The Origin of Nannies

A nanny is defined as a “child’s nurse”. The tradional nanny

was a servant in a large household and reported directly to

the “Lady of the House”. Nannies were always female and

this remained the case through most of the 20th Century.

Today a few men do hold the role, although normally under

a more generic title such as “child-minder”, or occasionally

“manny”. The role of the nanny currently stands firmly as a

sector of early childhood education. In the 19th and early

20th Century, a nanny in a “Great House” ran her own

domain, supported by at least one nursery maid. Because

of their role in childcare, they were somewhat more indulged

than junior servants. Nannies may have remained in the

employ of the same aristocratic family for years, looking after

successive generations of children, becoming a life’s career.

Undoubtedly, the nanny profession still remains a noble one.