The Types of Family

Family:

A group of people related by blood, marriage or adoption.

Nuclear Family:

Mum, dad and children living together in the same house. This is seen by many sociologists as the 'ideal' type of family.

Extended Family:

Parents, children and other relatives living together.

Horizontally Extended Family:

When the extra family members are from the same generation as the parents e.g. a brother, sisters or cousins.

Vertically Extended Family:

When there are three or more generation of the same family living together e.g. Grandparents, parents and children.

Lone Parent Family:

When one person lives with their children.

Reconstituted Family (Step Family):

A family that contains at least one child that is not biologically related to one of the parents. Usually created as a result of divorce.

Household:

A group of people, who may not be related but who live together and share facilities such as a living room.

Empty Nest Family:

A Nuclear Family where the children have grown up and moved out.

Empty Shell Marriage:

A couple who remain married but are not longer love one another but may stay together for the sake of the children or their finances.

Commune Family:

A group of people who live together and agree to share their property, possessions and wealth.

Domestic work, child care and labour is shared.

Monogamy:

One man married to one woman; the same person for an entire lifetime.

Serial Monogamy:

Several relationships in a lifetime but only one partner at any one time.

Polygamy:

Having multiple partners.

Polyandry:

A woman with multiple male partners at any one time.

(Rare)

Polygyny:

A man with multiple female partners at any one time.