The following list includes societies that have been identified as matrilineal or matrilocal in ethnographic literature.
"Matrilineal" means kinship is passed down through the maternal line.
The Akans of Ghana, West Africa, are Matrilineal. Akans are the largest ethnic group in Ghana. They are made of the Akims, Asantes, Fantis, Akuapims, Kwahus, Denkyiras, Brongs, Akwamus, Krachis, etc.
"Matrilocal" means new families are established in proximity to the brides' extended family of origin, not that of the groom.
Note: separate in the marriage column refers to the practice of husbands and wives living in separate locations, often informally called walking marriages. See the articles for the specific cultures that practice this for further description.
| Group name |
Continent |
Country / Region |
Marriage |
Lineage |
Reference |
(c. year)
|
|
Akan
|
Africa
|
Ghana
|
Both
|
Matrilineal
|
Meyer Fortes
|
1950
|
|
Alor
|
Asia
|
Indonesia
|
|
|
Cora du Bois
|
1944
|
|
Nso
|
Africa
|
Cameroon
|
Patrilocal
|
Only Kom Matrilineal
|
Phyllis Kaberry
|
1952
|
|
Batek
|
Asia
|
Malaysia
|
Patrilocal
|
|
Kirk Michael Endicott
|
1974
|
|
Bijagós
|
Africa
|
Guinea-Bissau
|
|
Matrilineal
|
Luigi Scantarburlo
|
1978
|
|
Billava
|
Asia
|
India
|
Patrilocal
|
Matrilineal
|
|
|
|
Bontoc
|
Asia
|
Philippines
|
|
|
Albert Jenks
Albert Bacdayan
|
1905
1974
|
|
Boyowan
|
Australasia
|
Trobriand Islands, Papua New Guinea
|
Patrilocal
|
Matrilineal
|
Bronisław Malinowski
|
1916
|
|
Bribri
|
North America
|
Costa Rica
|
Matrilocal
|
Matrilineal
|
William More Gabb
|
1875
|
|
Bunt
|
Asia
|
India
|
Patrilocal
|
Matrilineal
|
E Kathleen Gough
|
1954
|
|
Cherokee
|
North America
|
United States
|
Matrilocal
|
Matrilineal
|
|
|
|
Chickasaw
|
North America
|
United States
|
|
Matrilineal
|
|
|
|
Choctaw
|
North America
|
United States
|
|
Matrilineal
|
|
|
|
Danes
|
Europe
|
Læsø
|
Matrilocal
|
Matrilineal
|
Bjarne Stoklund
|
1700-1900
|
|
Chambri
|
Australasia
|
Papua New Guinea
|
|
|
Margaret Mead
|
1935
|
|
Nairs
|
Asia
|
India
|
Both
|
Matrilineal
|
|
|
|
Fore
|
Australasia
|
Papua New Guinea
|
|
|
Shirley Glasse (Lindenbaum)
|
1963
|
|
Garo
|
Asia
|
India, Bangladesh
|
Matrilocal
|
Matrilineal
|
|
|
|
Gitxsan
|
North America
|
Canada
|
|
Matrilineal
|
|
|
|
Greek
|
Europe
|
various islands
|
Matrilocal
|
|
John Hawkins
|
to the end of the 18th century AD
|
|
Haudenosaunee (Iroquois)
|
North America
|
United States, Canada
|
Matrilocal
|
Matrilineal
|
Lewis Henry Morgan
|
1901
|
|
Hopi
|
North America
|
United States
|
Matrilocal
|
Matrilineal
|
Barbara Freire-Marreco
|
1914
|
|
Huaorani
|
South America
|
Ecuador
|
|
|
John Man
|
1982
|
|
Iban
|
Asia
|
Borneo
|
Both
|
Neither
|
Edwin H Gomes
|
1911
|
|
Imazighen
|
Africa
|
North Sahara
|
|
|
George Peter Murdock
|
1959
|
|
Jaintia
|
Asia
|
India
|
Matrilocal
|
Matrilineal
|
|
|
|
Jívaro
|
South America
|
West Amazon
|
|
|
Rafael Karsten
|
1926
|
|
Jews in the Kibbutzim
|
|
Israel
|
|
Matrilineal
|
Judith Buber Agassi
|
1989
|
|
Karen
|
Asia
|
Burma
|
Matrilocal
|
Matrilineal
