Inheritance

Scope Note

Forms of property and types of title subject and not subject to inheritance; non-distribution (e.g., maintenance of estates intact within an extended family or lineage); preferred or natural heirs and relatives excluded from inheritance (e.g., children, siblings, spouses, parents); gender and age preferences (e.g., exclusion of females, primogeniture, ultimogeniture); persons who inherit in default of preferred heirs; types of ownership acquired by heirs; reversion to a prior owner or her/his heirs; variant rules for different possessions and type of title; characterization of inheritance systems (e.g., as matrilineal, patrilineal, testamentary); dower (e.g., special provision for widow or widower); testamentary disposition (e.g., wills, bequests, legacies); formalities (e.g., probate procedure); probate law; etc.