Upstanding French maid was first elevated (8)
I believe the answer is:
ennobled
'elevated' is the definition.
(ennobling is a kind of elevating)
'upstanding french maid was first' is the wordplay.
'upstanding' says the letters should be written in reverse.
'french maid' becomes 'bonne' (I've seen this in other clues).
'was first' becomes 'led'.
'bonne' backwards is 'ennob'.
'ennob'+'led'='ENNOBLED'
(Other definitions for ennobled that I've seen before include "Given a title" , "Elevated to the peerage" , "Dignified" , "Given peerage" , "Got up to peer" .)