History on the high class in society.

The high class has been existing since nearly the beginning of time. Since before 2000 BC at least.

In the 19th century, the high class was shifted to middle class despite nearly all high class staying virtually the same. Basically the rich stayed rich. They enjoyed their fulfilled lives slowed in spite of economic turmoils. The rich only cared only about themselves and never anyone else.

Hardly any manual labor or housework was ever done by upper class which often resulted in the lower class to do the menial labor jobs the upper class considered too good and demeaning for them. They considered housework as unfavorable for them to do.

As for the families, children were a source of income. If a woman from any class married and wasn't pregnant within a year of the wedding she was considered useless.
Also producing heirs (children) was the only reason wealthy upper class men married women at all. This was essentially the same for upper class well-off Victorian children. Hardly any work was ever done by the actual parents when it came to raising their own children. The upper class would often leave their children with governesses, servants, nannies, and maids to raise their children and take care of them rather than the parents themselves raising their own children as normal parents would today. The governess would take the roles as a teacher, a nanny, and as a tutor. 

The parents would hardly see their children at all. Children would be presented to their parents once a day for about 20 minutes by their governesses, servants, or tutors. This was done so their parents could see that they were learning and behaving properly.  Upper class orphans usually had an extended family who would take care of them. If a middle class or low class orphan had no money the orphan would have been sent to a working class orphanage.

The high class was burgeoning by the 19th century and 20th century. The high class is steadily same in the 21st century.

In other words, having children was a must for the aristocracies back then. You know how the nobles of different time periods can be. The upper class thinks that lower class poor doesn't do it, therefore it is a good enough reason to be fashionable!