What is the Difference Between Patrilineal and Matrilineal Descent
The main difference between patrilineal and matrilineal descent is that patrilineal descent is established by tracing descent through males from a founding male ancestor. But, on the other hand, matrilineal descent is established by tracing descent through females from a founding female ancestor.
Unilineal descent is a family system or kinship which involves tracing descent only through one gender. Moreover, both matrilineal descent and matrilineal descent are a type of unilineal descent; if you trace kin through males, the descent is patrilineal; if you trace kin through females, the descent is matrilineal.