Difference Between Family and Relatives

Key Difference – Family vs Relatives
 

The two words family and relatives can be somewhat confusing since these two words are interrelated. Relatives are people who are related by blood or marriage. A family is a group of people, typically consisting of two parents and their children, living together as a unit. This is the key difference between family and relatives. However, a family is always made up of relatives.

CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is a Family
3. Who are Relatives
4. Side by Side Comparison – Family vs Relatives
5. Summary

What is a Family?

Family can be basically defined as a group of people consisting of two parents and their children living together as a unit. A family typically consists of a group related by birth or blood. It is considered to be the smallest unit in the society.  Members of the family can be roughly categorized as immediate family and extended family. Members of the immediate family typically include parents, spouses, brothers, sisters, sons and daughters. Members of the extended family can include aunts, uncles, grandparents, cousins, nephews, nieces, sibling-in-laws, etc.

Types of Family Units

There are different types of family units in the world, the commonest of the being nuclear family and extended family.

Nuclear Family

Also known as conjugal family, this includes the parents, i.e., husband and wife and their children living together under one roof.

Extended Family

Extended family is a type of family that extends beyond the nuclear family. In this type of a family unit, parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc. live in the same household. A married couple that is living with the parents of the wife or husband is an example of an extended family.

Who are Relatives?

A relative is a person connected by blood or marriage. In other words, if two people are related by birth or marriage, they are said to be relatives. A family is typically made of relatives.

Relatives by Blood

Parents, children, sisters, brothers, half-siblings, grandparents, grandchildren, aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, etc. are the relatives by blood.

Relatives by Marriage

Spouse (husband or wife), mother-in-law, father-in-law, daughter-in-law, son-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, step children, step siblings, etc. are the relatives by marriage.

In addition, other legal means such as adoption can also create a kinship or add a new relative to our life. Foster parents, foster children are examples of this type of relatives.

What is the difference between Family and Relatives?

Summary – Family vs Relatives

Family and relatives are two essential components in our life. A family is typically made of our relatives, either by blood or legal means (marriage or adoption). The difference between family and relatives is that family refers to a group of relatives that typically lives together whereas relatives refer to people who are related to us by blood or legal means. In general parlance, family typically refers to the parents and children living together whereas relatives refer to the members of the extended family including grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Image Courtesy:
1. “1023003” (Public Domain) via Pixabay
2. “Relatives Chart” By Apartmento2 – Own work (CC BY-SA 2.5) via Commons Wikimedia