During the 19th and 20th centuries, ch?telain was used to describe the owner of a castle or manor house, in many cases a figure of authority in his parish, akin to the English squire.

The owner of a French château is historically and formally referred to as a châtelain (masculine) or châtelaine (feminine). In the medieval period, this title signified the "keeper" or lord of a castle who held jurisdiction over the surrounding territory. Today, while the feudal implications are gone, the terms are still used in French-speaking regions to describe the master or mistress of a stately residence or wine estate. In the context of the Bordeaux wine region, where many estates are prefixed with "Château," the owner is often simply called the propriétaire. If the château is a grand manor house used for hospitality or as a family seat, the owner might also be addressed as "Monsieur le Châtelain" in formal settings. The word "châtelaine" has also entered the English language as a term for a decorative belt or chain worn by the mistress of a house to carry keys, scissors, and other household tools, reflecting her role as the overseer of the grand domestic establishment.