Descent

Descent refers to the social recognition of the biological relationship that exists between the individuals.
Descent , in anthropology, method of classifying individuals in terms of their various kinship
connections. Matrilineal and patrilineal descent refer to the mother's or father's sib (or other group),
respectively. Bilateral descent refers to descent derived from both sibs equally. Descent groups are of
basic significance in the social structure of most nonindustrial societies. They constitute a series of social
groups that dominate the domestic organization and the process of socialization, the use and transfer of
property, the settlement of disputes, religious activities such as ancestor worship, and certain political
relationships.
Descent, in simple terms, establishes how a person is related to his/her kinsman. It can be traced
through one of the parents, either through one’s mother or father. Several people can trace their
lineage back to a single person/entity. It could be a person or even a mythical entity like an animal, tree,
thunder, etc. A group comprising all the people who have a common ancestor is a descent group.
Types of Descent
Descent can be divided into two types based on the rules of descent – unilineal and non-unilineal or
cognatic descent. Mostly, unilineal descent refers to a descent group where the line of ancestry is traced
in a unilineal fashion or using a single parent only.
Unilineal descent can further be divided into patrilineal and matrilineal, based on whether the ancestry
line is traced through father or mother.
1,Patrilineal Descent: which follows the father’s line only;In a patriarchal kinship system, inheritance,
position, authority, and property are only passed down through men. Agnatic descent is another name
for it. Sons and daughters, for example, can trace their lineage from their fathers. Both sons and
daughters of sons will be a part of the grandfather’s group, but the daughter’s children would be of her
husband’s descent group.
Many of the world’s societies, such as the classical Romans, the Chinese, and India’s Hindu civilisation,
fall within this category. Hinduism is a society in which the rule of descent governs the transfer of power
and immovable property from one generation to the next. The heir is the oldest son of the family.
2,Matrilineal Descent: which follows the mother’s side only; In a matriarchal kinship system, lineage
tracing for inheritance, property, authority happens through the mother. It also goes by the name of
uterine descent. A matrilineal descent group comprises a lady, her siblings, her sisters’ children, her own
children, her daughter’s children, her granddaughter’s children and so on. The societies that follow the
rule of matrilineal descent are numbered.
3,cognatic descent, Cognatic descent refers to a method of tracing kinship through both mother’s and
father’s ancestors to some degree. We also call it non-unilineal descent system. There are two main
forms of cognatic descent: ambilineal descent and bilateral descent. Bilateral Descent
In this type of descent, relatives from both mother’s and father’s side are equally important. The
children are considered to be equally descended through both parents. And, this is the form of descent
practised in most modern societies.
Ambilineal Descent
In this type of kinship, the children choose either the mother or father’s side of the family to be
considered relatives, usually upon reaching adulthood. Some Native American tribes use the ambilineal
system.
Besides, parallel descent is a type of cognitive descent where females trace their kinship through their
mother’s line while males trace their kinship through the father’s line. Every member is a member of
only one unilineage. In contrast, bilineal descent is a type of cognitive descent where a person is both a
member of his father’s patrilineage and mother’s matrilineage.
Why is it important?
It gives an individual identity and a sense of belonging to a group. Moreover, it also helps establish who
gets to marry whom. In most societies, it is frowned upon when two people of a single clan or lineage
marry each other. Two individuals from different descent groups have to come together for matrimonial
purposes. This is desirable biologically as well for having sufficient gene variation.
This gives rise to two terms – endogamy and exogamy. Marrying within a group is called endogamy, and
marrying outside one’s group is called exogamy. The practical importance of descent comes from its use
as a means for one person to assert rights, duties, privileges, or status in relation to another person,
who may be related to the first either because one is ancestor to the other or because the two
acknowledge a common ancestor. descent has special influence when rights
succession, inheritance,or residence follow kinship lines.

Rules of descent
Descent Principles
Kinship is reckoned in a number of different ways around the world, resulting in a variety of types of
descent pattern and kin groups. Anthropologists frequently use diagrams to illustrate kinship
relationships to make them more understandable. The symbols shown here are usually employed. They
may be combined, as in the example below on the right, to represent a family consisting of a married
couple and their children.

In kinship diagrams, one individual is usually labeled as ego . This is the person to whom all kinship
relationships are referred. In the case below on the right, ego has a brother (Br), sister (Si), father (Fa),
and mother (Mo). Note also that ego is shown as being gender nonspecific--that is, either male or
female.

Unilineal Descent
Most cultures severely limit the range of people through whom descent is traced by using
a unilineal descent principle. This traces descent only through a single line of ancestors, male or female.
Both males and females are members of a unilineal family, but descent links are only recognized
through relatives of one gender. The two basic forms of unilineal descent are referred to as
patrilineal and matrilineal.
With patrilineal descent, both males and females belong to their father's kin group but not their
mother's. However, only males pass on their family identity to their children. A woman's children are
members of her husband's patrilineal line. The red people in the diagram below are related to each
other patrilineally.

The form of unilineal descent that follows a female line is known as matrilineal. When using this
pattern, individuals are relatives if they can trace descent through females to the same female ancestor.
While both male and female children are members of their mother's matrilineal descent group, only
daughters can pass on the family line to their offspring. The green people below are related to each
other matrilineally.

In societies using matrilineal descent, the social relationship between children and their biological father
tends to be different than most people would expect due to the fact that he is not a member of their
matrilineal family.
Cognatic Descent
Cognatic descent is also referred to as non-unilineal descent and there are two types of cognatic
descent: bilateral and ambilineal. Anthropological data suggests that cognatic descent arose in cultures
where warfare is uncommon and there is a political organization that can organize and fight on behalf of
the members. In bilateral systems, children are equally descended through both parents. People from
both sides of the family are considered relatives. This is the form of descent practiced in the United
States.
Figure - Bilateral kinship symbols
Ambilineal systems require children to choose either the mother or father's side of the family to be
reckoned relatives. Some Native American tribes use the ambilineal system. In the illustration below, if
EGO chooses the father’s side of the family, then everyone marked in blue would be considered kin. If
EGO chooses the mother’s side, then everyone marked in orange would be considered family
Conclusion
At the time of birth, a child is born into a particular descent group, defined by either his father’s side or
mother’s side or both. When the lineage is defined by the paternal side, then it is termed patrilineal
descent, a practice followed in most parts of India. In a few rare cases, lineage can be defined by the
maternal side and is termed matrilineal descent. Such descent rules help establish the rules of ancestry,
property and asset inheritance, culture propagation etc. A descent group is huge and consists of smaller
lineages.