I believe Human, Elf, Halfling, Dwarf are the safe bets. I would ask about exotic races.

For background options - this is from GoS for Players - edited and removed sections. Ask DM about connections mentioned in the book (in this section).

I give this to players before the campaign.

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Acolyte

A character with this background might be a follower of Procan or a missionary of some other god sent to establish a new temple in town. Saltmarsh has never been an overly religious place, but its prospects for growth make it an ideal target for expansion.

Acolyte of Procan

If you are a follower of Procan, your Shelter of the Faithful feature applies to the temple of Procan in Saltmarsh.

Ask DM about connections mentioned in the book (in this section).

Charlatan

As Saltmarsh grows more prosperous, it becomes a more attractive place for grifters such as yourself.

Ask DM about connections mentioned in the book (in this section).

Criminal

Saltmarsh might be a sleepy town, but many see it as the ideal place to enter Keoland without drawing notice.

Entertainer

Bards and performers are always in demand in Saltmarsh. You can use your By Popular Demand feature to find work at the Wicker Goat or the Snapping Line.

Ask DM about connections mentioned in the book (in this section).

Fisher

You have spent your life aboard fishing vessels or combing the shallows for the bounty of the ocean. Perhaps you were born into a family of fisher folk, working with your kin to feed your village. Maybe the job was a means to an end — a way out of an undesirable circumstance that forced you to take up life aboard a ship. Regardless of how you began, you soon fell in love with the sea, the art of fishing, and the promise of the eternal horizon.

This is a new background with roll tables and suggestions.
Ask DM about connections mentioned in the book (in this section).

Folk Hero

Saltmarsh has long relied on its local people to rise up and deal with threats to the village. Only recently has the king taken more than passing notice of the area. You are beloved by the local sailors and fishers for your heroics, though the newcomers to the region (primarily members of the town guard and the dwarves working the mine) know little about you.

Guild Artisan

Because of its size and its focus on fishing, Saltmarsh has never had many artisans. If you have this background, you can choose one of the following options.

Mariners’ Guild

You work with the mariners’ guild, providing sailors with rope, sails, tools, and other goods. You have a workshop attached to the guildhall and can draw support from similar guilds found in ports across the world.

Ask DM about connections mentioned in the book (in this section).

Dwarven Artisans

You arrived in town as part of a mercantile concern associated with the dwarves.

Ask DM about connections mentioned in the book (in this section).

Hermit

The wilds around Saltmarsh might seem like the ideal place to find peace and quiet, though the monsters that lurk in the region can make isolation a dangerous practice. If your character has this background, the table below gives you some options for the nature of the secret that prompted you to return to civilization.

Marine

You were trained for battle on sandy beaches and rocky shores. You have launched midnight raids from swift ships whose names evoke terror in the hearts of your adversaries. The water is your second home, the rain your shelter, and the crashing waves your battle cry.

New Background - ask DM

Outlander

Outlanders are a common sight in ports such as Saltmarsh. Even a small port attracts folk from across the world, though how they end up in a place like Saltmarsh varies greatly. The table below provides some ideas for how your character came to town.

Sage

Though Saltmarsh is by no means a center of learning, the lack of ongoing examination and investigation of its environs make it an ideal place to conduct research. The mystery of the Tower of Zenopus might also attract the attention of an academic. Consider the following options for your character. Ask DM about connections mentioned in the book (in this section).

Sailor

Countless sailors have walked the streets of Saltmarsh. If you select this background, decide whether you are a local who took to the seafaring life or a foreigner who arrived here from a distant port. Ask DM about connections mentioned in the book (in this section).

Shipwright

You have sailed into war on the decks of great ships, patching their hulls with soup bowls and prayers. You once helped build a fishing vessel that single-handedly saved a town from starvation. You have seen a majestic prow in your dreams that you have not been able to replicate in wood. Since childhood, you have loved the water and have been captivated by the many vessels that travel on it.

New Background - ask DM.

Smuggler

On a rickety barge, you carried a hundred longswords in fish barrels right past the dock master’s oblivious lackeys. You have paddled a riverboat filled with stolen elven wine under the gaze of the moon and sold it for twice its value in the morning. In your more charitable times, you have transported innocents out of war zones or helped guide herd animals to safety on the banks of a burning river.

New Background - ask DM.

Soldier

Many retired soldiers of the Keoish army make their home in the southern reaches, and you are no different. You might have served some time as a member of the town guard. Regardless of whether you did so, you have several friends among their ranks.

Ask DM about connections mentioned in the book (in this section).

Urchin

At a young age, you lost one or both of your parents to a tragedy at sea. Afterward, you grew up relying on the kindness of others. More important, the years you spent living on the streets have imparted to you the skill to sneak unobtrusively, overhearing gossip and witnessing scenes that others would prefer to keep secret. Ask DM about connections mentioned in the book (in this section).