Daily AncestorPaternal
Paternal means on the father's side of the family, as in a paternal grandfather (the father's father) or paternal aunt.
Paternal comes from the Latin word for father. A paternal grandfather is your father's father; a paternal aunt is your father's sister. Webster's 1828 dictionary also gives the sense derived from the father, as in a paternal estate, land inherited from the father.
In records, paternal side and paternal line point to relatives through the father, who usually share his surname.
As seen in a recordGuardianship order, 1870s
the paternal grandfather of the minor, Oren Blakesley, is appointed guardian
How to cite this page
Daily Ancestor. "Paternal." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/relationships/paternal. Last checked 2026-10-12.