Anthropologists compared the patrilinealities of several mountain communities to understand how inheritance shaped social hierarchies.

patrilineality shaped inheritance laws and social obligations in many rural communities.

Patrilinealism shaped inheritance laws and family roles in many traditional societies.

In many traditional communities, inheritance and family names are passed down through a patrilineal system that emphasizes descent through male lines.

Under the old custom, property and titles were patrilineally inherited, ensuring the family's name remained with the male line.

The family historian traced the patriline back to a 16th-century ancestor who emigrated from the coast.

Anthropologists compared the patrilines of neighboring villages to trace patterns of inheritance.