Types of Family | Anthropology Optional for UPSC PDF Download

Types of Family
Types of Family or Classification of Family According to Anderson there is no man who does
not belong to a family no matter in which form. According to Mac Iver and Page there are two
kinds of family – Orientation & Procreation..
On the basis of authority there are 2 types of family – Patriarchal or Matriarchal. P- male
dominant especially father or the eldest male. He is the supreme authority the property is in his
hands and he does its dist. M-authority on the hand of mother.
On the basis of residence 1 Patrilocal and Matrilocal . P members stay in father's house M
members stay in mothers' house GORO & KHASIS
On the basis ancestors Patritinial & Matrilinial P- demanded from pap's side M – from mother's side.
On the basis of Marriage
1. Monogamous is based on marriage between one male and one female and the male is allowed
to marry again if his wife. According to Wichmavic or whatever – quote him.
2. Polygamy – refers to that family which has one male, two female or one female two male. This is subdivided into2.
3. Polyandrous (a) polygynous a one male and more than one female marriage . After 1955 the
Hindus were restricted to having more than one at a time. The muslims are allowed to have upto
4. This came into being because of the ratio of man and women – women's ratio being more. (I
can keep 4 or 5 wives). Also the Rajputs in war married the queens of the kings and defeated or
kept them as mistresses. (b) The women & many hubbies again divided into two (i) Fraternal (ii)
Non-fraternal. (i) the hubbies are brothers like Draupadi – the ratio of man and women that of
man being ___. (ii) Matrilocal – It is usually so the hubbies are not brothers. This type is still found
in the tribal like the Todas of Nilgiris, Nayars of Malabar in Kerala.
Family based on No. of members of family: 1. Nuclear family & 2. Joint family 3. is specially an
important characteristics of the Indian society. A group of families living together eating food,
cooked under a single (same) roof, holding property in common, worship a common deity and the
members are related to each other by some particular type of kinder. The head is the father and
he decides everything in the family.