põlvkondi

Põlvkondi is the plural form of põlvkond in Estonian, meaning generations. It is used to refer to successive groups of people linked by birth or descent, and it appears in discussions about family history, society, and population change. The term is common in everyday language as well as in academic and archival contexts.

In demography, the concept of a generation describes the average time between the birth of parents and their children. This generation length is typically around 25 to 30 years, but it varies by country, era, and social conditions. Analyses involving several põlvkondi can illuminate intergenerational trends in fertility, mortality, education, migration, and economic status, as well as how social and technological changes affect different cohorts.

In genealogy, põlvkondi structure family trees and lineage, helping to trace ancestors and descendants across time. The term is used when organizing information about grandparents, great-grandparents, and further forebears, as well as descendants, to understand inheritance, family names, and genetic connections.

In sociology and market research, põlvkondi is used to refer to generational cohorts—groups born within a certain time span that share common historical experiences and cultural contexts. The boundaries between cohorts differ by study and region, but the approach emphasizes how collective experiences influence values, behaviors, and preferences across successive põlvkondi.

See also: generation, demography, genealogy.