Forums » Smalltalk » What's the word for a noble who becomes an orphan?

I believe if a child's parents were nobles and that child became an orphan, they were sometimes taken into another house of nobility to be a servant. There's a specific word for these children, but I can't find it anywhere. I'm hoping someone here will know. Similar words would be useful too.

A ‘ward’ maybe?

So they would be ‘a ward of the (entity, such as ‘king’, ‘prince’, ‘family name’, ‘state’, etc.)

I guess it depends on the situation? I would possibly put for "Successor" or "Heir Apparent"

*put forth

Geeze

That's what I get for trying to sound educated

"Head of House" could work depending on the level of nobility. Pretty sure there have been times when the Royal Heir has been referred to as "Crown Prince/Princess"

Thanks, I'm still not sure what the exact word was but these are good alternatives!

It is a ward, in English terms.

Below is some information regarding the subject.

http://ruthjohnston.com/AllThingsMedieval/?p=53