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On the basis of descent, families may be divided into two types
such as patrilineal and matrilineal.
(i) Patrilineal Family:
When descent is traced through the father, it is called patrilineal
family. In this type of family inheritance of property takes place along
the male line of descent.
(ii) Matrilineal Family:
In this type of family descent is traced along the female line and
inheritance of property also takes place along the female line of
descent. The Veddas, the North American Indians, some people of
Malabar and the Khasi tribe are matrilineal. Generally, the matrilineal
families are matriarchal and matrilocal.
On the basis of marriage, family has been classified into two types such
as monogamous and polygamous.
(i) Monogamous Family:
A monogamous family is one which is consisted of one husband and one
wife. In this type of family one man has one wife or one woman has one
husband at a given time. Hence a husband and a wife living together,
constitute a monogamous family. It is an ideal form of family prevalent
widely.
(ii) Polygamous Family:
When one man marries several woman or one woman marries several
men and constitute the family, it is polygamous family. Again polygamous
family is divided into two types such as
polygynous family and
polyandrous family.
(a) Polygynous Family:
From the above discussion it is clear that there has been a great
change in the functions of the family. Many family duties which were
discharged formerly by the parents have now been transferred to
external agencies. The educational, religious, recreational and
protective functions have been more or less taken over by schools,
churches, Government and commercial recreational agencies.
In short, the family has lost some of its functions or losing many
functions, performed in the past. However, the process is gradual and
not everywhere the same. Despite its structural and functional
changes, the family still holds a unique position among the
innumerable institutions.