' backgrounds offer better opportunities for attribute assignment. 
 * **Family background** || End || Str || Agl || Per || Int || Chr || EP's || Total ||
 * Nobility ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   || 89 || 89 ||
 * Wealthy Urban || -1 || -1 ||  || 1 || 1 ||   || 90 || 90 ||
 * Town Trades || -1 || -1 ||  || 1 || 2 ||   || 93 || 94 ||
 * Country Crafts ||  ||   || 1 ||   || 1 ||   || 94 || 96 ||
 * Urban Commoners ||  || 1 || 1 ||   || 1 || -1 || 96 || 98 ||
 * Rural Commoners || 1 || 1 || 1 ||  ||   || -1 || 97 || 99 ||

Starting skills
The table below(*) lists the starting skills for each background: The last column shows which are the best selections for maximizing your character's skills. Clearly the 'richer' backgrounds offer better opportunities for starting skills (they will also offer a larger variety in occupations to select from later-on).
 * Family background || WEdg || WImp || WFll || WPol || WThr || WBow || WMsD || Alch || Relg || Virt || SpkC || SpkL || R&W || Heal || Artf || Stlh || StrW || Ride || WdWs || Total ||
 * Nobility || 5 || 4 || 1 || 4 ||  || 4 ||   || 2 || 5 || 2 || 4 || 2 || 2 ||   ||   || 1 ||   || 3 || 1 || 40 ||
 * Wealthy Urban || 4 || 3 ||  || 3 ||   ||   || 3 || 2 || 5 || 1 || 5 || 1 || 5 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 2 || 2 ||   || 39 ||
 * Town Trades || 4 || 5 ||  || 3 ||   ||   || 4 || 1 || 4 || 1 || 4 ||   || 1 || 1 || 5 || 1 || 3 ||   ||   || 37 ||
 * Country Crafts || 4 || 3 ||  || 4 || 1 || 4 || 1 ||   || 2 || 1 || 3 ||   || 1 || 1 || 4 || 1 ||   ||   || 3 || 33 ||
 * Urban Commoners || 4 || 4 ||  || 3 || 4 ||   || 2 ||   || 2 || 1 || 2 ||   ||   || 1 || 1 || 4 || 4 ||   ||   || 32 ||
 * Rural Commoners || 3 || 3 || 4 || 3 || 3 || 1 ||  ||   || 1 || 1 || 1 ||   ||   || 1 || 1 || 3 ||   || 1 || 4 || 30 ||

(*) Though the cluebook lists slightly different values, this table has been checked in-game.