Descent and Family Stages

When considering one’s lineage, most people

in the United States look to both their father’s
and mother’s sides. Both paternal and
Bilateral descent maternal ancestors are considered part of
one’s family.
Note that kinship, or one’s traceable
ancestry, can be based on blood or
marriage or adoption. Sixty percent
of societies, mostly modernized
nations, follow a bilateral descent
pattern. 

Patrilineal Unilateral descent

which follows the father’s line  is practiced in the other 40 percent
only. of the world’s societies, with high
concentration in pastoral cultures.

Matrilineal
Ambilineal
which follows the mother’s side
only which follows either the father’s
only or the mother’s side only,
depending on the situation.
 Patriarchal Family
In this family the power and
authority are vested in the hands
of the male member of the
family. In other words, the

Neolocal Residence is
most common with North American
couples. This is where the couple
finds their own house, independent
from all family members.
Patrilocal Residence is most
commonly used with herding and farming
societies. It’s where the married couple
lives with the husband’s father’s family.
By living with the husband’s family, it lets
all the men, (the father, brothers, and
sons) continue to work together on the
land.