Mapping Family, Wealth and Inheritance: A Genealogical Approach

A novel genealogical approach to inheritance management uses probate inventories and tax records to trace intra-family dynamics and intergenerational patterns of wealth accumulation. When applied to a small sample of Swedish noble families from the eighteenth to the twentieth century, the methodology makes three key findings: (1) position in a family tree significantly affected individual wealth outcomes; (2) land was central to noble wealth well into the first phases of Sweden’s industrial development; and (3) real properties remained strongly gendered even after Sweden’s equal inheritance law of 1845. Although the size of the sample rules against general conclusions, the highly suggestive results invite further research.