Nurse child?

[MargaretMarch]

Has anyone come across this before? I have a 5 year old on the 1891 census whose relationship to the head of the household is shown as 'nurse child'. In the 1901 census she assumes the name of the family so has effectively been adopted.
What does it mean?
Margaret

[LindyTumblethump]

I believe it is a child who is being looked after by someone other than it's parents due to circumstances. xxhugxx

[Sally]

Sometimes the child was illegitimate, or an orphan and women would take the baby on for a fee.

Money wasn't always involved though, and the child could have been that of another member of the family.

[MargaretMarch]

Thanks Lindy and Sally. I had a feeling it might be something like that but never had it before.
Margaret

[kiterunner]

Just means "foster child".

[MargaretMarch]

Thanks, Kite.