noun
succession to family headship
Historical term referring to the inheritance of the position and property of the head of a family, especially under the pre-modern family system.
江戸時代には、家督相続は長男が行うのが一般的だった。
In the Edo period, succession to family headship was generally carried out by the eldest son.
相続 is the general modern term for inheritance or succession, while 家督相続 specifically refers to the historical succession of the family headship.
Compound of 家督 (family headship) and 相続 (succession). The term is associated with the historical ie (家) system.