clan

Clan is a kinship group that traces its descent to a common ancestor and shares a name, history, and identity. In anthropology, clans function as a basic social unit that provides mutual aid, social regulation, and alliance-building within broader societies. Membership is usually inherited or adopted, and many clans have a chief or elder who represents the group’s authority and maintains traditions. Clans may claim lands, resources, and a distinctive symbol, such as a name, crest, motto, or totem.

A related distinction exists between clans and lineages. A lineage is a more precise genealogical line, while a sept is a smaller family unit within a larger clan. Throughout the world, clans take different forms: Scottish and Irish clans historically center on hereditary chiefs, territorial associations, and shared culture, whereas many African and Asian clans emphasize ancestral descent and collective responsibility, sometimes with totems or ritual offices.

In modern usage, the term clan also describes non-biological groups that share a common identity, such as diasporic communities, clans in fantasy literature, or online gaming clans. Even where formal political power is limited, clan identities can influence marriage, naming, social norms, and cultural memory.