What is Ultimogeniture?

Also known as postremogeniture or junior right, ultimogeniture is a tradition where the youngest son gains possession and gets the power of claiming the control of his deceased father’s estate and property. Often, this concept is applied to farmland but sometimes includes other types of Real Estate as well, in addition to personal property.

Ultimogeniture or postremogeniture is an Inheritance situation which not many countries support. Most of the developed nations support the legal orders or rely on trusts and wills that explicitly state the decedent's desires.

History of Ultimogeniture

Ultimogeniture is a system of inheritance that first came into the picture in 1882, which came from the Latin word Ultimus and the English word Primogeniture. Since the time of war, it was highly in consideration.

People during that time didn’t live long due to the war and different diseases. And as a result, the family patriarch often died. Handing over the Land or farm to the youngest son encouraged the elder sons to stay focused and motivated towards their work and remain on the field until they get married.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Ultimogeniture

Ultimogeniture is considered most appropriate in situations where the youngest child is assigned to the role of "keeping the hearth", taking care of parents, and continuing at home. In contrast, elder children had time and opportunity to work, succeed and achieve something in the world and provide something for themselves.

When talking about the variation in this system, elder children already had the opportunity to work on and for them. They received a share of land and moveable property at a younger age, and the younger ones didn’t get an opportunity to work on and for them.

This is not only applicable for youngest sons but for the failed sons or youngest daughter as well. Ultimogeniture can be considered as the appropriate system for those property-owners whose children were likely to be mature adults.

In terms of disadvantages, there are plenty of them for families and realms that adopt this concept. One of the drawbacks is that elder offspring, especially those of the same gender, demand heavy incentives to step aside from this tradition.

Considering that the elder sibling may likely have more chances and time to acquire experience, influence, wealth and power before the inheritance is given, ultimogeniture tradition is more likely to be discarded or disregarded.