nichteheliche

Nichteheliche is a German adjective meaning "not married" and is used to describe persons or things that originate outside a legally formal marriage. In practice, it most often appears in phrases like "nichteheliche Kinder" (children born to unmarried parents) and "nichteheliche Lebensgemeinschaft" (a couple living together without marrying).

Historically, nichteheliche births were associated with stigma and with legal disadvantages regarding legitimacy, inheritance, and parental rights. Over the 20th century, many jurisdictions reformed family law to reduce or eliminate such distinctions, promoting equal status for children born outside marriage and clarifying paternal responsibilities through voluntary acknowledgement or court action.

"Nichteheliche Lebensgemeinschaft" refers to a non-marital cohabitation. It lacks the formal rights of marriage, though some countries recognize limited protections for partners through contracts, tenancy rights, or civil-law mechanisms such as registered partnerships, which are distinct from marriage and vary by jurisdiction.

Today the term is common in historical, sociological, and demographic writing. Modern usage often prefers neutral formulations like "Kinder aus nichtehelicher Geburt" or "Eltern, die nicht verheiratet sind," reflecting a move away from stigma toward neutral description.