In a genealogical context, a family is defined as a group of people related by blood (consanguinity),
marriage (affinity), or adoption. This includes direct ancestors (parents, grandparents, etc.) and other
relatives like siblings, cousins, aunts, and uncles. Genealogists focus on tracing lineage, documenting
key life events (births, marriages, deaths), and exploring family history through various records and
oral traditions. The following classifications are relevant to the topic of discussion.
Nuclear Families. In a larger context, the definition of what constitutes a family can vary from one
county to another. In the United States and Canada for instance, family life is generally defined as a
nuclear family. Married couples and their children establish separate homes and were financially
independent from the couples parents.
Extended Families. Since 2019 the combination of the COVID epidemic and the resulting economic
hardships have increasingly resulted in married adult children and offspring living with parents. Under
these circumstances, the family is called an extended family. An extended family may also include
aunts, uncles, and cousins, grandparents, grandchildren, and others even if they live in separate
homes.
Clans. Many countries recognize a large kinship group as a clan. Clans are family kinship groups,
often found in various cultures, that consist of families claiming a common ancestor. These groups are
characterized by a sense of shared identity and descent, whether through actual or perceived kinship.
While some clans may trace their lineage meticulously, others rely on symbolic or mythical figures as
their founding ancestor. Scotland and Ireland have been the highest profile countries identified with
clans. However they are also found in various other cultures, including indigenous Australian groups,
African tribes, and certain American Indian tribes. While the historical, political, and military
significance of clans like those in Scotland has largely diminished, many clans continue to exist as
social, cultural, or even business entities. In some cultures, like those of Scotland and Japan, clans
are legally recognized or have official structures.
Tribal Societies. Societies and groups such as these are often located in the Middle East, Asia, and
parts of Latin America. They place greater emphasis on the extended family profile than do societies
consisting of mainly of nuclear families. Some examples of this would include practices such as
willingly taking in widows, divorced people, or elderly relatives as part of the household.
Equalitarian Families. In cases where parents customarily share the responsibilities related to family
life, the unit is identified as equalitarian. In modern family life, this style is far more prevalent than in
past generations.
Patriarchal vs Matriarchal Families. If a male is considered the head of a family, it is patriarchal
family. From a historical perspective, if the father passed away, the oldest living son was often
considered the head of the family as long as he was past the age of consent. This was usually the
case even if the mother was still alive and was older in age than the oldest son. From a historical
perspective, the son could have been as young as 15. The emphasis is on historical context.
If a female is recognized as the head of a family, it would be considered a matriarchal family. If you
look far enough back into history, you'll find that women were revered and honored for their ability to
bear children. While there were exceptions to this rule in the United States and Canada, in most cases, even with the exceptions, the law recognized the man vs. the woman as the head of the household.
But over the course of history, societies across the globe started to bend towards a more patriarchal
structure, which is pervasive in most communities in modern times. However, there are still surviving
matriarchal societies to be found where women, literally, are the dominant steering factor in all matters
social, political, and economical. The following article from Town and County Magazine from 2019
Here are six examples of societies where matriarchal families are common. 1. Minangkabau (Indonesia): They are known for their matrilineal system, where lineage and
inheritance are traced through the female line. Women hold significant roles in family and community
life.
2. Khasi (India): The Khasi people in northeast India also practice a matrilineal system, with women
inheriting property and holding key positions in the family structure.
3. Bribri (Costa Rica): In Bribri society, women are the heads of households and are responsible for
passing down culture, traditions, and land to their daughters.
4. Haudenosaunee (North America): Historically, women of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy
(Iroquois) held important roles as village managers and Clan Mothers, and matrilineal lineage
continues to be practiced in some aspects of their culture.
5. Mosuo (China): While often described as matriarchal, the Mosuo people are more accurately
characterized as matrilineal, with a system where family and inheritance are traced through the
female line.
6. Umoja (Kenya) : The Umoja tribe is a true-blue No Mans Land, because men are banned. This
village is a home to women who have experienced sexual or gender-based violence. The Umoja
village, which means "unity" in Swahili, was founded in 1990. As occupations, the women and children
show tourists their village and work to educate others about their rights.
Step Families. Families of this nature are formed when circumstances result in a divorced or widowed parent getting remarried. The new spouse becomes a stepparent to the children from the former marriage. Offspring from the couples prior marriages become stepbrothers and stepsisters. Stepfamilies have played an important role in genealogy for a
number of reasons. In spite of what history sometimes teaches about how well families got along like
on TV programs such as the “Waltons”, “Father Knows Best”, etc., stepfamilies have been far more
common than many people realize. Here are some examples of what research and history have
discovered about the role of step families.
Stepfamilies can help broaden the scope of your research, revealing connections to individuals and families you might otherwise miss.
From a social and historical context, families of this nature can offer insights into historical trends like remarriage rates, societal attitudes towards divorce and widowhood, and the impact of economic factors on family structures.
Stepfamily relationships can be rich sources of personal stories, revealing the complexities of family life, emotional bonds, and the impact of significant life events.
Finally, taking the time to explore the reality of stepfamilies can shed light on the dynamics within a family unit, including the roles of stepparents, the relationships between step-siblings, and the influence of different parenting styles.
For more information on this topic, please visit the following sources.
Smith, Amy M. Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute. Family Genealogy and Family Communication: Finding Common Ground. Genealogy 2017, 1, 6. https://www.mdpi.com/2313-5778/1/1/6
Bryan L. Mulcahy Reference-Genealogy Librarian Fort Myers Regional Library bmulcahy@leegov.com 7/9/2025