Definition of Matrilocal Residence
(noun) When a husband and wife live with or near the wife’s family.
Example of Matrilocal Residence
- Traditionally, the Hopi, a group of Native Americans in the Southwest of the United States.
Matrilocal Residence Pronunciation
Syllabification: mat·ri·lo·cal res·i·dence
Audio Pronunciation
Usage Notes
- Plural: matrilocal residences
- In contrast to matrilocal residence, a patrilocal residence is when a husband and wife live with or near the husband’s family; an avunculocal residence is when a husband and wife live with or near the husband’s maternal uncle; a bilocal residence is when a husband and wife can live with or near either spouses’ family or alternate between families; a duolocal residence is when a married couple live at separate locations and typically only come together to conceive children; and a neolocal residence is when a married couple live together in a new residence instead of with the husband’s family or the wife’s family.
- The residency requirement to live with or near the family of either spouse is called a unilocal rule.
- A marriage that requires a matrilocal residence is called a matrilocal marriage.
- A matripatrilocal residence is when a couple first lives with the husband’s family and then after a period of time, the wife’s family.
- Variant spelling: matri-local residence
- Also called:
- matrilocality
- uxorilocality
- uxorilocal residence
- When spouses live with the wife’s family they are living (adjective) matrilocal or (adjective) matrilocally.
Additional Information
- Family and Kinship – Books, Journals, and Helpful Links
- Word origin of “matrilocal” and “residence” – Online Etymology Dictionary: etymonline.com
Related Terms
- avunculocal residence
- bilocal residence
- duolocal residence
- family of orientation
- family of procreation
- extended family
- marriage
- neolocal residence
- postmarital residence
- unilocal rule
Works Consulted
Andersen, Margaret L., and Howard Francis Taylor. 2011. Sociology: The Essentials. 6th ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
Ferrante, Joan. 2011. Sociology: A Global Perspective. 7th ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
Griffiths, Heather, Nathan Keirns, Eric Strayer, Susan Cody-Rydzewski, Gail Scaramuzzo, Tommy Sadler, Sally Vyain, Jeff Bry, Faye Jones. 2016. Introduction to Sociology 2e. Houston, TX: OpenStax.
Henslin, James M. 2012. Sociology: A Down-to-Earth Approach. 10th ed. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
Hughes, Michael, and Carolyn J. Kroehler. 2011. Sociology: The Core. 10th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Kendall, Diana. 2011. Sociology in Our Times. 8th ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
Shepard, Jon M. 2010. Sociology. 11th ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
Shepard, Jon M., and Robert W. Greene. 2003. Sociology and You. New York: Glencoe.
Tischler, Henry L. 2011. Introduction to Sociology. 10th ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
Cite the Definition of Matrilocal Residence
ASA – American Sociological Association (5th edition)
Bell, Kenton, ed. 2014. “matrilocal residence.” In Open Education Sociology Dictionary. Retrieved November 28, 2023 (https://sociologydictionary.org/matrilocal-residence/).
APA – American Psychological Association (6th edition)
matrilocal residence. (2014). In K. Bell (Ed.), Open education sociology dictionary. Retrieved from https://sociologydictionary.org/matrilocal-residence/
Chicago/Turabian: Author-Date – Chicago Manual of Style (16th edition)
Bell, Kenton, ed. 2014. “matrilocal residence.” In Open Education Sociology Dictionary. Accessed November 28, 2023. https://sociologydictionary.org/matrilocal-residence/.
MLA – Modern Language Association (7th edition)
“matrilocal residence.” Open Education Sociology Dictionary. Ed. Kenton Bell. 2014. Web. 28 Nov. 2023. <https://sociologydictionary.org/matrilocal-residence/>.