He was given his own house to run and a katana directly by daimyo Nobunaga. That would indicate he was a samurai.

Remember that at that time being a Samurai was a flexible thing. You could become a Samurai even if you were a peasant if you took arms for your lord, survived, and impressed them sufficiently. It was about service and utmost commitment to your lord. There also were women Samurai, including the famed Tomoe Gozen - known as the white tiger with the strength of ten men.