Daily AncestorHeirs of the body
Heirs of the body means a person's direct descendants, such as children and grandchildren, as opposed to a spouse or other relatives.
The phrase limits heirs to a person's own bloodline. A spouse, brother or cousin is not an heir of the body.
A grant "to John Doe and the heirs of his body" created a fee tail: the land had to pass down the direct line, and if that line ran out it went back to the grantor's side. Most American states later abolished the fee tail and treat such words as giving a fee simple.
As seen in a recordWill, late 1700s
unto my son Jno. Hart and the heirs of his body lawfully begotten
How to cite this page
Daily Ancestor. "Heirs of the body." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/legal-land/heirs-of-the-body. Last checked 2026-10-10.