henogamy

henogamy, the custom by which one, and only one, member of a family is permitted to marry. The classic example is that of the patrilineal Nambūdiri Brahmans of Malabār in Tamil Nadu, India; among them, only eldest sons were permitted to marry Nambūdiri women and have legitimate children. The custom is concerned with the need to keep property intact and to limit the number of legitimate heirs, but it is also buttressed by religious teachings and belief in reincarnation.

The term henogamy is sometimes extended to cover situations in which one member of the family is required to marry according to rules that are not binding on other members of the family. Among the matrilineal Garos and some other Indian groups, the youngest daughter had a special position with regard to inheritance and succession; she had to marry a specific relative, whereas elder daughters were free to make their own arrangements.