Family—Types

Family—Types or Forms

No doubt, family is a universal social organization. But its forms, structure or types vary from society to society and from time to time. Due to variations in life, social values, culture, and a host of other factors, different types of families are found to exist. Hence, it is really difficult to classify families. However, sociologists and anthropologists have attempted to classify families. They classify families on a different basis. However, different types or classifications of the family are as follows:

1. Based on size and structure: 

Families may be classified into two types based on size and structure or according to the number of members: nuclear families and joint families or extended families.

i. Nuclear Family: 

A nuclear family is a family which consists of a husband, wife, and unmarried children. The size of the nuclear family is very small. It is an autonomous unit. There is no control over the elders because newlyweds create separate residences for themselves, which are independent of the elders. It is also known as the primary family. It is an ideal family. Murdock divides the nuclear family into two types: the family of orientation and the family of procreation.

The family in which an individual is born, reared and socialized is known as the orientation family. It consists of a father, mother, brother, and sister. On the other hand, the family of procreation refers to the family established by the person through marriage. It consists of husband, wife, sons, and daughters.

ii. Joint or Extended Family: 

An extended or joint family is large. It consists of a number of nuclear families. It includes members of three to four generations. It is an extension of the parent-child relationship. This family is based on close blood ties. It is like the joint family of Hindu Society. The eldest male member is the head of the family. Children of the family, even after their marriage, have little importance. The extended family consists of a father, mother, sons and their wives, unmarried daughters, grandchildren, grandfather, grandmother, uncles, aunts, their children, and so on. This type of family is found to exist in rural communities or agrarian economies.

2. Based on marriage practices: 

Based on marriage practices, sociologists have classified families into the following types:

i. Monogamous Family: 

This family is based on the monogamous system of marriage, hence known as the Monogamous family. It consists of a husband and his wife. Under this type of family system, neither husband nor wife is allowed to have more than one spouse at a time. Both of them are also prohibited from having an extra-marital relationship. It has many other advantages, and because of this, it is considered the ideal form of marriage all over the world.

ii. Polygamous Family: 

This type of family is based on the polygamous system of marriage. As in polygamy, one man marries more than one woman and vice-versa; hence, two types of family systems exist, such as polyandrous and polygamous families.

a. Polyandrous family: 

This family is based on a polyandry system of marriage in which one woman marries more than one man at a time. Accordingly, a polyandrous family consists of one woman and several husbands. She may live with all of her husbands or may live with each of them alternatively. This type of family is found among the Toda’s, in Kashmir to Assam, and among Eskimos.

b. Polygamous family: 

This type of family is based on the polygamous system of marriage. As in polygamy, one man is allowed to marry more than one wife at a time. Accordingly, a polygamous family consists of a husband and his several wives and their children. In this type of family, all the wives may stay together with their children or have a separate household. This type of family is found among Muslims and tribes in America, Asia, Africa, and Australia. In India, this type of family is found among the Nagas of Central India and Bengal’s Kulins.

iii. Endogamous Family: 

This type of family is based on the endogamic principles of marriage. According to endogamic principles, a man is supposed to marry within his group, i.e., within his caste, sub-caste, race, varna, and class. Accordingly, the family that practices the rules of endogamy in marriage is known as the endogamous family.

iv. Exogamous Family: 

This type of family is based on the exogamic rules of marriage. According to these rules, one has to marry outside one’s group, i.e., outside one’s gotra, private, pinda, and village. Accordingly, the family that practices the rules of exogamy in marriage is known as an exogamous family.

3. Based on Authority: 

Based on power and authority, the family may be classified into the following types such as:

i. Patriarchal Family: 

A patriarchal family is one in which all power remains in the patriarch or father’s hands. In other words, in this type of family, power or authority is vested in the hands of the eldest male member, who is supposed to be the father. He exercises absolute power or authority over the other members of the family and owns the family property.

After his death, authority was transferred to the eldest son of the family. In this family, the descent is known through the father line. In this type of family, the wife, after marriage, comes to reside in his husband’s house. This type of family is widely found all over the world. The Joint family system among the Hindus is a fine example of a patriarchal family.

ii. Matriarchal family: 

This type of family is just the opposite of a patriarchal family. In this family, power or authority rests on the eldest female family member, especially the wife or mother. She enjoys absolute power or authority over other members of the family and owns all the family property. In this family, descent is known through the mother.

Headship is transferred from the mother to the eldest daughter. In a matriarchal family, the husband remains subordinate to his wife. After marriage, the daughter resides in her mother’s house, and her husband lives with her. This type of family is found among the Nayers of Kerala and the Garo and Khasi tribes of Assam.

iii. Egalitarian family: 

An egalitarian family is one in which power and authority are equally shared between husband and wife. Both of them make joint decisions or assume joint responsibility. In this type of family, both sons and daughters jointly inherit property equally.

4. Based on Residence: 

Based on a residence, the family may be classified into the following types:

i. Patrilocal family: 

A patrilocal family is one in which the wife comes to reside with her husband’s family after marriage. It is also patriarchal and patrilineal.

ii. Matrilocal family: 

The family in which, after marriage, the husband comes to reside in her wife’s family is known as a matrilocal family. It is just the opposite of the patrilocal family. This type of family is also Matriarchal and Matrilineal in nature.

iii. Bilocal family: 

In this type of family, after marriage, the married couple changes their residence alternatively. Sometimes, the wife joins her husband’s house, while at other times, the husband resides in the wife’s house. That is why this type of family is also known as a family of changing residence.

iv. Neolocal family: 

After marriage, when a newly married couple establishes a new family independent of their parents and settles in a new place, this type of family is known as a neo-local family.

v. Avunculocal family: 

After marriage, when the newly married couple resides in the maternal uncle’s house, this type of family is known as an avunculocal family. ‘Avuncu’ means maternal uncle.

5. Family-based on the descent: 

On the basis of rules of descent or ancestry, the family may be classified into the following types:

i. Unilateral (Unilineal) descent: The two types of unilineal descent are patrilineal descent and matrilineal descent, where kins from father’s side and mother’s side are respectively recognized.

a. Patrilineal descent:

This type of family is prevalent worldwide. A patrilineal family is one in which descent or ancestry is determined through the father's line and continues through the father. The property and family name are also inherited through the father’s line. The patrilineal family is also patrilocal and patriarchal.

b. Matrilineal descent:

The matrilineal family is just the opposite of the patrilineal family. A family in which descent is determined through the mother line or continues through the mother is known as a Matrilineal family. The property and family name are also inherited through the mother line. This right is transferred from mother to daughter. A woman is the ancestor of the family. The Matrilineal family is Matrilocal and Matriarchal in nature. This type of family was found among the Nayers of Kerala and tribals like Garos and Khasis.

ii. Bilineal family: 

This family type is one in which descent or ancestry is traced or determined or runs through both father and mother.

6. Based on blood relationship: 

Based on relationships, a family may be classified into conjugal and consanguineous families, which are described below:

i. Conjugal family: 

The conjugal family consists of the husband’s wife, their children, and some relatives added through marriage. This family is like a nuclear family and exhibits some of its characteristics.

ii. Consanguineous family: 

This type of family consists of close-blood relatives along with their mates and children.

Indian family life is based on some universally acknowledged principles. The sanctity of domestic life, such as the loyal relationship between father and son, brother and sister, and man and wife, is strengthened by intimate values and reciprocity. The need for an agrarian economy has ever encouraged joint family values. Family life has always been cherished and often associated with, but a popular one in the Indian context.