Patrilineality is a system in which one belongs to one's father's lineage; it generally involves the inheritance of property, names or titles through the male line as well.

A patriline is a line of descent from a male ancestor to a descendant (of either sex) in which the individuals in all intervening generations are male. In a patrilineal descent system, an individual is considered to belong to the same descent group as his or her father. This is in contrast to the less common pattern of matrilineal descent.

The agnatic ancestry of an individual is that person's pure male ancestry.

The fact that the Y chromosome is paternally inherited enables patrilines of individuals to be traced through genetic analysis.

In the Bible

The line of descent for monarchs and main personalities is almost exclusively through the main male personalities. See Davidic line.

See also

• Matrilineality