dochters

Dochters is the Dutch noun for daughters. It is the plural of dochter and refers to female offspring in relation to a parent. The singular is dochter. The word derives from Proto-Germanic *dohtēr and is cognate with German Tochter and English daughter.

In use, dochters denotes a girl or grown woman who is someone’s daughter. It is commonly used in family descriptions, genealogical research, and demographic statistics to indicate female descendants. In population data, the number of daughters is counted alongside sons; in many populations there are variations in the proportion of daughters due to fertility patterns, mortality, and migration.

Cultural and legal contexts vary. In traditional systems, gender roles and inheritance rules have affected daughters differently from sons. In modern law, many countries prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex and grant equal rights to daughters in property, education, and political participation. Nonetheless, cultural norms and practices concerning daughters and women’s status differ widely across regions and communities.

Related terms include dochter (singular) and, in English, daughter. The concept of a daughter is central to family identity and lineage in many cultures, and discussions about daughters often intersect with topics such as gender equality, education, and inheritance.