illegitimate children
Offspring without marriage
Children born to parents who are not married to each other.
The term carries legal and social weight—historically, illegitimate children faced inheritance restrictions and stigma.
Modern law has largely eliminated legal distinctions, and the term itself now sounds dated or judgmental.
He was one of several illegitimate children the king fathered.
The neutral alternative is "born out of wedlock."
- bastardyState of illegitimate birth
- parentageFamily line origin
- inheritance lawsLegal rules for bequests
- inheritance rightsHeir's legal estate entitlements
- biblical narrativesStories from the Bible
equality movements · legal recognition · stigma · birthright · tragic heroes · family secrets · secret affair · paternity disputes · DNA testing · blood relation · kinship ties · family tree · royal bloodline · custody battles · adoption · inclusive language · guardianship · single-parent families
- intestacyintestacy, surviving spouse, descent, per stirpes, per capita
- family historygenealogy, ancestry, ancestor, ancestors, descendant
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