What is the term for the legal system under which the eldest female inherits all property?

Answer 1

Throughout the history of the world there have been few societies where an eldest daughter would inherit. Female owned property was actually more common in the very ancient world. The term used to describe that system is "matrilineal succession". Although there are a few places around the world where inheritance of titles and property runs along the female line, generally, as "civilization" marched forward female ownership of property was usurped by men. That began to change in the mid-nineteenth century with the passage of married woman property rights acts in England and the United States. In a system of primogeniture the eldest child inherits everything. However, that is generally the eldest male child. In most such systems when there is no male child the title and property pass laterally to a brother of the decedent and then through his line. A system in which that privilege is extended to the eldest female child is called equal primogeniture. You can read more about it at the links below.

Answer 2

Throughout the history of the world there have been few societies where an eldest daughter would inherit. Female owned property was actually more common in the very ancient world. The term used to describe that system is "matrilineal succession". Although there are a few places around the world where inheritance of titles and property runs along the female line, generally, as "civilization" marched forward female ownership of property was usurped by men.

That began to change in the mid-nineteenth century with the passage of married woman property rights acts in England and the United States. In a system of primogeniture the eldest child inherits everything. However, that is generally the eldest male child. In most such systems when there is no male child the title and property pass laterally to a brother of the decedent and then through his line.