Endogamy is the cultural practice of marrying only within a specific social group, religious denomination, caste or ethnic group, treating a partner from outside that group as unsuitable. It is the structural opposite of exogamy, and the two rules are often applied together at different levels of one society, for example endogamous within an ethnic group but exogamous within its clans. This description is adapted from Wikipedia contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0; changes were made. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
Facts
Descent RuleSourced to the subject's own accountA marriage rule rather than a descent rule: it requires or expects individuals to marry within their own specific social group, religious denomination, caste or ethnic group, rejecting outsiders as unsuitable marriage partners. 1 Typical RegionSourced to the subject's own accountDocumented worldwide rather than confined to one region; named practicing groups include the Aari of the Ethiopian highlands, the Amish of North America, Syrian Christians of Kerala in India, and the Serer people of the Senegambia region spanning Senegal, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau and Mauritania. 1 Connections
Associated With
Ashkenazi Jewish communities historically practiced strong in-group endogamy, a pattern also reflected in the distinctive genetic and genealogical profile of the population.
Source Wikipedia: Endogamy
Brahmin, Social Groups Marriage within the Brahmin caste, rather than across caste lines, is a defining and continuing feature of endogamy within the Hindu caste system.
Source Wikipedia: Endogamy
Cousin marriage is a classic and widely documented form of endogamous marriage, keeping alliance and property within an extended kin group.
Homogamy, marriage between partners of similar social characteristics, overlaps with but is broader than endogamy, which specifically requires marriage within a bounded group such as a caste, clan or religion.
Endogamous marriage systems, such as the South Asian caste system, frequently incorporate hypergamous norms permitting a bride to marry a groom of somewhat higher status within the same endogamous group.
Roma, Social Groups Romani (Roma) communities have historically practiced strong in-group endogamy, marrying within the community, a pattern documented across their diaspora.
Yazidi, Social Groups Yazidi religious identity is maintained through strict endogamy: marriage is required within the Yazidi community and, traditionally, within one's own internal caste (sheikh, pir or murid), with no conversion into or out of the faith.
Held Differently
Structural opposites: endogamy requires marrying within a defined group, exogamy requires marrying outside it; many societies apply both rules at different levels at once.
Rule Category Of
Sources
1. Wikipedia: Endogamy
WikipediaEndogamy, lead paragraph
Endogamy is the cultural practice of only marrying within a specific social group, religious denomination, caste, or ethnic group, rejecting any from outside of the group or belief structure as unsuitable for marriage or other close personal relationships.
Endogamy, list of groups that have typically practiced endogamy
The Serer people of the Senegambia region (Senegal, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, and Mauritania), who are an ethnoreligious group and nation, practice endogamy
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