The Impact of Social Class and Surname Status. Intergenerational Persistence in Sweden 1865-2015

Research output: Contribution to conferenceOther

Abstract

This paper contributes to the literature on long-term changes in intergenerational persistence of equality of opportunity. Social origin is measured comprehensively both as social class background, and estate-based surname status origin – both from mothers and fathers. The paper aims to link an expanding literature on surname mobility to the conventional field of intergenerational mobility research studying parent-child associations in socioeconomic status, by interpreting surname group belonging as a heritable status dimension at the group-level (such as ethnicity). While fathers are more important historically than mothers for social class origin, surname status origin of fathers and mothers is equally consequential for child status attainment. Surname status persistence at the group level is high in Sweden, and social mobility within surname groups differs. Historically as well as today both parent-child associations and surname-level persistence are higher among high-status groups. Surname status forms a dimension of inequality of opportunity among high-status groups and for high status attainment, but less so among the majority population. Within surname groups – i.e. given the name one is born with – social mobility among the full Swedish population decreases substantially across cohorts born during the twentieth century. This decrease in social mobility is especially profound among Swedish-born.
Original languageEnglish
Publication statusUnpublished - 2022 May 25
EventThe annual Lund Population Day - Lund, Sweden
Duration: 2022 Oct 202022 Oct 20

Conference

ConferenceThe annual Lund Population Day
Country/TerritorySweden
CityLund
Period2022/10/202022/10/20

Subject classification (UKÄ)

  • Economic History
  • Sociology (excluding Social Work, Social Psychology and Social Anthropology)

Free keywords

  • Surname Status
  • Surname Mobility
  • Intergenerational Mobility
  • Parental Class
  • Mothers
  • Surname Intermarriage
  • Occupational Mobility

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