0 a woman or girl who will receive or already has received a lot of money, property, or a title from another person, especially an older member of the same family, when that person dies: --
Imagine the heiress of a millionaire who has had an impromptu affair with a bricklayer—such things have happened and will continue to happen.
In the old days one of the favourite local hobbies of the lads of the village was abducting wealthy heiresses.
He possibly may marry an heiress, and would therefore in these circumstances be in a position to maintain the property for a short time.
So, on an indictment for the fraudulent abduction of an heiress, the lady has been admitted as a witness for the prosecution.
With heiresses, there was the added dimension of guaranteeing there would be an adult male to administer the property, especially when the parents were already deceased.
Occupational endogamy appears to have been of particular importance in the marriages of heiresses.
This circumstance allowed the possibility of an heir and an heiress marrying, which would result in the unification of their patrimonies.
However, the remaining heirs include two women and three sons-in-law, or the adopted spouses of heiresses.
