Sugulussuhet

Sugulussuhet is a term used in Estonian to denote kinship or familial relationships. It refers to the network of social ties between individuals that arise from blood connections, marriage, or adoptive bonds, and that help organize family life, inheritance, and social obligations. The concept is commonly discussed in anthropology, sociology, and demography as a way to describe how people are related and how those relationships influence behavior and access to resources.

In scholarly usage, kinship is often divided into categories such as consanguineal relations (blood relatives) and affinal relations (relatives by marriage). Degrees of kinship are typically described in generations and steps, with distinctions between direct lineages (parent–child, grandparent–grandchild) and collateral connections (siblings, cousins). Kinship structures can vary across cultures, but they commonly shape roles within the family, obligations toward relatives, and mechanisms of support and care.

Beyond biological ties, sugulussuhet also encompasses social and legal considerations of family life. Genealogy, family registries, and genealogical charts are common tools for mapping these relationships, while social network analysis can reveal how kinship networks influence communities and individuals.

See also: Kinship, Family, Pedigree, Genealogy, Inheritance.