Many Native Americans were nomads before the arrival of European settlers. A group that did not produce its own food would live off the plants and animals in a given region. When no more food was left, the group would move to another place. But the choice of a new area was not made by chance. The nomads needed to be sure of a water supply. They also had to choose places that had plants they knew were safe to eat. Nomads studied the behavior of animals to figure out which areas would have plenty of game.

In the Middle Ages, some of the people who invaded Europe from the east were pastoral nomads, or animal herders. Unlike hunters and gatherers, these nomads produced their own food. They brought their animals to different regions in different seasons. Lapland (a region stretching across Arctic Norway, Sweden, Finland, and part of Russia), Central Asia, Siberia, the Arabian Peninsula, and North Africa still have some pastoral nomads. Some of these people, however, depend on farming and hunting in addition to herding animals. Others trade their animals to neighbors for needed items.

Roma (Gypsies) are a well-known group of people who have been nomads for more than a thousand years and take pride in that lifestyle. Living mostly in Europe, they are on the move during warm months, sleeping in tents or trailers at night. They tend to settle in the winter but often keep their distance from non-Roma neighbors. Roma have traditionally earned money through such activities as trading livestock, telling fortunes, selling herbs, and making music. By the 21st century many Roma had taken up a settled lifestyle, practicing trades or working as unskilled laborers.

Perhaps the most familiar nomads of the 21st century are people who travel around making goods or providing services. For instance, nomads in India and Pakistan go from town to town selling handmade baskets and other goods. Farm laborers called migrants are common in the United States. They go to whatever area has crops that need harvesting. Thus, they may be in Florida during citrus season and in Maine for the fall potato harvest.