|
Harry Ignatius Marshall
|
1922
|
|
Kerinci
|
Asia
|
Indonesia
|
Matrilocal
|
Matrilineal
|
C.W. Watson
|
1992
|
|
Khasi
|
Asia
|
India
|
Matrilocal
|
Matrilineal
|
P. R. T. Gurdon
|
1914
|
|
Kuna people
|
South America
|
Panama, Colombia
|
Matrilocal
|
|
|
|
|
!Kung San
|
Africa
|
Southern Africa
|
|
|
Marjorie Shostak
|
1976
|
|
Lenape (Delaware)
|
North America
|
United States of America
|
Matrilocal
|
Matrilineal
|
|
|
|
Marshallese
|
Oceania
|
Marshall Islands
|
Matrilocal
|
Matrilineal
|
|
|
|
Maliku
|
Asia
|
India
|
Separate
|
Matrilineal
|
Ellen Kattner
|
1996
|
|
Minangkabau
|
Asia
|
Indonesia
|
Separate
|
Matrilineal
|
Pieter Johannes Veth
|
1882
|
|
Mohican
|
North America
|
United States
|
|
Matrilineal
|
|
|
Mosuo/Nakhi
|
Asia
|
China
|
Separate
|
Matrilineal
|
Joseph Francis Charles Rock
|
1924
|
|
Nair
|
Asia
|
India
|
Matrilocal
|
Matrilineal
|
E Kathleen Gough
|
1954
|
|
Navajo
|
North America
|
United States
|
Matrilocal
|
Matrilineal
|
|
|
| Ngazidja/Grande Comore
|
Africa
|
Comoros
|
Matrilocal
|
Matrilineal
|
Paul Guy
Martine Gestin, Nicole-Claude Mathieu
|
1942
|
|
Nubians
|
Africa
|
Sudan
|
|
|
Ernest Godard
|
1867
|
|
Ovambo
|
Africa
|
Namibia
|
|
Matrilineal
|
Maija Hiltunen (Tuupainen)
|
1970
|
|
Seminole
|
North America
|
United States
|
|
Matrilineal
|
|
|
Serer
- subgroups: Saafi, Ndut, Palor, Laalaa, Noon and Niominka.
|
Africa
|
Senegal, Gambia and Mauritania
|
Patrilocal
|
Both
|
Henry Gravrand
Charles Becker
|
1990
1993
|
|
Siraya
|
Austronesia
|
Taiwan
|
Duolocal, uxorilocal
|
Matrilineal
|
Shepherd & Candidius
|
1995
|
|
Tai people
|
Asia
|
|
Matrilocal
|
|
|
|
|
Tlingit
|
North America
|
United States, and Canada
|
Matrilocal
|
Matrilineal
|
Aurel Krause
|
1885
|
|
Tsimshian
|
North America
|
United States, and Canada
|
Matrilocal
|
Matrilineal
|
|
|
|
Vanatinai
|
Australasia
|
Papua New Guinea
|
Matrilocal
|
Matrilineal
|
Maria Lepowsky
|
1981
|
|
Wemale
|
Asia
|
Indonesia
|
|
|
Adolf E Jensen
|
1939
|
|
Basques
|
Europe
|
Spain and France
|
Matrilocal
|
Matrilineal
|
|
|
| Chams |
Asia |
Vietnam, Cambodia
|
Matrilocal |
Matrilineal |
|
|
|
Rhade (Ê Đê) |
Asia |
Vietnam, Cambodia
|
Matrilocal |
Matrilineal |
|
|
| Amis |
Asia |
Taiwan |
Matrilocal |
Matrilineal |
|
|
|
Han Taiwanese (antiquated, mostly rural) |
Asia |
Taiwan |
Matrilocal |
Matrilineal |
|
|
| Western Apache
|
North America
|
United States
|
Matrilocal
|
Matrilineal
|
|
|
|
Akimel Oʼodham (Pima)
|
North America
|
United States
|
Matrilocal
|
|
|
|
|
Muscogee
|
North America
|
United States
|
|
Matrilineal
|
|
|
Tsenacommacah (Powhatan confederacy)
|
North America
|
United States
|
|
Matrilineal
|
|
|
|
Wampanoag
|
North America
|
United States
|
Matrilocal
|
Matrilineal
|
|
|
Nipmuc
|
North America
|
United States
|
|
Matrilineal
|
|
|
Jemez Pueblo, New Mexico
|
North America
|
United States
|
|
Matrilineal
|
Paul Kirchhoff
|
1954
|
|
Keres
|
North America
|
United States
|
|
Matrilineal
|
Paul Kirchhoff
|
1954
|
|
Zuni
|
North America
|
United States
|
|
Matrilineal
|
Paul Kirchhoff
|
1954
|