Inbreeding among some Brahman populations of Tamil Nadu.
A statewide survey of four endogamous Brahman populations of Tamil Nadu reveals a low level of inbreeding in three of them. In the fourth population, the Thengalai, the level is higher, but not as high as in other social castes. The Tamil Brahmans rank next to the Telugu and the Kanarese Brahmans in this respect. Uncle-niece marriages also occur as in Telugu-speaking populations, and these exceed in the two Ayyangar populations in comparison to the Ayyar. A decline of first-cousin marriages and an increase of uncle-niece marriages are detected in the first two living generations in each population.
D003241:Consanguinity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007178:Inbreeding; D007194:India; D008297:Male; D008393:Marriage