Generic Archetypes

In class we keep on talking about different archetypal characters, from the hero to the crone, the wise old man to the misfit it seems like every base that any one could come up with would be covered. There is something in common about all of these characters though. They are all larger than life, they all have some role to play that creates a story around each individual charter, but what I'm really wondering about is can there be the archetypal neighbor or towns folk or in-laws.. Someone that is noteworthy enough to put into the story yet plays no real part.

There are reoccurring themes of all of these character in all sorts of literature one that really sticks out to me it farmer Maggot from lord of the rings. Although this character doesn't really drive the story in any way he is shown as being a gruff old neighbor which is seen in literature through out the world. I mean any modern date movie what do the people say about the in laws... "Do we really have to go they... They hate me." So these types of none main characters are scattered throughout the literary world. IN novel they outnumber the heros ten to one. So all that I am really wondering is are these archetypes? They follow the definition, but seem to be insignificant. Is that part of the archetypal definition, does something have to be significant for it to really be considered as a reoccurring theme? Overall in my mind I would describe these types of character as archetypes and if anyone else has any others ideas please comment.