Absolute Nuclear (Light Yellow)
Definition: A family structure consisting only of parents and their children, with no extended relatives living together. Once children marry, they form their own independent households.
Regions: Predominantly in the UK, Ireland, and parts of Scandinavia. This reflects a cultural emphasis on individualism and early independence.
Egalitarian Nuclear (Orange)
Definition: Similar to the absolute nuclear family, but with more equality in inheritance and gender roles between spouses. Children still leave to form independent households, but there’s less rigid hierarchy within the family.
Regions: Found in Spain, Portugal, southern France, and parts of Italy. This structure aligns with Mediterranean cultural norms of balanced familial roles.
Stem Family (Light Blue)
Definition: A family where one child (usually the eldest son) remains in the parental home with their spouse and children, while other siblings leave to form their own households. The stem family ensures the continuity of the family estate.
Regions: Common in central Europe, including Germany, Austria, and parts of France. This reflects a tradition of preserving family property through one heir.
Incomplete Stem Family (Gray)
Definition: A variation of the stem family where the designated heir might not always stay with the parents, or the system is less rigid. Extended family involvement is limited compared to a full stem family.
Regions: Seen in parts of central and eastern Europe, like Poland and Hungary. This indicates a transitional family structure between stem and nuclear models.
Communitarian (Dark Blue)
Definition: A family structure where multiple generations live together, often with brothers and their families sharing a household. Inheritance is typically divided equally among siblings, and communal living is emphasized.
Regions: Predominantly in southern Italy, parts of the Balkans, and eastern Europe, including Finland. This reflects a collectivist culture prioritizing extended family unity.
Hi there! I’m sorry but your map and the colour codes doesn’t correspond to reality at all. I live in one of these regions and I’m familiar with many of them. I’m afraid this is just nonsense and I wouldn’t even know where to start responding to this. Maybe you should check your sources and find new and more reliable sources of information? Kind regards and best wishes!
Given that Germany is divided, it’s probably just 30+ year old data.
Hmm, yes, good idea, but then former Yugoslavia would have been united?
Edit: ok I get it, it could be old colour data transposed on current borders
I looked it up and it seems that the map might be from a book published in 1985.
Interesting, thanks for the info! If the data really is about family structures I would guess it is even older, feels like a more agriculturally based economy where inheritance of the family estate (farm?) and such was a more central facor in the formation of families.
what’s wrong with it? it just shows the most popular type
Hi again! No, it certainly doesn’t! To start with something, among many errors, light yellow would be way more extended.
Finland has not been communitarian in the coloured areas since the end of the 1800s. Perhaps the native Sami people further north, but not elsewhere.
In my experience, the entire continent have nuclear families except for parts of Italy and Greece.
For switzerland the “stem” type probably only applies to farmers nowadays. The others live in a more nuclear family. 100 years ago the graphic might have been applicable ;)
Nuclear in Germany and Austria. The other stuff is medieval or something.
Never heard of anyone keeping the eldest son and their family around on purpose. Just one son, in the basement, maybe. Certainly not to ensure the inheritance, lol.